Subscriber Brian Nugent shared this, with permission for me to reprint it here. Your thoughts are also welcome, and you can post them below!
Dear Dr. Gayek,
Thank you for a very thought provoking article on disasters, how we
perceive them and how we respond to them. It’s so sad that the TVstations (which I avoid as mich as possible) seem to gloat in referringus to their web sites where we can see ‘amazing’ pictures of theJapanese disaster!! But unless we consciously switch our thoughts toa more forward looking position we can get locked into this sensationalism.The point I want to make in this response is about recognising our
own strengths, joining them to other’s strengths and achieving amazing
things jointly.Before the so called first world nations relied so much on technology and
depended so much on doctors to cure us, teachers to have us learn and
governments to provide for us, societies found ways of achieving for their
communities by sharing, co-operating and working together to reach a goal
which benefited many.I have worked in developing countries for many years and before
communities began to depend on Landcruisers to transport outside‘specialists’, and regular supplies of food aid to perceived helpless peoples,they used their vast array of local resources in the shape of knowledge,manual skills, land, rivers, nature and kinship to address and solveproblems and achieve aims.There is much talk about ‘early warning systems’ in place through
high level technology. Well in reality what have they achieved? The
people in villages in Africa who would forwarned of droughts and suchcalamities, through the departure of animals and birds, or the change in
wind-direction are now being ignored for computer readings.The Japanese people, so severely effected by recent disasters, will now
look to the formation of groups and associations and face this catastrophe
together towards rebuilding their lives and livelihoods. They will be
depending only on their own strengths and those of like minded people, not
on the international community and not on their government.While life saving health assistance will be required for the short term,
people will take greater responsibility for their own health and that of
their families. Reducing reliance on health services from governments
is spreading rapidly. The British Government is even seeking to include
its population in reshaping the health service by beginning in the home
through better self-care. There is much from history to learn about relying more
on ourselves and on our communities than placing the power in the hands of
others.There is a lovely introduction to the book ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell
about why the community of Roseto, Pennsylvania lived so healthily, while
other neighbouring communities complained of many diseases and ailments.
Social interaction, care for each other, community undertakings and an
apparent relaxed approach to life were key to a more healthy
lifestyle. This was the 1950s.Strength based approaches to growth, prosperity and a caring association
with others can be learned about through examples such as Asset Based
Community Development (ABCD), Positive Deviance, Endogenous Development
and others.There is much we can learn and much we can do besides wallowing in how the
Japanese people and others are suffering. Care, consideration and
interaction with our neighbour is essential – you never know where or when
the next disaster lurks.Brian
Thank you so much, Brian, for the reminder about what we can accomplish by focusing on what we CAN do instead of what we can’t, how we’re connected instead of alone, all the wonderful resources we have in one another and the natural world around us, instead of how dangerous the natural world is, and how we’ve collectively screwed it up even more.
What a breath of fresh air! Speaking of which, it’s time to go out for a walk in the spring loveliness!
with love and appreciation,
Dr. Gayek