I've wanted to post about Hurricane Katrina, give my sentiments, pray for the people there, but I thought I couldn't offer anything of great importance in my blog. However, the more I think about it the more I believe my sentiments can effect people a lot more than I originally thought. The other day I overhead a college student (probably a freshmen) ask what was Hurricane Katrina! Granted the person lives in Wyoming, has probably never seen the ocean, let alone even been outside the 100 mile radius of their birthplace and if they have a television it is most likely permanently tuned to MTV. For this I can't blame them. Just as I can't blame that bird nesting in the tree outside my window. I really cannot blame stupidity or ignorance but I would like to. I would like to shake some sense into them, peel back their eyelids and force them to see what's going on in the world but I can't because I'm a nice guy and even if I were they probably wouldn't care.
This attitude reminds me much of the message from the novel Brave New World. In the novel the people used a drug called soma. This gave them instant gratification and they didn't care about what was going on in the world. We might not take Soma but we surely don't care what is going on the world. The United States is in a war and people go about their lives normally, Hurricane Katrina devastates millions and most go frolicking about their lives without a thought of what's going on. Maybe it's a good thing, a sort of a semi-retarded coma state. Why care about the world if it doesn't effect you?
I'm just as guilty, though not in stupidity but in ignorance. I sit here with a nice computer glowing, the sun shining through the window, birds chirping while those effected by Katrina are without. Even more ignorant on my part is that I went to Six Flags Elitch Gardens in Denver last week. I went with a group of friends and we were flipped, twisted, spun around and sprayed with water all while laughing about it. So call me a hypocrite if you will. I'm not saying we should all become depressed and not carry on with our lives. I'm just saying we need to reflect upon what is happening in the world and lives of others whether or not they directly effect us. A Haiku that sums this point up beautifully.
there was nothing left to see
but the rising sun
That's the outlook on life we all need. Let us all appreciate what we have and to give what we can to those in need.
5 comments:
Steve,
I had similar feelings after 9/11. I cried for days and watched the news for hours on end until my husband finally turned off the news. It was for my own good.
There are people in some form of trouble or pain every day. But that doesn't mean that you are somehow obligated to NOT enjoy the life that you have. You certainly didn't CAUSE the hurricane. Don't let guilt rob you of the pleasure of ordinary life. Be grateful for what you have, yes, and absolutely do whatever you can to help those people who need help, but don't beat yourself up because you were spared.
Well said, Steve. I can appreciate your post especially, having had relatives personally effected by the hurricane. We're living through history, and how we react and respond will affect generations to come.
I understand your sentiments, I understand the want to shake sense into people. In our society we are so oblivious to what is going on, both outside in other countries and even in our own neighborhoods...perhaps the ignorance is to protect ourselves, or perhaps it's because we know that if we see something wrong we have an obligation to do something, but we're all 'too busy' don't want to get our hands dirty...have our own things to deal with. Really we're selfish and self-absorbed.
I don't think I've come across anyone in my part of the country who would or even could respond that way to the hurricane. Austin took in several thousand evacuees, and some of them arrived the day after it happened. Besides that all of our radio and television stations came together and organized a food drive at the local grocery stores, it has been called the biggest organized effort in the country. Austin has a very diverse culture, people are passionate about various political views, so it was good to see them put that aside and come together and do whatever they could to help rather than fight or play the blame game, which I began to see in other parts of the country the day after the hurricane (got into some pretty heated arguements with family members in other parts of the country who were passing on hateful Michael Moore emails in lieu of encouragement).
Seeing people come together in light of such an overwhelming disaster fortifies my faith in the human spirit.
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