Eclipse overnight tonight

Reminder to readers, there is an eclipse of the Sun overnight tonight, at 2:11 am EST and 7:11 am GMT. Here is an early article on the events of this week, and here is a more recent one, both from our subscriber series.

There was once a media theorist named Marshall McLuhan. He explained the propagation of the electronic media as an extension of the human nervous system. What would have been a newspaper article 50 or 60 years ago is now a constant flow of imagery, description and data. Many people would have never heard about what happened; now we follow events from minute to minute. In a sense we are getting a refined version of the pain in an extremely concentrated form.

That makes a catastrophe such as we are seeing in Haiti a very different kind of event for those who are witnessing it from afar. This will have a variety of effects: many will indulge a fascination with horror; we are also getting a look at life on the other side of the tracks.

I’m watching a live feed by NBC News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams, and Carey Sanders, on MSNBC. They are describing how there is absolutely no infrastructure, no command post, no communication center, not even a control tower. There is no functioning government. Contrast this with the way we are getting the news, through a highly organized, structured network, yet one which feeds us this imagery. It is two worlds intersecting.

One of my hobbies is listening to a scanner. I’m in a rural part of the country, and even here, the E-911 system can get an ambulance to someone’s house in a matter of minutes, with the paramedics being informed of details of the situation while they are on the way. They are being cared for in the first moments after arrival; even before, as 911 operators can coach in first aid. We take this for granted. We simply expect society to be there. And as a result we are highly dependent on that structure around us.

At the moment in Haiti, no hospitals are functioning; the government has no vehicles to deal with problems; roads are destroyed; people are watching their loved ones die.

So now for the question: what do we do with this? What is the purpose of our knowing about this? Is there one, or is this just what our extended nervous systems are picking up?

I really wonder.

21 thoughts on “Eclipse overnight tonight”

  1. Amanda, Mr Chomsky would be proud of you! Thanks for the dig around.

    It is so important that we do not indulge a fantasy about improving the situation in countries like Haiti until the full extent of the situation and antecedents are appreciated – otherwise the proverbial bandaid instead of bandage would be applied. We should watch carefully now for opportunists dressed as angels of mercy. As I’d mentioned in my earlier post, the world is in no rush. Apparently, the floating hospital promised by Obama should be there by the end of next week! My God, anyone would think the people need it now.. It reminds me a little bit of old the old cowboy films where the cavalry would just arrive at the end to save the day (when most were dead but the glory *and the debt/spoils* could be mopped up). And then the second world war was a bit like that, was it not? Britain has, I think, just about paid off its debt to the USA in 2009 and of course, because economically crippled, we were able to hand over many of the Central Americas to the USA. In Africa, the French and British as well as Dutch had a field day. Modern Nation States have proven themselves vikings who only had to ‘civilise’ their actions and export/create some pretext of democracy for pillaging other countries – that can never get on their own two feet. Psychopaths create bonds of antagonism and dependency – wherever they lurk.

    The news coverage is manipulative, period. We never helped them in the past so why would anybody believe the current show is for their benefit now?

    Really good find, Amanda. Keep up the great work..

  2. Fe:

    Would certainly be open to sharing more about my career in “world watching.” I tried to connect by clicking your name and it was a link to your blog…can you obtain my email address from WordPress?
    What to do???

    And yes hard on the adrenals, exciting as well as horrifying. But despite the sorrow of truths uncovered, discovered the beauty and importance of understanding other cultures and how much I love them.

    Karen S

  3. i’m trying to wrap my brain around **how** france was able to demand reparations if they technically “lost” the war?

    i was going to ask someone to explain it to me, but in looking for another tidbit of information, found this in the rush transcript for democracy now’s jan. 14 broadcast, in an interview with bill quigley, legal director for the center for constitutional rights:

    BILL QUIGLEY: “Well, as you—not everybody does know, but, you know, in 1804, the imported African slaves that were brought to work the island revolted against their French rulers and colonial folks there and established a free state, a free black state, first time in the world. And the United States responded very badly, because we clearly—you know, we still had enslaved millions and millions of Africans in the United States. And it wasn’t ’til after the Civil War that we even had any sort of relationship with them. And Haiti is much closer to the United States than even some parts of the United States.

