On star search: Radio Astro. Picture: from facebook
It’s not easy to do good deeds, especially if it’s on a large scale. For example, I am currently involved in a fascinating project that will give more than a dozen aspiring young broadcasters, valuable work experience.
I am heading up the team that’s putting together a pop-up radio station for an international science conference happening at the CTICC from next week. Since it’s all about astronomy, there’s going to be astronauts, space scientists, Nobel Prize winners and even a live link-up to the International Space Station. Basically the kind of stuff that you can’t access very easily.
We plan to livestream all the highlights; community radio stations re-broadcast our livestream to their audiences and everybody benefits in ways that are impactful with long-lasting consequences. The young people that I have recruited from our townships, are ambitiously hustling and struggling to find their feet in the world of media. Since they are going to be doing all the hard work, this opportunity will boost their personal portfolios, their knowledge base and increase employment chances.
Considering our high youth unemployment rate and the fact that government encourages interest in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields, you would think companies would jump at the opportunity to help. But it’s not the case. Companies will do good only if there’s some value in it for them. It’s like those youngsters who go around helping people, but recording themselves doing it; and then posting the video on social media for likes; as if to say: “look at what a good person I am.”
The recipient of the kindness is then obligated to smile for the camera and participate in a performance that they were not ready for, or may not be comfortable with. For some people enduring hard times, it may be a double humiliation. Imagine being forced to beg on a street corner by circumstance, and then someone comes along asking embarrassing questions, while pointing a camera at you. If you express your discomfort, you lose the help and they drive away to find a hungry someone who will participate in their social media ego strategy.
People don’t seem to do good merely for the sake of doing good anymore. I’m not used to kindness that’s motivated by vanity, or even just a little bit of self-interest of any sort. The first time I came across it in the corporate world, I heard it described as “Philanthro-capitalism.” And I’m not sure how to feel about that. Is it normalising a selfish form of charity, or doesn’t it matter, just as long as the problem is being addressed and people are getting the help they need?
In any case, I am going ahead with my little project, called Radio Astro, in the hope that people with means will jump on board and help out. We need basic resources like transport, lunch and computers. If you are one of those people, do get in touch. There’s still a lot to be said for the private feeling of satisfaction you get from quietly and humbly helping others, for the simple reward of a “thank you.” And not a camera in sight.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za