cklarock

The Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that, the entropy of the universe increases during any spontaneous process. In other words, energy spontaneously disperses from being localized to becoming spread out if it is not hindered from doing so. Things fall apart on their own, but do not come together on their own.

Part of the human condition is a result of this law; destruction (dispersal of energies) requires less overall effort (energy expenditure) than creation.

My father pointed out at breakfast on Sunday that the crisis in New Orleans shows you that maybe those survivalist nut-jobs arent all wrong; when civilization breaks down, our civility breaks down, and when you take people who are primarily operating under their own authority, supported by violence (i.e. gangsters) and remove any restraining counter-measures, you end up with feudal-esque fiefdoms and warlords in conflict. It isnt just the Third World where this happens, its the human world; chaos and violence are just part of our experience as flat-toothed herd animals here on Backwards Earth.

I do not personally believe that in a state of nature that most (or even many) humans revert to an uncivil state, but I do believe that the ones who are willing to use violence as a lever are able to move disproportionately large social rocks. Its a shame that our body/mind evolution to this point has given us such a low-hanging tool to negatively impact human behavior; I know there are those that argue that compassion rendered spreads like ripples on a pond, and has a deeper and more lasting effect. I tend to agree, but the trouble with more metaphysical ideas is that a lot of times they are not easily measurable. Surely a great teacher of compassion like Mother Theresa or the Dalai Lama might inspire countless others to do the same, but the effect is diffused and less dramatic.

The stories of the workers of compassion have begun to filter out of Katrinas wake, I remember a news report of a man who went through his neighborhood and helped the elderly and infirm evacuate, picking up other like-minded heroes as he went. He and his crew were discovered by a news team; there were hundreds or thousands of others that were not.

It requires more effort to rebuild, repair or create structures than it does to unravel them. Thankfully we have more rebuilders in our family than barbarians.

I learned this weekend that the FBI put covert sniper teams into New Orleans to (presumably) ventilate the heads of people who are shooting at the relief workers.

I saw that coming-- when I heard about the shootings, I knew they were going to have to get in there and kill those guys; I dont see how you could really arrest anyone in that kind of situation. Every truck that doesnt get in, or helicopter that wont land may mean an innocent life lost. Children and the elderly are always at the greatest risk. I asked a friend of mine who is in the Army if there were any "special forces missions" in the city, my oblique way of asking if they had sent some military guys to go kill those fuckers. He said there were none.

Of course, it would be law enforcement taking the job, not military, but I hadn't realized that at the time. Soldiers kill snipers in other countries, the FBI kills our home-grown ones.

Sophie and I were in Dallas this weekend for one of my uncles' 50th birthday party, and our hotel was filled with evacuees; we didn't get much of a chance to have any in-depth conversations, but we spoke with several people in the lobby, or in elevators. I would have to say that I deeply appreciated the spirit of the people; it seems ephemeral, but Sophie and I both agree that there was a powerful sense of resilience, gratitude and hope in the air rather than desperation, self-pity or misery.

I would love to believe about myself that should I find myself in a similar situation I could maintain the attitude of a grandmother who told me that while she was locked out of her home by martial law, she considered herself blessed.