Helping without the need of approval

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Imagine you're hungry on the street, trying to find your next meal. Someone walks up trying to help, but something is pointed right at your face. While you feel low on hope, you're being filmed. As something that could be seen as something nice someone did for another human being, instead they are using this person in need of help as content. When does this go too far? When does it stop feeling helpful and start feeling degrading?


From an outsider's perspective, or as a viewer through the phone, we could see this as something positive. One human helping another. This could be helpful and encourage others to do the same, go out of their way to help, and spread the word. Seeing someone helping another may help spread awareness. 


The person who is receiving the help and being filmed might not see this in a positive way. Someone who's experiencing this hardship might not want their face blasted all over the internet while they are facing these circumstances. Permission needs to be asked to be filmed, and they should not be guilt-tripped into needing to follow along with what the content creator wants. We should just help people out without needing something in return or needing approval. 


I think that we can use both perspectives to spread awareness without invading someone's privacy. We can respect their privacy and still help them and spread the word. There are so many different options, and filming those struggling is not one of them. Content creators can share resources and encourage donations without damaging themselves. 


Helping from the heart starts with going out of your way to help without needing something in return. Respecting privacy and showing respect without degrading oneself. People deserve to be treated as human beings and not as content. 


Next time you run into another one of those videos that seems like one is helping another in need, ask yourself, are they actually being helped, or are they just using them for exploitation? Everyone deserves respect no matter what they are going through, so before you share, like, or repost content, think about the person on the other side of the camera. 

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