I don’t know what to do about Port-au-Prince. From the reports I am hearing, not only are around 100,000 people dead but no, or virtually no, buildings in the city are structurally sound. Over a million people live in the city and another nearly two million live in the metro area. The country was already the poorest in the Western Hemisphere before this catastrophe. The world can provide food, water, and temporary shelter, but what can be done about the capital’s infrastructure? It reminds me of the great earthquake and tsunami of 1755 that leveled, drowned, and burned the city of Lisbon to the ground. But Lisbon was part of a prosperous Portuguese empire, and had resources to rebuild.
The Lisbon disaster inspired Voltaire to write Candide, ou l’Optimisme, wherein he introduced the character of Dr. Pangloss. Dr. Pangloss liked to exclaim “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds,” which was a reflection of Gottfried Leibniz’s philosophy in Essais de Théodicée sur la bonté de Dieu, la liberté de l’homme et l’origine du mal . Voltaire thought this optimism was nonsense, and pointed to Lisbon for evidence.
I don’t know if this is the best of all possible worlds or not, but I know it would be better if this earthquake had not occurred. I have no idea how Haiti can recover from this.
Leibniz was smarter than Voltaire (and Newton).
But he isn’t entombed in the Panthéon.
I know about Voltaire; however, all it takes is will and a lot of money. All the nations of the world can offer is temporary help.
Don’t worry Booman! I’m sure that all the Haiti tourist traps will be built up in no time.
I don’t speak French, though, so not sure about your fucking point.
Liebniz’s essay could be translated as Essays on theodicy, the goodness of God, and the origins of evil.
I think you can guess what l’Optimisme means.
also, the freedom of man, should be in that translation.
Right. Okey dokie then!
Dick much?
No, I don’t have a fucking dick from which to speak. Perhaps you would like to call me a fucking BITCH?
Number one site rule: don’t be a dick. I believe dickishness is gender neutral.
So, we’ve become Shakesville now? If so, just let me know and I’ll get the fuck out of here.
P.S. DICK is not gender neutral.
Maybe I’m having an old-timer’s moment but I thought the rule was: Don’t be a prick. Is that gender neutral? In any case, “invisible” is being non-productively annoying in this thread… and has been in others…
sjct,
am I really non productive? And no, ‘prick’ is not gender neutral. Annoying? Yes, I guess so, though not on purpose. Can’t I have a goddamn thought in my head and express it? Do I have to agree with every goddamn thing in the universe? Been there, done that. Not gonna happen again. If you don’t want me here, say so. I am easily gone.
It’s a horrible thing that happened in Haiti. People want to help and feel impotent to. So we give a few bucks and we encourage our friends to do the same. We can all fall on our collective sword but how is that helpful? You’re dismissing longtime contributors who have written thoughtful comments.
I haven’t meant to do that, second. I’m very sorry if I hurt anyone. I’ve been here before, that’s all, and I had to leave. But somehow I always check in.
Shut up!
WTF?
I think invisible is just having a hard day. It’s been a crapper, hasn’t it? :/
Yep.
glad I missed this whole strange episode.
No, not at all. It’s just this place.
boran? boran actually speaks against me? Dude.
Fine then. I’m out, once and for all. No big.
Who are you?
Oh please let me be the one to say WTF.
You’re right, it is prick.
So, you don’t want me here either? Is this a vote?
Tell me. My feelings will not be hurt.
I don’t know you from Adam (or Eve as the case may be 🙂 but it’s hard to see what you’re trying to accomplish by mocking everyone’s comments.
I sure haven’t meant to mock anyone’s comments. Honest. But can’t I speak my mind without everyone jumping on me?
I guess no one knows me enough for that, or something. I’m not sure. Either way, can’t I speak my mind? I guess I could if I had my own blog but I’m not there yet.
Okay? Can I speak, or not?
Shit yeah, why not? It’s just that you’ve had like a dozen comments and I have no idea what you’re trying to say other than we’re all stupid.
What’s on your mind?
What have I said to make you think that I think you’re stupid?
I guess I do have certain thoughts. I guess I’m angry about everything. I don’t mean to take it out on you guys.
I haven’t been around here in awhile but, for some reason, I always check in from Smirking Chimp. I don’t know why.
I don’t understand why you think that I think You’re stupid just because I speak my mind. If I thought you all were stupid, I wouldn’t bother.
Anyway, you’re wrong.
Disgusting disruption by invisible.
I hope the thread remains hidden.
Someone had to do it.
This is definitely NOT the “best of all possible worlds.” I’ll even suggest that this world is Hell. Yes, parts of it can be heavenly and there are moments in our lives and sometimes whole stretches of time wherein we feel truly blessed. But, mainly we’re all chained to the Wheel of Death & Rebirth, “Doin’ Time on Planet Earth” until we spiritually evolve or whatever it is the Cosmos requires to escape from this loop of damnation.
I feel Haiti like an open wound in my chest. The dead are dead; they probably don’t care anymore. But, the living are going thru horrible suffering and despair. Many who survived the quake will not survive the aftermath.
Still, I’m trying to find that elusive silver lining and here’s the best I can come up with: Before the quake, many of these people were starving, drinking contaminated water, living in shacks and lacking medical care. Now that a part of their population has been sacrificed, the world is rushing to help the remainder with food, clean water, adequate housing and medicine. Let us hope their lives will be permanantly improved…
And let’s not forget that the good ole US of A is a lot responsible for getting them there.
