I'm embarrassed to say some of DU's attention to NO seems ghoulish to me

[jpgray]

Some of the photo postings, for instance--is there a line where trying to understand the scope of this terrible tragedy turns to a sort of base voyeurism? Some of these threads (I won't say which) seem to me like a different order of rubbernecking at a traffic accident. Or am I just nuts? It's pretty late, after all.

[achtung_circus]

1. Due to television we have become visual.

The armchair quarterbacking is somewhat tiresome, but the intentions are good.

I'm probably too tired to say more.

[Qibing Zero]

4. Not only that but we have become distrusting in the words spoken by some

- and rightfully so. I don't think any of us want to see destruction, but in order to get a real glimpse of what has happened we really do need pictures.

[hlthe2b]

2. Perhaps, like me, they are desperate for information....

I have friends working the hospitals down there who I can NOT reach. And, I have a long history with the area which makes me extremely upset at what is happening. The MSM is worthless for real news updates. Thus, the posts on DU that you find obsessive is like a lifeline to me, as it often points me to news sources that have been updated and won't likely end up on MSM for days.

In fact, I'm having the opposite reaction. Sort of hard for me to see the frivolous posts when I am so obsessed with a disaster which may well be on a par with 911, in terms of long term consequences. I'm also heartsick at the overt racism that is coming through towards the plight of the poor in NO (MSM obsession with looting, rather than the life/death struggles going on right now).

[hlthe2b]

3. Let me add, I turned the tv off 12 weeks ago and am not

as some are suggesting "visually-addicted."

[achtung_circus]

6. OK, that's one. nt

[jpgray]

8. Speaking specifically of the photos, though

To me it's like if someone is trying to understand the holocaust, it's important that they see some graphic photos of what happened. It's part of understanding the reality of the situation. But if someone is looking through albums and albums of gruesome photos hour after hour day after day I would start to think that person is more interested in the vicarious emotional payoff that accompanies witnessing a tragedy than in trying to understand what happened. It's a common enough behavior (witness those rubberneckers at traffic accidents), but it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Again, I may just be nuts.

[enigmatic]

5. That doesn't bother me as much as the looters threads

People on both sides of the looters threads accusing each other of being ghouls/freepers/uncompassionate make me more ill than the vouyeristic posts, and it's not even close.

[jpgray]

10. Looting is a natural human behavior

Both benign kinds like stealing food and the less justifiable sorts like stealing TVs in rich neighborhoods. But this happens on all sorts of scales--people take material advantage of chaos as individuals, communities, nations, etc. I don't see what's worth arguing about, unless it's the coverage, or if people are saying one race is inherently more interested in looting than another.

[blondeatlast]

20. I prefer to call it "salvaging" at this point. Either it's put to use,

or it falls into uselessness. Either way, insurance covers it.

I don't care if it's a loaF of bread, a bag of diapers or a TV, if it's immersed in 12 feet of water very long it will become useless.

[jayfish]

27. Reconnoiter Is A Good One Too. -NT-

Jay

[lvx35]

7. ITs a natural human trait to fixate on disaster. Its not base.

People want to know what happened, they want to know if everybody's all right. Its natural human behavior with any catastrophe of accident. In some ways it would be more ghoulish if we all ignored it and went about our business! So yeah, I think its fine.

[jpgray]

12. I don't agree

To me there is a healthy way of examining a disaster and an unhealthy way. Looking over a traffic accident to ascertain whether help is needed or to understand the situation is fine by me. Looking over a traffic accident to watch the blood being sprayed off the asphalt is less acceptable to me. I don't think that's what DUers are doing, but I get that same weird feeling going through GD--this may just be me, though.

[bliss_eternal]

14. I think I understand what you are saying...

when I was in college, there was a suicide in one of the college apts. I lived in the same building.

Some people stopped by to make sure all was ok, and to see if we needed anything (comfort, someone to talk to, etc.). Others, stopped by to ask disgusting, disrespectful questions about the nature of the injuries, did we see the blood, etc.

:puke:

I haven't read enough of the NOLA threads to say one way or the other if any of that is going on. My own sensitivity doesn't allow for me to take in too much--I know how much I can handle before I overload. I was the same way after 9/11--I was upset about it all, but knew I could only watch and listen to so much of the aftermath.

I just wanted to say I understand the point you are making, and what you are asking. It's a valid question.

[expatriate]

9. The information posted here is a lifeline for me too

like the other poster above mentioned. I am in another country, but I have a family member stranded somewhere in New Orleans. I have been unable to get any information. Our news here in Australia is not concentrating on this story. It gets two or three minutes of recycled footage from yesterday and even the day before.

I desperately feel the need to see what is happening, and came to DU because so many people here are very tuned in to the news and readily share information. I do not trust the American media at all. They have soft pedaled this story to a shameful degree.

I guess it's a matter of perspective. What might seem ghoulish obsession to some can be vital information to others. I for one, am thankful for all I can find out - and because I have lifelong connections to the New Orleans area and a knowledge of the levee and water control systems, I've been able to answer some questions for people, and hopefully giving back a bit as well as taking.