    France put a military blockade around Haiti to force them to pay reparations for their own freedom, to recompense people for the slaves that were freed. And in the last century, the United States supported dictator after dictator, and the elected officials, we supported the coups that knocked them out. We have kept the country dependent. We have kept the country militarized. And we kept the country impoverished. We have dumped our excess rice, our excess farm produce and that stuff on the country, thereby undercutting the small farmers who would make up the backbone of the place.

    So, there are two really good articles for the people in the audience, today’s New York Times, Tracy Kidder, and also in The Guardian by Peter Hallward, saying the crisis that we helped create. We didn’t create the earthquake, but we created some of the circumstances that made the earthquake so devastating.”
    ****************************************
    so basically, the u.s.a. was the big kid in the neighborhood who couldn’t be bothered to stand up for the little guy (or had too much shame to… or was in denial?).

    also, democracy now had a guest discussing haitian immigrants in the u.s. apparently there are something like 30,000 awaiting deportation. they have been given some temporary protection, but the guest on the show pointed out a very interesting reason to make the protection permanent. he described haitian immigrants in the u.s. as the primary revenue source for haiti, as most who make it here send much of their earning back.

    my apologies for not being able to find the segment of transcript for that last bit… it is late…

    — amanda

  4. karen:

    Would love to hear more from you about your career in disaster watching. That had to have been an adrenally draining experience.

    We’re actually interested in exactly what you described in your post on PW, since our society seems to be in a culture-lock from the last eight years of doing the glue to the TV set watching planes fly into buildings.

    If it wouldn’t compromise you and if you’re amenable, could you please click on my name to e-mail me and we can chat from there? If not, I can completely understand.

    fb

  5. I can personally attest to what happens to when the nervous system is saturated with negative images. For 7 years as the director of intel for an international security firm, my job was to constantly watch CNN and read every negative news item available to analyze security conditions around the world. I went from crying at my desk at the pain in the world to becoming numb to it after so many years. When I left that job I began having severe panic attacks and the doc said it was because my nervous system was fried from being in a constant state of alert. On a spiritual level a lot more was fried. But I do feel it is important to view some images. Reading about an event does not evoke the senses in the same way as a visual image, as a photographer I’m sure Eric can appreciate that. How would we have known the failures of our government during Katrina if we had not seen with our own eyes.

    I am with Graffiti, Fe, and Ursula. What a wonderful opportunity to help with the introduction of sustainability and reforestation. I was having dreams last night about how to get free trees and sustainability knowledge to the Haitians. How to make that happen. I know so many people who want to help create a better world, but feel powerless to do so, because how do you win against the system and the PTB. But Haiti seems like such a unique opportunity, that something could actually be accomplished. If only that pent up energy that so many feel could be harnessed and organized and deployed. Eric speaks of taking action, of changing things, but it seems to me it’s much easier said than done.

    Karen S

  6. In the Disaster to Dharma post below, Eric asked for any Dharma stories on Haiti so I posted this reply earlier this morning. I’m going to resend it to this thread, as I hadn’t noticed it earlier and it’s applicable here too…….and I’d really like to share the story.

    # shebear13on 15 Jan 2010 at 8:46 am
    Here’s a wonderful Dharma story connecting Haiti to Montreal and back again.

    http://www.canada.com/business/fp/Facebook+credited+with+long+distance+rescue+Haiti/2440597/story.html

    Yeah I agree with not exposing ones nervous system to viewing endless death and destruction that only fuels despair and helplessness. Better to meditate and channel some compassion and empathy and tune into that higher frequency which can foster a more profound and sustained healing.

