Wednesday, September 21, 2005

I was not in America when Hurricane Katrina hit our Gulf.  I was in Stockholm, Sweden and not even CNN was showing the Katrina story full-time (obviously, I wasn't watching much TV either!). CNN Europe's coverage of Katrina changed to full-time soon after.  I don't recall exactly when that happened. But I do remember my horror when I saw pictures that I still haven't been able to forget - of people looting - and read the stats on the color and pitiful state of most of the evacuees.  In Real World vs. Bush's World Hardblogger Dave Matthews at MSNBC provides some answers to why many in middle class America feel like I do when they saw the Katrina aftermath pictures -  we have no real experience with poverty.  It also resonates with something the CNN reporter voiced: there's a dark underside to America, the American dream is not for all.  Blogcritic explores in America the helpless giant: How pitiful can we get?  the myths of freedom and individuality and calls for us to build a new myth of community.  All this reminded me of Elfreda Chatman's work with the concept of information poverty, something we've explored theoretically in my Information Seeking Behavior classes. comment []7:09:56 PM

© Copyright 2005 Anita S. Coleman. Last update: 10/1/2005; 3:28:30 PM.