This video was about the power of outrospection and is an RSA Animate video (I really like these!) In the beginning, Roman Krznaric talks about how George Orwell once lived among the poor in London and how he used that experience to better understand the plight of those living in poverty and to share that will others in his writing. I am actually extremely against this. It is a blatant case of poverty tourism (also called slum tourism). While I believe it is good to learn about the struggles of others and to want to make life better for all on earth, I don't think poverty tourism is how it is done as poverty tourism is just another ploy to exploit the marginalized in my opinion. BUT- that's not the entire point of the video. One part I really liked was about the Hello Peace free telephone line where Israelis and Palestinians can talk to one another and learn about their lives and struggles.
Hi Blake! I am so glad you like those RSA videos: I just added them to the video library over the break, so they are new to the class. Whoo-hoo!
ReplyDeleteAbout Orwell: his situation is not really the same as poverty tourism today; he actually was broke and living in poverty. Very different from college students who go spend Spring Break doing a service project, for example. The real debate with Orwell's writings from that time is about fact or fiction; is it autobiography or novel? You have to read him without being 100% sure what actually happened to him and what he dramatized. Either way, his books make good reading IMO. I don't always agree with him, but he makes me think.
Happy Friday, and I am so happy you are enjoying these RSA videos. As you can see, all this stuff about empathy very much connects with what we do as readers and writers. :-)
Laura, thanks for the insight! I should have looked into it more before jumping to conclusions. Happy Friday to you as well :)
DeleteThat's what is so great about the Internet: you get to keep learning all the time and revising everything as you good (assumptions, opinions, conclusions, everything). It is so great when people are doing these extra credit posts because I read them (even if I don't always comment), and I get to learn new things along the way too based on what details and ideas you all record in your posts. Now I am wondering what George Orwell would have thought of the Internet as we have it today! :-)
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