Jaser Alsharhan
05-28-13
SE2
Course Reflection
Practicing
What You Preach: the Constitution of the
Self, Perpetual Busyness, and the Integrity of Service
What?
What I have learned…
Whether by chance
or by mere intention, the self is symbiotically
constituted by the other. This is to
say that one’s identity is established by recognizing the needs of another
human being. Emmanuel Levinas, a French philosopher, postulates, “[I am] not
free to ignore the meaningful world into which the face of the other has introduced [to me].” This new “world” allows one to fully
understand his or her reality. From the totality of the other, one is able to reach a fulfilled self, a greater
meaning, a transcendental existence.
With this theory
in mind, I decided to fully dedicate myself to a service-learning course and
register for the atypical Honors Writing Course. When I first read the title of
the class, I was actually quite weary of my decision. The title “Reading and
Writing about People: Representation and Diaspora” germinates a rhetoric of ethos, a steadfast care for those being
“represented.” I was drawn to this specific class because of one reason:
service. I am fond of volunteering in the community, and I thought this class
would give me a chance to volunteer for a great cause and learn through the other. In an attempt to feel like my
work on campus was not just affecting individuals at a local level, I wanted to
volunteer with the ACC and learn more about their efforts to help refugees
assimilate to American culture, find stable positions, and remain
self-sufficient.
In the process of
serving refugees, I learned about their cultures and their relationship with
volunteers. By writing the Congolese Backgrounder, I was able to read several
sources which edified the skills and personalities embodied by refugees
traveling to the United States. One source, The
Migration and Settlement of Refugees in Britain, amalgamated what other
countries have done to support refugees and how their policies can be applied
to the United States’ private sector. Other documents, such as The Migration and Refugee Assistance
legal document, isolated the versatile public policies instituted to help
refugees in educational and workplace environments. These materials were
beneficial for the Congolese Backgrounder as they could help employers and
volunteers understand the integration of these individuals into mainstream
society and how one can help smooth this transition.
So
what? Why it matters…
Through
volunteering at the ACC, I was able to sate much more than the
“self-fulfillment” craving which I adopted at the beginning of this class. I
gained a world of experience just by talking with many of the refugees about
their experiences in America. Through the humbling encounters with Mani,
Hussein, and Georgette, I have refined my original perception of volunteering.
I believe that philanthropy is anything you do to make the world a better
place, and volunteers can rest their laurels on a simple philosophy: if you
give individuals the opportunity to make a difference now, they will continue
to make a positive impact for the rest of their lives.
Through writing a short
synopsis of the Congolese culture and dislocation, I was able examine the
troubles which the Congolese face while migrating to America. Most Congolese
refugees are well-educated and mature professionals. Coming to America introduces
a language barrier which prevents them from obtaining the same professional
status in America. This opened my eyes
to the true unfortunate nature of the Congolese diaspora: many lose their
identities in the process of moving to the United States. “The Land of the Free”
suddenly becomes the land of lost identity and workplace condemnation. The lack
of social-equity in the States transcends the previous hope which refugees
maintain on their strenuous journey to the idealized United States of America.
Writing about the
Street Smarts of Volunteering in the Volunteer Information section allowed me
to illustrate the inexcusability of not being able to volunteer. I think, more
than ever, our society feels the need to make excuses for not being able to do
something. The perpetual cycle of busyness, family matters, relationship
conundrums, dorm dramatics, and partying antics builds a dense fog of
sleep-depriving stress. In reality, if we cut out most of the nonessential,
unproductive commitments of our day-to-day activities, people would be able to
understand that there is always time to volunteer your time or your service to
a specific cause. By writing about carpooling and transportation methods via
RTD, I was able to concisely emphasize the ease of volunteering at the ACC and
how the word “excusable” should not be made the branding stamp of our
generation. In short, it is worth it to not just seek self-gratification in the
process of making someone else’s life just that much better.
