Many people want to help others out there on the street by providing food or cash or other resources—perhaps a sack lunch or a pizza or a bottle of water. Others try to help by studying the homeless or the others who look like they need some kind of help. Still others read essays like this to get a better understanding of different realities and situations.
It is fun to look at other situations to be able to better understand the ones we deal with on a daily basis. Life on the streets, life in a Star Trek episode, and life lived as a researcher interested in social justice can all have similar rules and ramifications.
Many devoted Star Trek fans will remember the “Prime Directive,” also known by other names such as Star Fleet General Rule One and others. This important rule states: “The Prime Directive prohibits Starfleet personnel and spacecraft from interfering in the normal development of any society, and mandates that any Starfleet vessel or crew member is expendable to prevent violation of this rule” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Trek_Encyclopedia).
This is a pretty serious rule—stating that not only a ship but also a PERSON is “expendable” so that no infraction of the rule may occur. Ouch. Star Trek had some hardcore creators and writers, it appears, and it started out as what some people refer to as “just a silly book” then television series then rounds of films.
Researchers—on a more serious level though maybe not considering themselves to be “expendable” when out there in the field—talk about these issues too. In social work, for example, when researchers are involved in their scientific inquiry, they can engage in something called “Unobtrusive Research.” This keeps them from interfering with the alien culture.
“Unobtrusive research refers to data collection methods that do not interfere with the subjects under study because the methods are not obtrusive. Both qualitative and quantitative researchers use unobtrusive research methods. Unobtrusive methods share the unique quality that they do not require the researcher to interact with the people that are being studied” (https://scientificinquiryinsocialwork.pressbooks.com/chapter/14-1-unobtrusive-research-what-is-it-and-when-should-it-be-used/).
Both the Star Trek and social work explanations make it painfully clear what non-intrusive methods for studying a culture should look like. In Star Trek, there is an episode where there is an accident and occupants of a planet being observed for many years get a big surprise. When the forcefield goes down and the occupants of a planet can suddenly see a Star Fleet observation room that had been kept invisible for generations, someone has to explain to the people what the room is and who the Star Fleet personnel are. Simple observation of the occupants is no longer possible. The prime directive was violated by accident.
In social work, researchers can look at the garbage left behind by persons, can look at photos of them found among the trash, can catalog letters and envelopes discarded also. Expired cans of peaches and pears can indicate persons did not want them, did not want to open cans of expired food, perhaps had other food to eat. Bank statements could show the people had $200 in a checking account, $30 in a savings account. The person has had at least some contact with the world of possessions and riches. The researcher can make notes but in private. Otherwise, they look very suspect indeed if a person catches them writing down what bank statements and cans of peaches are left behind. If the researcher is caught, how do they explain themselves? Their spying on this population could lead to some dangerous end, indeed.
Many persons with good intentions go out to the streets to help people. Unfortunately, some individuals and teams do more interfering than helping out there on the streets, among the homeless and the wanderers. Sometimes people interfere in the “street order’ by not respecting territories, sleeping spots, panhandling corners, and other established areas and spaces on the street. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when out there trying to help:
--Avoid upsetting the order in place as soon as you have learned it
--Respect boundaries among groups and between individuals
--Do not try to stop—or start—arguments with or among persons
--Do not say things to people like “Try to be neighborly to others”
--Do not let persons use you as a way to create animosity with others
--Do not chat with person A when you are located in the spot that belongs to person B
--Avoid making financial or food donations to somebody standing in somebody else’s area
--Avoid setting appointments with people in the wrong location
--Do not make it obvious you are giving cash to person A while person B watches
Following these simple guidelines makes things less stressful out there for all persons involved.
Remaining unobtrusive while conducting research allows scientists and helpers alike to help and learn and grow. Keeping the aliens on their planet at their suitable level of development is another beneficial activity. Maintaining the street order as is can be helpful to those people who must dwell in it. All these activities are important. These are all good.
Keeping the peace is good too.