(I prefer not to perpetuate the use of such imagery. In recent years, however, there has been a return to previous practice in light of evidence that depiction of victimhood and damage is more likely to elicit support from the general public for aid initiatives. It pays particular attention to the uses to which mental health thinking and programming is put in what may be called the ‘politics of pathologisation’. Drawing upon examples from the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule in 1950s Kenya, and current humanitarian response to the situation of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation, this article relates the continued dominance of the vulnerability paradigm to the pursuit of self-interest by elites and the survival strategies of humanitarian agencies. It offers a critical analysis of both conventional humanitarian thinking about vulnerability per se and the reasons for its continued invocation in settings of displacement and political violence. This article seeks to denaturalise the conceptualisation of children in contexts of emergency as primarily vulnerable (would-be) victims, placing it in historical and geopolitical contexts. Advocacy for attention to children’s agency and for their participation has burgeoned since the 1980s without shifting the powerful hold that assumptions of vulnerability have had over the policy and practices of humanitarians. There comes a point when we risk losing our gifts for good.Over the last one hundred years, humanitarian agencies have considered children primarily through the lens of vulnerability. Eventually, out light becomes difficult to find within much less reignite, or vitality is sacrificed. How dare we shine! How dare we find joy in our gifts and strengths! We mute our power one interaction at a time, and one passive comment at a time. We resent others who find joy in their gifts and strengths and remind them to snuff their light just as we have done. We echo resentment and jealously by refusing to acknowledge the gifts of others and through viewing other people as competition. Even when we deserve to shine, we dull our power so others can shine over us. This is how we have learned to survive instead of thriving. We adapt by using humility and responsibility as a mask, perpetuating the cycle one day at a time. It is a vicious cycle that is not easily broken. We have decided that we must adapt by dimming our light. After all, we have given our power away to others. We feel our pain intensely but have not yet developed the skill of integrating our emotions and traumas into power. In our adaptation, we give up taking pride in ourselves and what we do. Many times these things are never spoken, but the message is received loud and clear. We are told we are lazy, ugly, fat, useless, stupid, and unworthy. Many people in our lives tell us many things. Take care of it all so you redeem yourself through the lens of false perceptions. This is absurd, yet many (especially women) are forced to believe that this is their role. No one person should be expected to be solely responsible for it all. This places too much responsibility on one single person. Simple tasks and chores become burdens only you can handle and therefore they go untouched until you address them. As you can imagine the relationship becomes one-sided and is no longer nurtured. Partners become incapable adult children, unable to make simple choices that support the balance within the relationship. Our partners can’t do simple things like making dinner, do laundry, or scrub the toilet without our presence or instructions. Most noticeably, this shows up in our relationships where our partners are voided from common responsibilities. We were once vibrant and joyful, and not we are somber and serious. We were once too much because we were expressive, and now we are quiet and meek. Suddenly we are responsible for how others feel about us, and how they perceive us. We are no longer responsible for only ourselves, we are now responsible for our partners, kids, houses, jobs, bosses, co-workers, teachers, etc. Perhaps our message for survival is to be responsible, forcing us to be more and more responsible each day. Kitchen Witch Tables Talks Episode 5 Advice for Beginners Series.
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