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Maybe I'm an idealist but I do believe that there will be people that will help strangers without thought of recompense in disaster situation as well as those sub-human types that will rob from the dying. I choose to be the former if I'm at all in the position to help. I'm also a realist and staying out of trouble is the best plan of all but sometimes s*** happens even with the best laid plans. Heaven knows that we all have ample opportunity to have lost faith in our community/society, but I'm with Nor'Eastah, maybe it's up to each of us to be those good neighbors in the largest sense to help restore faith in the people around us.
A little story: Twice in the past 15 years I've really needed some outside help. Once when my DH was badly injured and out of commission for 6 months, another when my business was flooded by a neighboring shop. Being the independent type I did not ask for help and struggled up the mountain with the boulder without talking about my troubles. Weirdly, random acquaintances, the last people I expected to see, showed up spontaneously to help. All my life I've tried to be one of those people when I'm in the position to help out, but I never expected to need it myself. The burden being shared by people that did not need to show up renewed my faith in community. After that experience I find opportunities to be helpful to my neighbors at very regular intervals and by neighbors I mean both people that I know and people that I don't. Along with keeping my word, being honest in my dealings, and being courteous as a standard, by becoming more socially responsible I hope to help instill some lost faith in my community.
I'm really not trying to toot my own horn. Anyone can do these things with only minor inconveniences to themselves, a lost day here or there, some manual labor to another's benefit, something that could be sold given to those that need it more than you need the money. It really does feel more peaceful and centered to not have to be first in line all of the time, to feel like you have to work every angle for self benefit, to have to be the hub of the universe, to be on top or come out ahead every time. It's the alternative to robbing the dying or holing up denying responsibility while in a position to do some good.
I fully expect to be blasted by some for this view but I'm really weary of the "me first" world and the buck stops right here IMO.
I have lived in the city and the country. Currently I am "exurban" on a fringe-y area that is a mix of rural and people who moved here because there were cheap McMansions "only" 10-15 miles west of the hip suburbs. I used to live in remote northern WI and at this point wish I still did.
Anyway, my point was I have lived in most types of places and what I have seen is in general in a disaster, country people help each other (chainsawing trees after a tornado, rallying around a family that had a fire). City/suburban/exurb people find it easy to "help" when it means texting $10 to "helpJoplin" or collecting clothes to "send to Joplin" or what have you. Helpful, so long as it's abstract, not affecting them.
Now, if a disaster happens that affects everyone, I think all bets are off. When there is no unaffected distant population able to "collect clothes for Joplin" I think you will see more of a Katrina-type population response. Those who can leave, will, those who want to stay and protect their property will do so, even with deadly force, and everyone else will either go through great suffering or just plain die.
It's easy to "help" with a disaster response when it's not affecting you.
It's easy to "help" with a disaster response when it's not affecting you.
True for those caught in the teeth of disaster but even in big disasters "angels" pour in from outside to help even when the government is saying to stay away. I know first hand about several angel expeditions into the New Orleans area and Eastern Gulf Coast immediately after Katrina. These expeditions were first responders with water, food, fuel, chain saws, tarps and generators in rural areas and small forgotten towns. The expeditions were orchestrated from DC and launched from Texas and Florida. Those were the folks in position to help strangers and did so at their peril.
My husband worked in New York after 9/11 and in NOLA after Katrina. My point was when the disaster is elsewhere, it is easy/possible to help. If everyone is in the same situation, not so much, except on a very local level, and then it depends on who you're with locally. I know people who were in foreclosure that donated money to Haiti and Joplin relief. More motivating/?rewarding? to help other people than yourself.
Hope that makes sense.
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