Needy children get ready for school at Santa Anita Park
"Needy" is defined as being in want or lacking. "Less fortunate" or "underprivileged" are also similarly used.
You and I have become accustomed to hearing these words and understanding their context . Reading them just now probably evoked an image in your head. Don't worry. I'm not going to ask you about the image.
But I am going to ask for your help.
"Needy," "less fortunate" and "underprivileged" have something in common. They are descriptions framed in negative perception. It's easy to depict a situation by hitting the negative items first. Think about what you notice when you walk into a room or meet someone. Think about the last time you were in traffic. We are trained to diagnose, to identify weakness, to solve problems. We're good at it, too. So good that noticing a defect is more natural than noticing a strength.
This is exactly why it is so difficult to describe situations from a positive reference point, to use strengths as an index over weakness.
Is it possible for the headline to adequately capture the story from a positive reference point? Would we understand the events that took place if the headline read "School supplies donated to community students" or "Volunteers give time to prepare children for school"? I believe so. But I don't believe it is automatic for us to hit that perspective first, especially if the intent is to grab attention.
Does it feel more appropriate to focus on the act of giving or the act of receiving? Help me explore this, my friends, by sharing your thoughts.
-Andrea
