| On the surface
this may seem to be merely a discussion on the definition of terms, but
it is much more. Helping traps the receiver in a state of dependency that
may be very difficult to break out of. assisting speeds the receiver on
their way to making their life work on their own. There exists a class
of helping that is excluded from this discussion. When African children
are starving it is clear that help is what is needed. Also when the receiver
is in a truly desperate state they can use all the help that is available.
Assisting, on the other hand, is what is needed when the receiver is
capable and needs a boost to allow them to move on to a better place.
A child stuck up in a tree will never learn to climb trees, or be self
reliant, if someone climbs the tree and brings them down all the time.
Coaching them in what to do to climb down would be a good form of assistance.
That gives them the satisfaction from having done it themselves and
they grow. |
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