Now
what? The lessons I can instill in others...
There are a couple
of different takeaways from this class. First, practice what you preach.
Second, have integrity in your actions. Third, realize the ease of volunteering
to combat the “excusable” brand of our generation.
Whilst writing the
strife and troubles of another breed, man often loses contemplation of reality
and the truth which lies therein. By writing about volunteering, individuals
often seem to be enveloped in a world of semantic disparities and typographical
errors rather than the content of the piece. A writer may easily usurp the
strife of writing but divert the complex issue of refugee displacement and
acculturation; this is the moment when the writer’s discourse becomes a
preacher’s sermon rather than a transparent story. With all of this being said,
I am so happy that I took this course which focuses on the metamorphosis of
writers of sermons into writers of practice.
With this class, I
was able to see firsthand the initiatives which strictly focus on helping
refugees in their ultimate pursuit of happiness. This practice allowed me to
focus on service rather than words that describe it. In the same breath, I am a
stronger writer because of the service-learning component of the course, and I
can speak, analyze, and synthesize volumes about refugees and their plight to
attain self-sufficiency, workplace equality, and grounded relationships in
America. Because I am speaking from a place of understanding and complete
transparency, I can focus on the meat of refugee dislocation and the
implications it has on service engagements. Essentially, this class allowed me
to “practice what I preach” rather than instilling detached objectives and
morals through my writing. Furthermore, this action allowed me to gain a
significant amount of authorial credibility as a writer because of my personal
experience with the ACC.
Lastly, integrity
spins the cycle of volunteerism to become a whirlpool of refined art. With
integrity, volunteers can truly solidify their intentions for volunteering. One
philosophy which proselytizes the inevitability of self-seeking service
engagements is Aristotle’s philosophy on service. Arisotle contends that as
long as intentions are not self-seeking or self-serving, empathetic altruism is
truly being exuded. If one can set aside egoism and merely have
self-gratification or happiness as a byproduct of service, the service
maintains legitimacy. If the service was purely an engagement of a self-serving
nature, individuals must reevaluate their position. I use Aristotle and the
theory of Egoism to explain my experience at the ACC. One’s intentions must be
for the sole benefit of the receiver or else the service-engagement cannot be
deemed as altruistic service. I will keep these thoughts in mind for all my
future volunteer positions. I will always know the difference between being
self-gratifying and self-giving.
In finality, volunteering
is the event which has shaped this entire discussion. Volunteering inherently
sharpens one’s teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. A volunteer
commitment seeks to better a community’s endeavor to gain sovereignty,
professional help, or just simple recognition. It is imperative for the
altruistic self to join a cause and foster generosity by supporting the personal
development, well-being, or safety of a specific group.
The vast emotional and creative
possibilities, which volunteering crystalizes, restore a sense of the self. As Emmanuel Levinas would
claim, the self is constituted
through giving to the other. Volunteering
revitalizes a semblance of humanity in the face of despair, adversity, and
helplessness. Perpetual busyness is no longer a valid excuse for the truant
volunteer. We are all busy, but there is always time to make a small yet
impactful difference in someone else’s life.
One needs only to
look into the laden eyes of the other (may it be a refugee, orphaned
child, homeless person, etc.), sink into the abyss of their exasperated expression,
and self-capitulate to his or her natural desire to help. I do not think that
we need to convince ourselves that we care. Just as Deng desires to help the TV
Boy in What is the What, people
naturally want to help when we someone in trouble: “I am envisioning freeing
you, and then freeing myself” (Eggers 48). In reality, we care so much; we just
feel like we cannot make a substantial difference because we are so small and
the problem is just too big. This common perception is flawed and inaccurate.
The truth is that people care. People love. They just need to start acting like
it, start conveying their inner desires, and practice what they so desperately
preach.
Works
Cited
Eggers, Dave. What is the
What. First Vintage Books. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 2006. Print.