    I believe Haiti and the rest of us will be transformed through this tragedy. I am concentrating my desires on seeing the island reforested once again.

    Ursula C.

  7. So now for the question: what do we do with this? What is the purpose of our knowing about this? Is there one, or is this just what our extended nervous systems are picking up?

    I’m with Graffiti Grammarian:

    “What if we took one ravaged country and said, “we can make this into a sustainable society.”

    It couldl be a place that belonged to everybody, and everybody could help as we built the first modern society there that nourishes and sustains the ecosystem rather than exploiting it. ”

    As a place that will be starting from scratch, there will be a time, soon, once the grieving is over and a groundwork begun, for a meaningful re-building effort to start and get done right. I think the case should be made that the lack of infrastructure was built in from the beginning of this republic when it was born saddled with crippling debt.

    I hope the developing world and the banks that are strangle-holding the lifelines to poor countries of the world start making the connection that poverty creates hopelessness, disease and yes, terror. With the wars and the disaster this creates costing all of us more in the long run.

    I see more than the US involved, I see the Americas involved. I think this could be an instance where the Americas–North Central and South, can start taking active responsibility as equal partners in making sure this part of the hemisphere heals and helps itself and each other. Perhaps, maybe, a mutual non-exploitation pact?

  8. Thank you lydivi, for so perfectly speaking directly to the heart of my sense of surreal.

    I am feeling the eclipse and the more recent Mercury Station as a real can opener……

    wishing you all blessed journeys in this acceleration.

    and may the people of Haiti find peace and relief from suffering.

    mmmmmm this is so very much about getting real.

  9. Good Morning from the Virgin Islands!

    Dear Bloggers, I BEGAN READING YOUR COMMENTS, BUT DID NOT FINISH them. And Eric, What is the consciousness that we are to gain from witnessing the horror in Haiti via the media? I will tell you: Folks, there is a huge world out here! MOST places do not have any ‘real’ infrastructure. Look around: Are YOUR roads, bridges, water supplies recently refurbished and upgraded? If so, you are fortunate, and can sip your latte and smugly comment on the plight of the Haitians in Port Au Prince.

    I live on a 9 1/2 mile island with many Haitian and other Caribbean oriented neighbors. There is horror in not knowing where their families are at the present moment.

    Another point of awareness: If the rescue and recovery folks have no place to land their heavy equipment and supplies, help is most difficult to render. Our human limitations in a time of great cyber technology is so apparent in this incident.

    Step back during this awaited eclipse because the earth is striving to replenish and recover itself the only way it knows how to. We just don’t know how to work with it, nor with each other.

  10. What is the purpose of our knowing about this?
    ————————————————————-

    The veil which divides fantasy from reality is thinning – it has been for some time. If you believe the shadow government is always on the throne even when the bi-partite facade shifts then you might hear the background Star Trek voice-over from Capt Jean Luc Picard to Lt Commander Riker of “Make it so”.

    We, in our passivity, choose the poison that kills us. We watch the world that is defining the limits of our own. And we do it voluntarily, believing (if only that were just consciously) that we are seeing how the world is.

    As it stands, there is little difference between watching news coverage and a news coverage clip within a Hollywood film.. no, a Hollywood production full stop. Now, when any ‘real’ news happens, rather than being manufactured, it needs to be milked for all its despair-inducing ingredients because that way ‘how the world is’ can be reinforced. Consequently, even though supplies and rescue equipment could be there quickly (based upon proper human priorities and values) it can’t possibly be allowed because it must serve as news item first, as an emotion manipulating tool.

    Brainwashing is most successful by using methods of repetition – that is why in terms of Afghanistan, the news will feed one death every day amongst the forces – and if there was no death that day then news footage will be shown of a body returning home. You WILL get your daily dose of Mind Whitener.

    The only thing you can believe about a newspaper is the date; a my friend’s ex-journalist father used to say.

