Quest Early College High School. Senior Exhibition Project: Journal Entry # 2
Thursday, January 26, 2012.
This Thursday was one of the rare days of school that I felt I learned something profound and meaningful. Kap McWhorter stood before my class and requested each student draw a four scene children’s book about a social action project we might want to do in the future. After my class finished our drawings of hungry villages being given food and orphans being given homes, we were asked to reflect.
“Who is the hero in your story?” Mr. McWhorter wanted to know.
In our stories, the answer was clear. Most of my classmates and I had drawn ourselves as the heroes of our stories. We had envisioned ourselves as beacons of light bringing books to impoverished communities and “catalysts of justice” (to quote a classmate of mine) who brought disaster relief to Japan. We had drawn ourselves, as Mr. McWhorter pointed out, as supermen.
At first, I was unsure where he was going with this. Of course we were supermen, we were asked to draw ourselves taking action to help, right? Just like superman! “What does a story have to have if there is a hero?” Mr. McWhorter wanted to know. A second of silence passed before we realized, “a victim.” It was with this simple activity that Mr. McWhorter was able to illustrate for my classmates and I how we could unwittingly deprive people of their dignity by seeking to bring glory to ourselves through service learning and social action. By having the “superhero mindset” when approaching service, we were victimizing the people we sought to help, and creating another problem altogether.
This “superhero mentality” I realize, is social action’s kryptonite. Social action should not seek to help victims, but instead to empower friends; to empower people to find their own strengths within themselves. Because this concept is abstract, Mr. McWhorter provided many examples of victims versus triumphing people.
Rather than share those examples here, I invite you guys to share examples you have below! I extend a special invitation to the senior class at Quest Early College High School to share any stories they remember from McWhorter 
I think education is the ultimate example of empowerment. Each teacher works to empower the students they work with. This will not only empower others (by hopefully inspiring others to teach), but it will allow those students to avoid being victims themselves. However, I think we all need a superhero from time to time. Those truly great teachers. The ones that seem to care and push without limit. They are superheroes in every sense of the word, although I think I like the term “catalysts of justice” better.
I agree entirely Shawn. Beautifully put
Sometimes I feel that a “superman” is the only person who can solve these global issues. War, violence, hatred, greed, discrimination… I can help many victims of these tragedies in different ways of social action, but prevention is a difficult problem to tackle. Even for Superman.
I am glad that you mention prevention, which is an equally effective method of social action! I agree with you Ted, global issues frequently seem insurmountable. It makes Superman that much more appealing.
Great point you and Kap are making about heroes and victims in social action. It reminds me of this quote by the founder of Daoism, Lao-Tzu.
“A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.”
by Lao-Tzu, 490 BC
Hello again Mr. Han!
wow! That is a great quote which really sums up Kap’s message. Thank you for sharing
Hi Micaela,
Another resource worth visiting is http://goodintents.org/ , a blog devoted to preventing misguided but well intended aid and development for developing communities.
Here is a short excerpt from one of the many blog entries on this website:
“Unfortunately, what people do with the best intentions can very often hurt the people they are trying to help. I’ve personally seen donated clothing piled up chest high in an 8 car parking garage molding away a year after it was donated. I’ve seen villagers invest what little money they have into livelihood projects that fail as soon as the volunteer leaves. I’ve seen aid organizations build houses on land without a clear title where people were kicked out and the houses used for tourists.”
So as a young socially-aware person, you can share with your peers the mindset that serving developing communities is a worthy goal but there are pitfalls to avoid. One of which was brought up by Kap. Another pitfall is the enthusiastic and well-intended voluntourist who unintentionally causes problems and harm due to ignorance and lack of appropriate skills. Keep learning and keep serving, Micaela.
Best regards,
Peter
Micaela-
I just found your post. I am incredibly humbled by your reflection following our time at Quest. I look forward to hearing how you guys plan on searching for and empowering heroes through your senior exhibition projects. Keep me posted.
-Kap