White savior

The white savior concept refers to a white person who seeks to help nonwhite people, not out of a true sense of altruism, but in a manner that is seen as self-serving. The underlying assumption is that nonwhite people in need of aid are helpless to solve their own problems and can only be “saved” with the assistance of a white person. The concept is often seen as a holdover from the days of colonialism, when European powers carved up much of Africa and attempted to “civilize” its people. The term itself was coined by author Teju Cole in reference to a popular 2012 YouTube video made by a white filmmaker about an African warlord. White aid workers from Western nations are commonly accused of acting as white saviors for their volunteer efforts in developing nations. Many Hollywood films are also accused of embracing the trope by featuring a white protagonist who goes to great lengths to assist or rescue a nonwhite character, often resulting in a personal revelation about the nonwhite experience.

Background

In the mid-fifteenth century, Portuguese explorers began to sail down the coast of Africa looking for new trade routes to the Far East. Portugal established the first colonies on the continent and inspired its rival Spain to send its own fleets of ships off in search of new lands. Within a few decades, the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, British, and French had staked claims to territory stretching from India to the African coast and to North and South America. In some cases, the Europeans made efforts to forge relationships with the native peoples of the new lands; in others, the colonizers became conquerors and took their territory by force. By the nineteenth century, the powers of Europe began to divide the entire African continent, with Great Britain and France claiming the most territory.

From the start, the European colonizers wanted access to the wealth of trade goods and natural resources found in their new lands. However, they also saw their position of authority as an opportunity to introduce Western values and religion to the indigenous populations. The Europeans tended to look upon the native inhabitants as savages who would welcome the chance to adopt what the Europeans viewed as a civilized way of life. This mindset was summed up in an 1899 poem written by British author Rudyard Kipling in response to the United States gaining control of the Philippine Islands. Kipling advised the United States to “take up the White Man’s burden” to rule over and serve the needs of its new “half devil and half child” subjects.

Overview

Kipling’s poem is often mentioned as an inspiration for the modern concept of a white savior. In psychology, a savior complex is a situation in which an individual feels an extreme need to help others, often at the expense of their own needs. A person with a savior complex may seek out those that need help and provide assistance based on a belief their actions make them better than others. Many times, those who practice such behavior see their outward caring and unselfishness as noble gestures. While the actions of someone with a savior complex may seem helpful, psychologists say they may have the opposite effect. Their actions may prevent those who need help from achieving personal growth and learning ways to help themselves. It can also create a level of dependency and possibly enable unhealthy behavior.

Teju Cole, an American-born writer of Nigerian descent, first used the term White Savior Industrial Complex in 2012. He was criticizing the need of white Americans to validate their privilege by making the problems of Africans a personal crusade to be solved so, he believed, they could feel better about themselves. Cole was reacting to a YouTube video called Kony 2012, which highlighted the plight of child soldiers forced to fight under Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. The video was directed by Jason Russell, a white filmmaker and cofounder of the charity organization Invisible Children. Kony 2012 drew more than 100 million views on YouTube and spawned an awareness campaign that was embraced by numerous celebrities. It also garnered considerable criticism for trivializing the region’s problems and highlighting Kony’s crimes without offering any real solutions.

The idea of a white savior is not considered intentionally racist or harmful, because the individuals involved typically believe their intentions are good. However, their efforts are often seen by others as narcissistic and done only to enhance an individual’s own self-satisfaction. Each year, thousands of white volunteers, many of them college students or young activists, travel to developing nations to participate in aid programs and humanitarian work. The practice, often called voluntourism, has been highly criticized as condescending and unnecessary. Among some Africans, such efforts are a reminder of colonial attitudes that native populations cannot thrive without embracing Western concepts of civilization. In many cases, voluntourism is believed to cause more harm than good because it perpetuates the third world stereotype and makes struggling nations dependent on foreign help rather than homegrown solutions.

Proponents of the white savior complex often blame Hollywood as a prime offender, accusing the movie industry of recycling the idea as a popular cliché in films. In such cases, the story typically involves a white main character who acts as a protector or benefactor to a nonwhite character. The white character is portrayed as morally heroic, while the nonwhite character is relegated to a supporting role—usually as a victim—even if their plight is the main focus of the story. Often, films that use the white savior trope deal with the subject of racism, highlighting the injustice of the practice while ultimately having the situation resolved through the actions of the white character. In the end, the white character is often transformed by the experience and comes away with a new understanding of the nonwhite character.

The 2009 film The Blind Side is held up as an example of Hollywood’s use of the white savior concept. The film, based on the true story of former-NFL player Michael Oher, tells the story of a wealthy white family that adopts a homeless African American teenager. Through the family’s dedication, the teen is able to overcome a learning disability and realize his dream of playing football. Another example, the 2018 Oscar-winning drama Green Book, is based on a true story that recounts the travels of a black classical pianist through the racist American South of the 1960s. His driver is a white man who, despite his initial racist attitude, develops a friendship with the musician and defends him against the rampant prejudice of the era.

Bibliography

Arcaro, Tom. “White Savior Complex.” Elon University, 22 Apr. 2019, blogs.elon.edu/aidworkervoices/?p=1309. Accessed 6 Sept. 2019.

Aronson, Brittany A. “The White Savior Industrial Complex: A Cultural Studies Analysis of a Teacher Educator, Savior Film, and Future Teachers.” Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis, 2017, lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=jctp. Accessed 6 Sept. 2019.

Benton, Sarah A. “The Savior Complex.” Psychology Today, 6 Feb. 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-high-functioning-alcoholic/201702/the-savior-complex. Accessed 6 Sept. 2019.

Blakemore, Erin. “What is Colonialism?” National Geographic, 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topics/reference/colonialism/. Accessed 9 Sept. 2019.

Cole, Teju. “The White-Savior Industrial Complex.” Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2012, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/the-white-savior-industrial-complex/254843/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2019.

Hughey, Matthew. The White Savior Film: Content, Critics, and Consumption. Temple UP, 2014.

“What is the White Savior Trope—Green Book.” Shadow and Movies, shadowandmovies.com/what-is-the-white-savior-trope-green-book/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2019.

“‘The White Man’s Burden’: Kipling’s Hymn to U.S. Imperialism.” History Matters, 2019, historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5478/. Accessed 9 Sept. 2019.