    Traditionally you were able to trust what your eyes told you, but the day is hastening when this assumption will prove utterly false. Soon, the only difference between the news and a Hollywood film will be the subject’s belief about what they are watching.

    If you watch the news then do so as a means of learning the skills of discerning mendacity. Have a cannister of nitrous oxide with you at all times. You can turn editorial gloss into information with practice – as liars have to tell lies and make decoys to distract people. As soon as you start to believe anything you see at the surface level book an urgent appointment with a reputable shrink (one who does not have Clue Deficiency Disorder and does not watch TV)

  11. This may be a total non sequitur, but somehow I don’t think it is.

    Speaking of the function of government, what we expect, how we define and respond, as human beings with consciousness and heart, to catastrophic events, somehow, this juxtaposition of “news” feels informative.

    I just saw this post on Slashdot:

    http://politics.slashdot.org/story/10/01/14/2226219/Obama-Appointee-Sunstein-Favors-Infiltrating-Online-Groups?from=rss

    megamerican writes “President Barack Obama’s appointee to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs advocated in a recent paper the ‘cognitive infiltration’ of groups that advocate ‘conspiracy theories’ like the ones surrounding 9/11 via ‘chat rooms, online social networks, or even real-space groups and attempt to undermine’ those groups. Sunstein admits that ‘some conspiracy theories, under our definition, have turned out to be true’ Sunstein has also recently advocated banning websites which post ‘right-wing rumors’ and bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. You can find a PDF of his paper here. For decades (1956-1971), the FBI under COINTELPRO focused on disrupting, marginalizing and neutralizing political dissidents, most notably the Black Panthers. More recently CENTCOM announced it would be engaging bloggers ‘who are posting inaccurate or untrue information, as well as bloggers who are posting incomplete information.’ In January 2009 the USAF released a flow-chart for ‘counter-bloggers’ to ‘counter the people out there in the blogosphere who have negative opinions about the US government and the Air Force.'”

    Is it about values? Is it about levels of bodily reality? Does anyone else find this contrast (between the events in Haiti and this ongoing mind game) extremely surreal?

  12. This is a blog post I read earlier today. It seemed worth re-posting it here.

    astrodem

    ———

    Cancel Haiti’s debt
    Posted By Annie Lowrey Wednesday, January 13, 2010 – 7:04 PM Share

    Haiti, as a nation, has suffered violence, unrest, juntas, and natural disasters. One thing it need not suffer anymore, given the earthquake? Its debt obligations. This Times of London article explains how Haiti became so indebted in the first place.

    “The appalling state of the country is a direct result of having offended a quite different celestial authority — the French. France gained the western third of the island of Hispaniola — the territory that is now Haiti — in 1697. It planted sugar and coffee, supported by an unprecedented increase in the importation of African slaves. Economically, the result was a success, but life as a slave was intolerable. Living conditions were squalid, disease was rife, and beatings and abuses were universal. The slaves’ life expectancy was 21 years. After a dramatic slave uprising that shook the western world, and 12 years of war, Haiti finally defeated Napoleon’s forces in 1804 and declared independence. But France demanded reparations: 150m francs, in gold.

    For Haiti, this debt did not signify the beginning of freedom, but the end of hope. Even after it was reduced to 60m francs in the 1830s, it was still far more than the war-ravaged country could afford. Haiti was the only country in which the ex-slaves themselves were expected to pay a foreign government for their liberty. By 1900, it was spending 80% of its national budget on repayments. In order to manage the original reparations, further loans were taken out — mostly from the United States, Germany and France. Instead of developing its potential, this deformed state produced a parade of nefarious leaders, most of whom gave up the insurmountable task of trying to fix the country and looted it instead. In 1947, Haiti finally paid off the original reparations, plus interest. Doing so left it destitute, corrupt, disastrously lacking in investment and politically volatile. Haiti was trapped in a downward spiral, from which it is still impossible to escape. It remains hopelessly in debt to this day.”

