⋙ [PDF] Free A Paradise Built in Hell The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster Rebecca Solnit 9780670021079 Books

A Paradise Built in Hell The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster Rebecca Solnit 9780670021079 Books

Download As PDF : A Paradise Built in Hell The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster Rebecca Solnit 9780670021079 Books

A Paradise Built in Hell The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster Rebecca Solnit 9780670021079 Books

The singular optimism expressed in this book is remarkable, all the more because of its settings - chapters are set in some of the most devastating disasters in recent history. They include the earthquakes in San Francisco and Mexico City; London during the blitz, New York on 9/11 and New Orleans when Katrina hit.

She makes the contrarian point that masses of people actually behave quite well, with courage and altruism when disasters hit, but often times the elites panic, desperate to preserve or re instate the inequalities they have long fostered. Her point, and it is very well documented here, is that the "stiff upper lip" that the Brits showed during the Blitz, was not unique to British culture, but rather the norm in disasters. The author shows that we often exhibit a co operative "help each other out" mentality in the face of real disaster and wonders why we are not able to maintain it. But she also suggests that in some ways we do.

This is a broad book, that cites many different examples and may be fairly criticized for not following through on the aftermath of each one. I think such a choice would have required Solnit to focus entirely on one event. If you would prefer that approach try Rising Tide, John Barry's masterpiece of the 1927 Mississippi River.

Highly recommended.


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A Paradise Built in Hell The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster Rebecca Solnit 9780670021079 Books Reviews

Rebecca Solnit is a combination of Joanna Macy and Joan Didion. We need that. She is a writer to be watched and listened to.
Hope In the Dark is the name of one of her other books, and isn't that exactly what we need right now?
This book is about way more than what happens to people after disasters. It's a meditation on what people really want from their society and how periods of instability often reveal these truths. That when there's a disaster, power is often decentralized and individuals are free to improvise, to take agency in ways they may never have had to before. And the people in power experience "elite panic" which causes them to react in often counterproductive if not destructive ways. There are many beautiful messages in this book about human nature and its possiblilties. The only criticism I have is it can get repetitive. Some chapters are a bit long, particularly the one about New Orleans. But otherwise a great, transformative piece.
Rebecca Skolnit's book should become important to us, because we already seem to be working our way through what could well become a whole series of disasters and catastrophes (thanks to the author for clarifying the distinction).

It seems sociologists have been studying disasters for decades, and they've determined that in the face of sudden disaster, histories of specific events show that *the assumption that a collapse of the structures of authority and official response will result in mob behavior* is in terrible error -- it's a myth, an urban legend. Instead, it seems that our neighbors are much more likely to act altruistically and creatively. They are most likely to rapidly improvise ways to effect rescue, meet immediate needs and organize ad hoc encampments and communities that support survival and safety. Describing these grassroots social spaces and the negative reaction of authorities with a clear voice and generous dollops of humor and irony, Skolnit sees in these self-generated kitchens and aid stations a beautiful hint of what our lives could be, if left to our own devices. I love her voice -- and she's a riveting storyteller.

On the other hand, the elites have left behind a marked, bloody history of foolish decisions, well-armed panic and overreaction, fed by a dangerous mythology of looting mobs. Skolnit has confirmed something that should be obvious to those of us who remember the lies we were fed by the media, later disproved there's a difference between "requisitioning needed supplies" in an emergency and "opportunistic theft", which constitutes looting. Time and again, it seems elites have deployed martial forces against a population struggling to survive, help not particularly on the way.

I loved reading the accounts of people's responses to Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy in comparison to events much earlier in the century, like The San Francisco Earthquake and the explosion of munitions in Halifax -- healthy, heroic parallels that are moving to read. It was good to see the heroism of women and underprivileged youngsters acknowledged. It was good to trace the philosophical underpinnings of our respective stances -- for and against 'the mob'. Initially interested in another of this author's titles, I HAD to read this one first, having been a first responder in years gone by. It spoke to my experience of bystanders' readiness to be of help -- or at least, to bear caring witness.

PS -- Presently, I've got a student who, until recently, was studying to be a cop. This goal was called into question by events in Ferguson and the on-going struggle along the border -- but even more by *the increasingly general militarization of the police*. This is something he doesn't want to be a part of, so he's changed his major to sociology, without particularly knowing where to go with it. I'm thinking of buying my student this book. Maybe it will help him clarify things.
Everyone in Los Angeles needs to read this book before the next big earthquake. In fact, all Americans should be reading this book to counteract the myth of the rioting, murderous, panicking, selfish people who will go berserk during a disaster and need the government and troops to control them and restore order. When the actual disasters are studied, as in this amazing book, the reality is that people come together in close community and direct their own rescue, survival and distribution of resources with a feeling of altruism, generosity, self-sacrifice, and love. As you read through you see that most of the panicking and selfish behavior is coming from the Elites and the government who are greatly disturbed by the people getting along without them. Often when they do intervene it is to the detriment of the devastated community, and sociologists refer to it as "Elite Panic".

Disasters covered include the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, the Mexico City Earthquake, the Managua Nicaragua Earthquake, New York City 9/11, and New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina amongst other disasters. Unfortunately for Hollywood Movies, Anya Rand followers, and selfish promoters of I will survive at your expense, the general public is humane, helpful, and caring. The apocalypse, world disasters and other fear based mythology about the animal nature of mankind surging out to destroy civilization is just that a useful tool for legitimizing government power. Read this book and perhaps we can replace the myth with the truth of our species. We are social, loving, caring and function best as community groups. It is in relationship to others that we find our value.
The singular optimism expressed in this book is remarkable, all the more because of its settings - chapters are set in some of the most devastating disasters in recent history. They include the earthquakes in San Francisco and Mexico City; London during the blitz, New York on 9/11 and New Orleans when Katrina hit.

She makes the contrarian point that masses of people actually behave quite well, with courage and altruism when disasters hit, but often times the elites panic, desperate to preserve or re instate the inequalities they have long fostered. Her point, and it is very well documented here, is that the "stiff upper lip" that the Brits showed during the Blitz, was not unique to British culture, but rather the norm in disasters. The author shows that we often exhibit a co operative "help each other out" mentality in the face of real disaster and wonders why we are not able to maintain it. But she also suggests that in some ways we do.

This is a broad book, that cites many different examples and may be fairly criticized for not following through on the aftermath of each one. I think such a choice would have required Solnit to focus entirely on one event. If you would prefer that approach try Rising Tide, John Barry's masterpiece of the 1927 Mississippi River.

Highly recommended.