(Self-)Righteous Work
Eventually I'm gonna make an entry about this job (Sort of my version of a 90 days review). Until then here's a general entry about white people in social services.
I certainly don't have decades upon decades of experience within the field. And I'm sure this list is not even close to exhaustive, but so far I have identified four types of personalities of white people that work in social services and serve populations that are predominantly non-white: Wannabe Savior, Master, Doe-Eyed and "Down"
Wannabe Savior
The WS character is marked by his/her desire to have the population view him/her as the key to their salvation. They only feel pleased with themselves and the the people they serve if they are getting extreme responses of adoration and praise. Often begin their work viewing their clients as poor, pitiful people to be saved. Often are willing to sacrifice (offering their money, clothes and even their home to their clients) in the hopes that their clients will feel indebted and they will feel righteous and accomplished/fulfilled. Only to later view them as ungrateful and lazy once they have become jaded by not receiving the responses they were hoping for.
Master
Where the WS type has too much of an unhealthy emotional attachment to their clients, the Master or Massa type has no emotional connection. The Massa may have once been a WS that initially thought all the clients needed was "love," pity and acceptance from their Great White Hearts. Once it was made clear that no one wanted nor needed any of that from them they became so jaded by not receiving praise, love and adoration that they then responded by wanting to make the clients submit to their will and assimilate. This type believes (essentially) that all clients need to be reeled in/tamed/kept in line/etc. Like a corrections officer for those not behind bars.
Doe-Eyed
If there is a a way to distinguish Doe-Eyed from WS, it's essentially to say D-E has less expectations of adoration and just wants to be near those that are "less fortunate." They might feel pity as well, but it gets expressed moreso through wanting to "understand the struggle" than by wanting praise and gratitude.
"Down"
Pretty self-explanatory. There's always at least one white person in any given social services org that feels they are the coolest white person that ever breathed pseudo-revolutionary air. Sometimes can be identified by the R/B/G wristband and Matlocks (Michelle, I love that term, btw lol). Can sometimes be identified by the Little Brother playlist blasting from their iPod. Sometimes you might not notice the "Down" type until their capacity to work within communities of color is challenged (either in actuality or in their paranoid minds), this is when they will explain to you that they have dated several [insert ethnicity of color here] in addition to cataloging their friends' demographics.
Every single one of the white people I've worked with or observed can fit in at least one of these. Most fit into two.
Edit: So initially I made this f-locked. But after thinking a bit, if someone I work with stumbles upon my journal and happens to find this entry, I hope they can gain some self-reflection from it (whatever applies).
And if not, fuck 'em.
I certainly don't have decades upon decades of experience within the field. And I'm sure this list is not even close to exhaustive, but so far I have identified four types of personalities of white people that work in social services and serve populations that are predominantly non-white: Wannabe Savior, Master, Doe-Eyed and "Down"
Wannabe Savior
The WS character is marked by his/her desire to have the population view him/her as the key to their salvation. They only feel pleased with themselves and the the people they serve if they are getting extreme responses of adoration and praise. Often begin their work viewing their clients as poor, pitiful people to be saved. Often are willing to sacrifice (offering their money, clothes and even their home to their clients) in the hopes that their clients will feel indebted and they will feel righteous and accomplished/fulfilled. Only to later view them as ungrateful and lazy once they have become jaded by not receiving the responses they were hoping for.
Master
Where the WS type has too much of an unhealthy emotional attachment to their clients, the Master or Massa type has no emotional connection. The Massa may have once been a WS that initially thought all the clients needed was "love," pity and acceptance from their Great White Hearts. Once it was made clear that no one wanted nor needed any of that from them they became so jaded by not receiving praise, love and adoration that they then responded by wanting to make the clients submit to their will and assimilate. This type believes (essentially) that all clients need to be reeled in/tamed/kept in line/etc. Like a corrections officer for those not behind bars.
Doe-Eyed
If there is a a way to distinguish Doe-Eyed from WS, it's essentially to say D-E has less expectations of adoration and just wants to be near those that are "less fortunate." They might feel pity as well, but it gets expressed moreso through wanting to "understand the struggle" than by wanting praise and gratitude.
"Down"
Pretty self-explanatory. There's always at least one white person in any given social services org that feels they are the coolest white person that ever breathed pseudo-revolutionary air. Sometimes can be identified by the R/B/G wristband and Matlocks (Michelle, I love that term, btw lol). Can sometimes be identified by the Little Brother playlist blasting from their iPod. Sometimes you might not notice the "Down" type until their capacity to work within communities of color is challenged (either in actuality or in their paranoid minds), this is when they will explain to you that they have dated several [insert ethnicity of color here] in addition to cataloging their friends' demographics.
Every single one of the white people I've worked with or observed can fit in at least one of these. Most fit into two.
Edit: So initially I made this f-locked. But after thinking a bit, if someone I work with stumbles upon my journal and happens to find this entry, I hope they can gain some self-reflection from it (whatever applies).
And if not, fuck 'em.