    This September, Haiti qualified for the cancellation of $1.2 billion of its $1.9 billion in external debt. To ensure the recovery of the nation and the livelihoods of its 9 million citizens, the IDB and any other lenders should fully cancel any remaining debt obligations.

  14. Are you serious? Third world nations are not orphans to be taken care of and adopted. These countries have long standing traditions and history and don’t want to be saved by first world rich people. The don’t want to be taken care of, they want opportunity and the possibility to save themselves. “We can make this into a sustainable society” sounds like the crusades, imperialism, colonialism.

    There are economic & political practices that are bigger than all of us, that we all participate in daily, that sustain poverty & under development on purpose. Working towards understanding and changing that is the key to helping the poor. However, this would require the first world to give up a lifestyle it is willing to fight and kill for, quite the dichotomy.

  15. Very Powerful Dear Eric (and others),

    It’s been a bit of too much info. I’ve said many times, CNN loves a good flood, e-quake or other such terrible disasters. Do we really need 24/7 coverage of this horrific event?

    I’ve turned off my TV set and am listening to music — preparing for the West Coast’s earlier arrival of the New Moon 11:11pm PST. I’m busy writing my affirmations — dreams, thoughts and will prepare my ritual of burning dried sage. I wear a crystal, which I will cleanse in the smoke from the sage and burn my affirmations.

    It’s been a rough ride during this Mercury Retrograde for this quintessential Gemini bro. Of course the souls in Haiti are in my loving thoughts but I refuse to sit by the television watching the continuous coverage of how terrible it is there.
    It is.
    -But maybe my love sent via the smoke will heal and touch myself and others.

    Peace to all.

  16. I worry about Haiti becoming entertainment for First World citizens …watching Sanjay Gupta treating an infant in front of the CNN cameras, rescue teams dragging people out of the rubble….will we get an infomercial for the US Military bringing order to disorder next?

    Where did all the donated money come from. I thought we were all broke?

    Having lived through the ’89 earthquake in San Francisco, things do not function immediately….things fall on you (I was in an unreinforced building), things are chaotic for many days afterwards (and San Francisco is well-capitalized) AND the earth keeps moving. I lost 20 lbs in the two weeks following the quake as the earth just did not stop jumping around. We filled the bathtub with water. We had our earthquake supplies and our flashlights, candles, camp cookstoves (just in case) and a wrench to turn off the gas. Our houses still stood. Our doors locked. We live in a zone of preparation. Refeshing supplies, water, stocked medicine chest and whatever else makes one feel safe…..we get this message everywhere, be prepared. Windup radios. Duplicate supplies in the trunk of my car. I passed through the Cypress structure just before it collapsed. Drove across the section of the the Bay Bridge that fell to the pavement below. These things haunt me.

    I don’t watch more than one hour on Haiti as it brings up too many memories.

  19. Eric,
    Painful but cogent, thank you, Eric. With all respect to Mr. McLuhan, i have always seen the electronic media as an extension of the senses feeding into a nervous system that is not evolving as fast. Consequences complex (though some are obvious).
    Speaking of extending awareness, the “Winter Whirl” blog is looking better and better as time passes. Quality work ages well. Your emphasis on integrity key.

    kristel22 – good point, actually. Even though i have not owned or lived with a TV for years, i can recall the impression that “it’s just a movie” applies to more than just movies. The line is blurring more and more. Interesting phenomena.

  20. What if the world got together and adopted Haiti in the aftermath of the quake?

    What if we took one ravaged country and said, “we can make this into a sustainable society.”

    It couldl be a place that belonged to everybody, and everybody could help as we built the first modern society there that nourishes and sustains the ecosystem rather than exploiting it.

    Wouldn’t that be cool? It would make Haiti very rich, in the long run. It would turn one of the world’s poorest countries into one of the richest.

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