There is a saying that every act of kindness has an intention. The question now is what the intention is. A positive or negative intention.
I was flipping through the Gram pages today, and I was attracted to a story of a woman who was homeless at the age of 13. She started sleeping on wood and very cold surfaces, including the snow. At that point, she was exploited by people who supposedly promised to help her. In that vulnerable state, she became a sex worker. However, life circumstances and situations led her to become an extremist, and that cut her life short.
Hanna Morris
Imagine me being in a similar situation where it is me against the world, trying to feed, clothe, and survive the harsh weather conditions out there, and someone out of the blue comes up with a promise and plan to support and sponsor me to feed, turn my pain into fame, and even reposition me in society. However, at some point, I notice that the individual is not doing it because of empathy, but rather to exploit and use the situation to chase clout and obtain vain glory.
Will I accept the motive that way or should I have a rethink or even back out.
To be candid, I might not have all it takes to think straight at that particular time because I am already in need. Desperate situations need desperate actions. It might be tempting to move along with the proposal, at least to give it a try, hoping that something might come up for me through that clout chasing. It might end up as a blessing in disguise where fate can turn on the light at the end of the tunnel for me, and someone may locate me with real compassion, empathy, and the needed help.
On the other hand, I will consider the journey so far and my findings and take another look at the help the individual wants to render to me. Once it is fully established that the help is just for clout chasing rather than one based on compassion and empathy, I will decline. I cherish my integrity. Good name, they said, is better than money, so I would rather struggle and work out my success rather than allow someone to use me to chase clout.
WaveGenerics
Do their motives matter?
The internet and people don’t forget, so whatever slips out to the public remains there forever as a reference point. Social media has been refashioned for content creation; hence, such clout chasing using someone's vulnerability can go viral and leave an indelible mark on the person being helped. Again, instead of the person receiving the needed help, it will be turned into content to entertain the audience of the supposed helper and even put more money into their pockets. Therefore, if the motive does not preach integrity, peace, and sanity. I will back out of the help because it is better to have the little I have with peace, sanity, dignity, and integrity than one that violently violates and depicts me as a human. One that will smear me on the altars of ridicule and a lifetime of shame. No, I would rather fly.