“Misunderstanding on this level breeds arrogance, fear and inequality in our relationships with other cultures at home and abroad…“
Read this paper today, released by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in the UK in 2002. The VSO conducted interviews with more than 1,000 Brits over 15 about their perceptions of international development and aid. What they found is quite surprising, and speaks volumes about the lasting impact Bob Geldof’s LiveAid. My suspicions are that similar results would be found in the U.S., but the War on Terror and the fierce “Americanism” that is felt in this country would create some strong effects not seen in this study.
How do Brits feel about aid abroad? See the main findings of the study below:
The Live Aid Legacy
- Starving children with flies around their eyes: 80% of British people associate developing world with doom-laden images of famine, disaster and Western aid. Sixteen years on from Live Aid, these images are still top of mind and maintain a powerful grip on the British psyche.
- Victims are seen as less than human: stereotypes of deprivation and poverty, together with images of Western aid, can lead to an impression that people in the developing world are helpless victims. 74% of the British public believe that these countries “depend on the money and knowledge of the West to progress.”
- False sense of superiority and inferiority: The danger of stereotypes of this depth and magnitude is the psychological relationship they create between the developed and the developing world, which revolves around an implicit sense of superiority and inferiority.
- Powerful giver and grateful receiver: The Live Aid Legacy defines the roles in our relationship with the developing world. We are powerful, benevolent givers; they are grateful receivers. There is no recognition that we in Britain may have something to gain from the relationship.
- Confidence in out-of-date knowledge: Researchers remarked on the respondents’ confidence in such one-dimensional images. British consumers are not hesitating or seeking reassurance for their views. Unconsciously accumulated images of the developing world have led to a certainty on the part of consumers that they have all the facts.
Anger and Blame
- Anger at being conned: when consumers are presented with an alternative view of the developing world they often express anger and a feeling of being conned or misled. The target for this anger is mainly the media, and occasionally development charities, who are seen as the main sources of information.
- More than half want the whole story: The strongest call is to media, particularly television. 55% of British people say they want to see more of the everyday life, history and culture of the developing world on television. They want to see the positives as well as the negatives, and they want context and background to a news story.
Solutions and Benefits
- The personal/emotional connection: the average Brit does not just wake up one morning with a desire to seek out more information on the developing world. A personal connection, often stimulated by media coverage, triggers the desire for greater knowledge and understanding. So the role of the media is crucial in forging a more balanced view of the developing world.
- Seeing it first hand: People who have the opportunity to live and work in the developing world, and consequently move beyond the stereotypes, claim a huge positive impact on their lives. “I wouldn’t have become a journalist if it hadn’t been for being exposed to other cultures,” said Jon Snow. Most importantly, it appears to shatter feelings of false superiority or smugness.
- Beneficial to the UK: any dilution of the powerful giver/grateful receiver model would have a positive impact on racial tensions and misunderstanding. Breaking down stereotypes forges stronger associations with individuals rather than an amorphous mass of victims. In turn, this is likely to lead to a more informed population able to engage in real global issues – such as trading laws, environmental policies and debt relief – while working with other countries can bring economic benefit and cultural enrichment.
- Most UK adults see a strong link with national safety: the events of September 11 have thrown into sharp relief our interdependence with countries all around the globe. 78% of UK adults agree that our future security depends on us understanding other cultures and countries better.