Katrina's fundamental problem
When I first wrote about Katrina evacuees being investigated for fraud and prosecuted for looting, I didn't realize what a recurring theme this was.
This week in the news it's charging doctors and nurses with second-degree murder for allegedly euthanizing patients during the hurricane's aftermath. God knows that motive the state is going to supply. I'm sure the hospital staff was just itching to off some annoying codgers — what an opportunity!
Next week we'll probably be tracking down people to pay their share of the Superdome damage bill. Why does there seem to be so much attention paid to the transgressions of the storm victims and so little to how the government at all levels failed the people of the Gulf Coast?
One reason involves of one of my favorite psychological concepts, the "fundamental attribution error." Cribbing from Wikipedia:
If you accept the fundamental attribution error, it sure helps explain the world. Then it's human nature to assume people are poor because they're lazy, do drugs because they are weak and fail in school because they're dumb.
Why did those evacuees spend all that money on porn? Because they are con artists and criminals!
Why did those savages loot that store? Because they are bad people!
Why did those doctors kill those people? Because they enjoy "playing God"!
I think the Personal Accounts section at Snopes.com says it all. These are e-mails that were widely forwarded in the days after Katrina. They are purportedly first-hand accounts of what horrible, lazy, dirty people these New Orleans evacuees are.
A lot of it is simple racism. But it also fits nicely with our fundamental assumption of the worst in people. Deep down, we all want to believe that the people who had to be rescued were just too stupid and lazy to evacuate. So let's make up some stories that confirm our assumptions about what bad people they are! Whew, I feel better already.
One way to be mindful of the fundamental attribution error is to do what I asked in the first two posts — put yourself in their places. From everything I've read, the conditions at the hospital were horrendous, and I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt to those few doctors who stayed. Do you think there were any training sessions that covered what to do in this kind of situation? The very fabric of society collapsed around them and left hospital staff with hundreds of painful decisions to make. Maybe they made the wrong ones, but doesn't our government bear some culpability for putting them in that situation? The least we can do is have a sober discussion of what happened, rather than charging them with murder.
I'm not arguing that extenuating circumstances give people license to do whatever the hell they want. While factors can mitigate, we're all ultimately responsible for our decisions. But this was the worst fucking natural disaster in United States history. Not to mention the most utter balls-out screw-up of a disaster response you could imagine. Just once, how about we attribute these incidents to the circumstances (literally, an act of God), and not to people's innate character.
What would you have done?
This week in the news it's charging doctors and nurses with second-degree murder for allegedly euthanizing patients during the hurricane's aftermath. God knows that motive the state is going to supply. I'm sure the hospital staff was just itching to off some annoying codgers — what an opportunity!
Next week we'll probably be tracking down people to pay their share of the Superdome damage bill. Why does there seem to be so much attention paid to the transgressions of the storm victims and so little to how the government at all levels failed the people of the Gulf Coast?
One reason involves of one of my favorite psychological concepts, the "fundamental attribution error." Cribbing from Wikipedia:
1. When I do well it is because I am talented and good. When I do poorly it is not my fault, it is because of the circumstances.To put it another way, we tend to discount external factors when explaining both our own successes and others' failures. I got in that accident because the other car came out of nowhere; you got in that accident because you're a bad driver. The reason it's fundamental is because everyone does it all the time. The reason it's an error is because we are usually wrong.
2. When you do well it is because you are lucky or had an unfair advantage. When you do poorly it is because you are bad, unskilled, untalented, of poor character, etc.
If you accept the fundamental attribution error, it sure helps explain the world. Then it's human nature to assume people are poor because they're lazy, do drugs because they are weak and fail in school because they're dumb.
Why did those evacuees spend all that money on porn? Because they are con artists and criminals!
Why did those savages loot that store? Because they are bad people!
Why did those doctors kill those people? Because they enjoy "playing God"!
I think the Personal Accounts section at Snopes.com says it all. These are e-mails that were widely forwarded in the days after Katrina. They are purportedly first-hand accounts of what horrible, lazy, dirty people these New Orleans evacuees are.
As they get off the bus, they are greeted and shown to the restrooms — where they pee all over the walls, floors, mirrors, etc. They did not even flush the toilets.The worst part is that lots of people believe these when they arrive in their Inbox and forward them on to everyone they know. It's not hard to find plenty of this on the Web.
Left the restrooms in a HORRIBLE mess.
***
Why are all these fat blacks laying around on cots sleeping while white people are lining up by the thousands to SERVE THEM MEALS???
I am sorry but it's starting to piss me off that we're expected to serve these lazy assed "evacuees" indefinitely. Why the hell can't they line up themselves and help unload all these trucks and cars full of FREE stuff?
***
Upon their arrival here in Salt Lake City, two people immediately deplaned and lit up a joint. During the course of medical evaluations, it was discovered that parents were using their kids to carry loads of looted jewelry (price tag still on), and other items. One third of the people who got off the plane were angry that they didn't get to go to Houston or San Antonio. Over the course of the next 36 hours we received an additional 430 evacuees. Most of these, like their predecessors had to be relieved of illegal items. Additionally, most of them, were the owners of exceptionally prolific criminal records, just like those in the first flight.
A lot of it is simple racism. But it also fits nicely with our fundamental assumption of the worst in people. Deep down, we all want to believe that the people who had to be rescued were just too stupid and lazy to evacuate. So let's make up some stories that confirm our assumptions about what bad people they are! Whew, I feel better already.
One way to be mindful of the fundamental attribution error is to do what I asked in the first two posts — put yourself in their places. From everything I've read, the conditions at the hospital were horrendous, and I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt to those few doctors who stayed. Do you think there were any training sessions that covered what to do in this kind of situation? The very fabric of society collapsed around them and left hospital staff with hundreds of painful decisions to make. Maybe they made the wrong ones, but doesn't our government bear some culpability for putting them in that situation? The least we can do is have a sober discussion of what happened, rather than charging them with murder.
I'm not arguing that extenuating circumstances give people license to do whatever the hell they want. While factors can mitigate, we're all ultimately responsible for our decisions. But this was the worst fucking natural disaster in United States history. Not to mention the most utter balls-out screw-up of a disaster response you could imagine. Just once, how about we attribute these incidents to the circumstances (literally, an act of God), and not to people's innate character.
What would you have done?
Chance, if you could please refer me to statistics that cite the "disproportionate" number of people who receive (before Katrina, after, whatever) public aid in New Orleans, that'd be helpful.
It's not sensible to me to blame the people of New Orleans, or anyplace, for having a sense of entitlement for basic human needs. Whether I'm poor or rich I deserve good healthcare and I'll complain about poor care whether I'm on my HMO, paying cash or getting the government to pay.
In America - a place with plentiful riches, resources and blessings I think we ought to expect decency.
Let me tell YOU something, Chance, when you decide that you're an expert on attitudes, psychology and mindsets of people who you don't know - you're prepetuating stereotypes and misunderstanding.
The behavior that I cannot excuse is that the of U.S. government who ignored the plight of New Orleans (sending money that isn't used is a pathetic sign of bureaucracy gone to shit), and reacted slowly and poorly to the disaster.
I hesitate to blame uneducated people without resources and assistance when I see the government act so very foolishly.