Yay us! We are so exceptional!
Take your DICK to THAT, second nature. Then go have a cuppa.
Aaaaaand, the total removal of doubt.
Exactly.
The upside, I suppose, is that there are now plenty of jobs in Haiti for able-bodied men and women.
The West will have to assist with propping up the govt and supplying construction equipment and coordination. But just as Dresden rebuilt after WWII, so too can the Haitians rebuild their city.
Yes, let’s build an upside now that people are DEAD. Great idea.
Who cared about Haiti before? No one, that’s who. People are DEAD now.
It’s too late.
I’d beg to differ. Saying “no one” cared about Haiti is an insult to the thousands of aid workers who have lived and worked in the country over the decades.
But, I’m sure you were talking about Haiti every day before the earthquake hit Mr. Holier Than Thou.
Anyway, just because people are DEAD does not mean all discussion must come to an end, and all planning for the aftermath is suddenly futile. The dead are DEAD, I get it. But the LIVING need to rebuild their damn country and it will take a lot of hard work to do so.
If you disagree with any of the steps I outlined, let me know your ideas.
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/01/us-policy-helped-keep-haiti-chaos
Why you feel the need to attack me for your own shortcomings is beyond me.
And yes, I actually think about Haiti every day, just like I think about Iraq, Afghanistan, Native America, Palestine(esp.Gaza), and the United States of America.
I gave $35 to Doctors w/o Borders for this effort. Does that make me good enough for you?
Why are we arguing? My comments are not personal. They relate more to the disgusting actions of this country.
What’s to argue?
Haiti will recover from this earthquake the way all poor countries have. They will take the rubble and build new structures our of it.
There are some worrying aspects about the damage. According to the maps, the severe area includes Leogane, a community with a hospital that has been supported for 40 years by donations and work crews from churches in the US. No doubt those churches will be seeking donations and volunteers to work on relief projects to restore this hospital.
The earthquake has hit both rich (Petainville) and poor (Cite Soleil) alike in Port-au-Prince.
The issue for Haiti is how it will be ever able to develop out of poverty. Overcultivation has stripped woodlands from the hilsides, which then erode. The result is less fuel for cooking stoves in the rural areas. What manufacturing that has located there are sewing factories paying extremely low wages to produce tee-shirts for Disney and other customers. Rice production in country cannot feed the population because farmers are undercut by having imported rice from the US (which has government subsidies) being sold at very low prices. At the moment, Haiti has nothing of consequence to export except labor, which has gone first to Miami and then to other US cities. The bright side of this is that Haitians who have prospered in the US are beginning to support the development in Haiti.
Haiti has recovered from serious hurricanes. It will recover to a fashion from this, with the generosity of the rest of the world.
TarheelDem, I can’t even talk to you right now.
What is your problem?
I think that the people in Haiti are wondering if there will be more after shocks. Their concern is survival. You put forth an intellectual post at a time when human compassion would be more in order.
This is a huge crisis.
Coming out of the shadows to say that I appreciate your “cerebral” post (assuming all the facts are correct). I can’t think of a better time than a crisis to use clearheaded intelligence. 9/11 should have taught us that it’s the most humane response.
I have no idea how Haiti can recover from this.
They won’t be able to on their own. But unlike in Afghanistan and Iraq, there is not an ongoing civil war, nor would any foreigners who arrived be seen as an invading force. That means incredibly costly security arrangements would not be necessary. So properly calibrated aid – aid that actually employs Haitians and that doesn’t go towards vanity megaprojects – is quite likely to do good. If the Haitians can keep the corruption levels down, then they have a fighting chance.
Will everything go right? Probably not. But at least the path forward doesn’t run counter to some basic human responses.
I don’t understand all the ifs, ands, or buts about this. What’s going on?
Perhaps we’ve become so cerebral that we don’t know what the hell is going on?
I’m having a hard time here.
By the way Booman, Happy Daddyhood. I love your photographs.
It’s a great time for you! I’m happy for you.
Still, you piss me off no end.
Thanks.
Invisible sounds drunk.
invisible says that this is not the place for invisible. If invisible were drunk, this would be the place for invisible.
Ta, Shakesville.
???????
!!!!!!!!
Wait, I said that backwards. That only means I’m a dumbass, not malevolent. There’s a difference.
There’s a level of malevolence and sheet orneriness more reminiscent of horse tranks than alcohol.
invisible is too visible at this point.
Malevolence? Seriously? Horse tranquilizers? Good one, dataguy, but no.
Really want to help the people of Haiti?
Give Blood!
You can give blood through the Red Cross or any donation facility that coordinates with the military and the government. In my neck of the woods, one of those facilities is Belle Bonfils.
Give Blood!
Give Blood!
Give Blood!
They could probably use about a million pints or more right now. November, December & January are slow times for donations. It is easy and relatively painless, unless you get an intern, of course. Just kidding. Give Blood!
Excellent suggestion.
It’s not just whole blood, but lots of blood products that are needed in any catastrophic response.
The U.S. Red Cross has a page here on how to schedule an appointment.
It’s all for the best. (We are aware of all internet traditions.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU5ayCpkT5I&feature=fvw