What would you do?

[guerillaGardner]

Watching all the New Orleans stuff on TV has made me wonder about how people on this board would react in the same situation.

In a disaster of such proportions with no imminent help on the way would any of us know what to do? How would we keep warm and feed ourselves?

Would you just look out for yourself or would you try to unite everyone and get them organised in order to work out the best use of resources, get a plan going, give people tasks to retain moral, to salvage food and clothes and to organise fair rationing, to seize control of weapons before they fall into the wrong hands and to maintain order, etc?

Images on the news seem to show people standing around waiting to be helped. Is this because there really is nothing they can do for themselves or are we living in a society where people have become too individualistic and too dependent on the utilities, public services and supermarkets to co-operate enough to even try to help themselves?

Would anarchy descend like this anywhere such a thing happened. Or is it a New Orleans thing? Or an American thing?

In Argentina when the economy crumbled the only people in danger were business and political leaders who had caused the problem. Meanwhile the people got together started working together taking over factories, starting community vegetable gardens and forming co-ops.

I'm not sure that here in Britain we'd do the same. I could see people refusing to work together, to refuse to co-operate, to wrangle over who was in charge, to make the authorities responsible for their survival and so end up in anarchy in such a situation. I think that many of us wouldn't have the slightest clue what to do.

So the question is what would you do if you were in the same situation and you thought no help was coming?

[Bob]

i have absolutely no idea what i'd do

[enree erzweglle]

I'd like to think that I'd help people outside of my immediate circle of friends/family.

Those people who are standing around--maybe they're getting incorrect information about the help that's on the way. Or maybe the conditions are making it so that they can't go anywhere.

I saw a report of a woman who was a victim and waiting in a building. She was trying so hard to find food/drink, not for herself, but for people who were upstairs dying. She was close to hysterical with stress at the thoughts that she might not be able to find supplies in time.

If someone said to me right now, "We need you down there" I'd go in a heartbeat.

If someone said, "Can you take people in?" I'd do it even faster. I have space and so much STUFF and I'd be able to connect with those people and show them that someone cared for them. Give them back some dignity. That's what I want to do the most right now and it's what I'd hope I'd do if I found myself there and was able to help.

[Medellia]

Images on the news seem to show people standing around waiting to be helped. Is this because there really is nothing they can do for themselves or are we living in a society where people have become too individualistic and too dependent on the utilities, public services and supermarkets to co-operate enough to even try to help themselves?
Many of the people stuck there are too poor to afford a car, so when it was time to leave they were unable. Or else they were too sick or old to get themselves out (you'll notice in the footage that there are a lot of elderly people out there, which is heartbreaking. Them and the little kids are just the worst images out there.) Now they are stuck there, they aren't really allowed to leave.
Would anarchy descend like this anywhere such a thing happened. Or is it a New Orleans thing? Or an American thing?
I said this somewhere else, but when you have that many scared, desperate people in one area people will go crazy. It may be a bit worse in America, but I think if something like this happened elsewhere things will be bad. NOt as bad, but bad.


Oh and I don't really know what I would do. It would depend on the situation.

[Bob]

Would anarchy descend like this anywhere such a thing happened. Or is it a New Orleans thing? Or an American thing?


good question. what were residents' reactions to the tsunami? i don't remember, honestly.

[ms.peachy]

No one really knows what they would do. And whilst what you'd do on Day 1 might likely be fairly courageous, self-sacrificing, possibly heroic, etc, by Day 4 or 5, you may be a whole different person.

[Medellia]

good question. what were residents' reactions to the tsunami? i don't remember, honestly.
Yeah, but they weren't being held against their will with no food and water, were they? I know they didn't really have food and water, but there was a significant lack of supplies in that area. The powers that be here just sat on their asses while people started dropping in front of the civic center.

Does anyone find it odd that Louisiana has such a strong French history? I know that has nothing to do with the lack of aid, so maybe "odd" wasn't the best word to use.

[guerillaGardner]

good question. what were residents' reactions to the tsunami? i don't remember, honestly.

I don't recall any mention of anarchy and suchlike regarding the tsunami. But then perhaps help was on its way faster. I'm not sure.

[little j]

Does anyone find it odd that Louisiana has such a strong French history? I know that has nothing to do with the lack of aid, so maybe "odd" wasn't the best word to use.
thats retarded. regardless of the history thats an american state. the people that live there* mostly anyway, probably * are american.

they are allowed to leave, they were commanded to leave if they can. if they cant afford it then what else can they do? they have to wait for teh nat'l guard i guess and i'm sure they are on the way.

i dont know what i'd do. i'd try to get together with my family and friends and survive.

i wouldn't loot electronic stores for plasma tvs, but i might loot the local supermarket for water and bread. or whatever else food/drink i could lay my hands on.

[ms.peachy]

I don't recall any mention of anarchy and suchlike regarding the tsunami. But then perhaps help was on its way faster. I'm not sure.
Well, there were incidents of displaced children 'disappearing', taken by sick fuckers to be sold into the child sex trade.

There are always those that will feed on the misery of others for personal gain.

[guerillaGardner]

No one really knows what they would do. And whilst what you'd do on Day 1 might likely be fairly courageous, self-sacrificing, possibly heroic, etc, by Day 4 or 5, you may be a whole different person.

I reckon it might take a day or two to realise that no help was coming. I certainly don't think people would need to be courageous and self-sacrificing and definitely not heroic.

It would probably be things like trying to get people to not use up wood on lots of small fires but to cook in bulk on as few fires as possible, to gather canned foods, to boil water and find places to store it once boiled, to create shelters.

[abcdefz]

Well, I know what I have done, which is not a damned thing. I clicked ona couple of donation links but haven't even done that.

If I'm actually in a situation like that, though, I know how I behave: I get pretty responsible, level-=headed, selfless, and helpful. I'm a big orgainzer and great in an emergency.

If it's mild discomfort -- like a cold or flu or something -- I turn into a four year old; if it's a genuine time of trouble, I'm about the best person in your corner you could ask for.

[enree erzweglle]

Parenthood [temporarily] changed my perspective on how I'd react in situations like this. When my son was younger, I would have acted in my best interest and his first/foremost; whatever I had left over, I'd give out to other people as long as it didn't jeopardize him or my ability to care for him. But he's 19 and I don't have to think that way now. It's weird to realize these things--both when they happen (how protective you get of your kid) and after (when you realize that you're "free" to think/act in some other way).

[Medellia]

thats retarded. regardless of the history thats an american state. the people that live there* mostly anyway, probably * are american.
Yeah, that's why I said I probably worded it wrong.

They might have been allowed to leave at one point, but there was footage where it looked like they were being forced to stay, most likely because of the looting and rapes. I'm sure it was for their protection, but if I was in that position I'm sure I would be pissed off too.

[HEIRESS]

I woulda GI Joed up something and gotten myself the fuck outta town