No Cutting, No Shoving
The content of the United Nations YouTube channel paints a very different picture of Haiti from the vision of potential anarchy and repetitive violence that is broadcast on the twenty-four-hour news cycle. Here people patiently wait in line, and there is the slow but efficient work of aid projects depicted.
Thanks to BAGnewNotes for the link.
Labels: global villages, youtube rhetoric
posted by Liz Losh at 9:46 AM
1 Comments:
I take issue with your use of the word anarchy. I believe where you said anarchy you should have said chaos. Chaos is the absence of order.
Anarchy is not the absence of order. Anarchy is the absence of a person or entity who has a monopoly on the use of force and violence. Anarchy depends on willful cooperation and is absent coercion and violence. Haiti today is absent a person or entity who has a monopoly on force and violence. While Haiti is not chaotic, it is in a state of anarchy. It is also peaceful and with less crime than before anarchy ensued.
So the YouTube vids actually demonstrate anarchy in action and the 24 hour news cycle shows chaos.
The most interesting thing about Haiti is that it demonstrates the strength of anarchy over centralized control of violence and coercion. It is always the case that when the monopolist on violence becomes absent after a disaster and anarchy ensues; then there is actually less violence and crime than before the monopolist became absent. When the monopolist regains control violence and crime returns.
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