Maybe That Is Enough
Critical Reflection #5
What?: Illich argues that those people the volunteers aim to help may not all need or want their aid. He supports this based on the differences of culture; for instance, the two groups are educationally, linguistically and financially unequal, so “It is incredibly unfair [us] to impose [ourselves] on a village where [we] are so linguistically deaf and dumb that [we] don’t even understand what [we] are doing, or what people think of [us]” (Illich, pg.5). By imposing the “American way of life” onto a community of inhabitants without even asking what they actually want and need, is what Illich wants us to keep in mind; not everyone will take kindly to a service-driven leader’s kindness and generosity.
Similarly, I believe Remen, author of Helping, Fixing, or Serving?, touches on this concept and supports Illich’s argument by stating that “Helping is not a relationship between equals” (Remen, pg.1). Thus, suggesting that while one may have good intentions when helping or fixing those in need, it does not always mean that everyone will kindly accept help or even want to change the way in which they were brought up. Even though there are many organizations and charities that seek to alleviate the suffering of groups who cannot help themselves, it constructs these people as the “others,” because then they become labeled as poor and uneducated. And while there are communities who cannot provide their people with the resources or perhaps do not believe in an education, does not automatically mean they are incapable human beings. In order to comprehend why a society is structured a certain way, is by studying and understanding the history. This may seem like a simple task but this only a part of it: we must also “Serve that to which we are profoundly connected, that which we are willing to touch” (Remen, pg.2). Through this we surrender our predisposed knowledge of “the other,” and instead begin a new narrative of the people.
So What?: It is not worth creating a school system or a systemic institution of discrimination where students and citizens are not engaged and are instead stripped of their ability to judge. By allowing autonomy in the classrooms through fostering discussions that stimulate a child’s mind, essentially provides students to “Value the perspective of the ‘other’: the poor, the worker, the oppressed, the immigrant, or the person of another color, class, gender, or sexuality” (Calderon, pg.4). That is the very mission that our own classroom is equipping us to understand and value. While it is a required part of our participation grade, we are not just learning to understand others’ perspectives and culture, but also becoming better able to understand ourselves and our history and culture.
Sometimes I do not think we recognize that our role in our community partners is so much bigger than ourselves; I myself, have trouble believing that I am somehow part of something bigger. However, what is so powerful about service-learning is that “Service require us to know that our humanity is more powerful than our expertise” (Remen, pg.2). When I first started, I thought I was there to just interpret for doctors and nurses, but little did I take into account the relationships and connections I would make while I was there. I did not believe that I would care so much for the patients that I have had the privilege of meeting. Moreover, little did I know that what was going on “outside” in terms of politics, would unfold here at the clinic. It’s not like I was oblivious to the issues happening now, but at the time I did not know how it was going to affect the people of RotaCare clinic.
It has been almost three months since I began volunteering as an interpreter for RotaCare and what I have taken so far from this experience and what I have come to accept, is that my Spanish definitely needs work. But most importantly, I have learned to be present. As Remen describes it, “Servers may experience from time to time a sense of being used by larger unknown forces.Those who serve have traded a sense of mastery for an experience of mystery, and in doing so have transformed their work and their lives into practice” (pg.2). I no longer go there to interpret, but to learn, connect and do what feels good and right to me. And that is alright.
Now What?: Having read the readings for this week, made me think about the service that I am doing at the clinic and whether or not I am actually making some type of impact on the community. I know that Illich, in his speech “To Hell With Good Intention,” states that there is the belief that any true American has something, and at times, should and can give it. However, when there is this way of thinking, we lose sight of the people and the culture and the structure of living. Many times, we ignore these parts of a country we are visiting because we don’t believe it “matters” or because we believe in the sentiment that goes, “They should be happy we are even helping them.”
It is this way of thought, which Illich argues, is what clouds our judgement and good intention. We want to believe we are doing the good thing, but does always doing the “good thing” mean it is right? How do we know that what may be a good thing to Americans, is a good thing to other group(s)?
This is the difficult part with going in and helping a group of people you think you know, but do you really know anything?
Nevertheless, a great piece of advice that was given to me, states that these type of questions allow us to go deeper. It is hard to know where to best spend our time and when and in what. However, as Calderon, Professor of Sociology and Chicano studies states, “Students learn to value the perspective of the ‘other’: the poor, the worker, the oppressed, the immigrant, or the person of another color, class, gender, or sexuality. Similarly, workers and community organizers grow to respect classrooms as places where ideas can become deeds that advance their ephors to be heard” (Calderon, pg.4). This suggests that classrooms that foster discussions of inequity and marginalization of specific groups, are essential to promoting and advancing a more democratic society. Perhaps if we know what, when, and how we’re going to spend our time serving and giving back to a community that desperately needs it, than maybe that is enough.