[jpgray]

11. My perspective may be the problem

I just can't see what the eightieth "check out this aerial pic of flooded NO" thread has to do with anything beyond taking another big steamy gawk at a terrible tragedy.

[hlthe2b]

13. Perhaps that reflects more the ...

normal comings and goings of DUers and thus the tendency for multiple redundant posts?

I have to say that I was appalled to find how little those I work with, knew about what was going on in NO. The attitude was that it was just another hurricane and were looking at me like one might view an insane person when I began describing the true horror of what was happening, including describing the deterioration of the situation in the superdome... That's what reliance on MSM has done, since they were reporting it out that way until late yesterday. While I work with progressive minded types, they were buying the line that those who didn't evacuate, chose not to!

[bliss_eternal]

15. Wow--that IS disturbing!

If that isn't an endorsement that EVERYONE should get at least some of their news from the internet, I don't know what is...

I also think you hit on a good point. The random comings and goings of the various members of our community, does kind of dictate that some things do get repeated here, even to the extent that some may think it is 'excessive.'

[Qibing Zero]

16. Yes, this is what scares me

I've experienced the same things telling people about this and other incidents. A lot of the time people just look at you as if you must be exaggerating, and tell you that it sounds extreme or that you're playing devil's advocate. The lines between news and propaganda have been blurred so much no one knows what to think anymore. =/

[Maine-ah]

17. I understand what you're sayin'

but, for those of us who are not in the area, or far away we don't really get the full scope of what has happened. We're "removed" from the situation. With out the pics (all pics including the ones we would rather not see)it wouldn't really hit home for us. Do you know what I mean? I don't know if I'm fully getting across what I'm trying to say, I haven't had much coffee yet this morning...

But I think in order for us to pull together to help these people during the worst time of their lives, we need these pics to understand the whole scope of the situation.

[marysdance]

18. I'm glad too

I see what you are saying too. However, I have a brother who may still be alive (I don't know) in Gulfport...and I am living in a foreign country where the coverage of this event just falls into place as part of the global news for the day. So, I am glad that the DUers are hot on this topic and sharing what they are learning/thinking about the whole thing.

In spite of all the repeating pictures/videos and stories about this tragedy...the news I am looking for has yet to surface. I would like to know if my brother and his wife survived and I would like to know if they need help. Their home and place of business were both located a little over a mile from the coast in Gulfport and so it is possible that they were simply washed out to sea.

Beyond all of that...when I see the pictures of the devastation of "things" and hear the survivors telling their stories, I can really hook up with it all on a heart/soul level...and send help from that place.

[crispini]

19. Here's a site to bookmark.

http://www.katrinacheckin.org/

:hug: I hope all is OK with you and yours. :hug: It is very hard, I only heard about my family in LA last night and prior to that I was kind of upset.

[jean]

22. Welcome Sis - your presence here adds such depth and strength

Love you. :hug: :cry:

[blondeatlast]

21. But what is more ghoulish is acting as if nothing happened...

the way a certain world leader is. With my political dig out of the way, I'll address the issue you frame.

Okay, this is base, and perhaps way off of it; and I'm not one to dwell on the devastation myself, but...

I think in a bizarre way many of us WANT to be there. One can't deny the armchair rush that comes from imagining your very survival on the line.

People get sexual pleasure from pain, how different is this really?

On the other hand, I think it is very instinctual and indeed a little ghoulish, but it's very much human nature. I glance at car accidents, I freely admit, but I don't get out of my vehicle to dwell on them.

It's a tough time for everyone and it brings out the absolute best and absolute worst in people.

[jpgray]

24. Well, a ghoul is a person that feeds off tragedy and disgusting things

So ignoring it would be reprehensible, but not ghoulish. I understand the sort of "window to human nature" look at this, but so far none of the human behavior out of NO is particularly surprising or shocking--it could happen anywhere under similar conditions. If it encourages people to help out in the rebuilding, etc., I suppose it's definitely worth it.

[Horse with no Name]

25. I want to go down there

I just cant work my home situation out yet.
I'm a nurse. I help people. I see all those people down there that need help and I sit here wringing my hands because I can't be there--knowing that they need people with my experience.
BTW--I was told a long time ago that to be a good nurse you had to have major codependent tendencies. I think I qualify.:)

[RummyTheDummy]

23. Couldn't agree more

The minute by minute hysterical threads being started by everyone who thinks they're an expert on everything from engineering to toxic mold or the wildly popular "Well, I guess we'll just have to bulldoze New Orleans" threads. Some apparently have an addiction to panic.

Anyone who attempts to try to throw in even a shred of hope or optimism for these people is labeled a dullard or a let them eat cake-er.

[Generator]

26. BUSH WILL KILL US ALL

I thought I'd summarize the DU mind du jour. Not that it's not understandable. But I do find much fear mongering, hysteria, hyperbole and general end of the world vibe these last days. Again, I understand, but am finding a little DU goes a long way right now.

I'm able to throw myself to the anxiety wolves all by myself as it is.

(I hope someone gets at least a half a chortle from the Bush subject line..)

[im10ashus]

28. I agree with all you say.

Not that this disaster isn't newsworthy. But just try posting something NOT related to the disaster and watch it sink like a rock. It's as if there's nothing else going on in this world.