Hero and the Cult of Celebrity Analysis of Hurricane Katrina

In the past ten years, there have been two national-level disasters that befell the United States.  The first, disaster is the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, 2001, and the second is the landfall of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  9/11 will forever be remembered as a heroic period in American history.  Hurricane Katrina, on the other hand, has been played out in popular culture as a mega-blunder.  This view of Katrina is untrue; and Katrina should be considered one of our finest hours or at least an equally heroic period in American history.  

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a number of heroes emerged.  These heroes included the soldiers, sailors, and emergency responders who made numerous rescues during and after the storm.  Images and stories of these rescues have been recorded and replayed many different times.  What wasn’t effectively reported were the countless acts of heroism that were committed by civilians who risked life and limb to save their neighbors. 

Instead of focusing on the good outcomes from Katrina, popular media has focused on the negative stories and the “villains” who played a role in them.  These villains included those in local, state, and Federal government who the media perceived as not having responded quickly enough.  They include those responsible for the flooded busses that could have been used in the evacuation, and former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin who will always be known for his blundered the evacuation of New Orleans (Reiland, 2005). 

In popular culture there is the theory of heroes and villains.  This theory is important to consider when thinking of Hurricane Katrina.  We should remember that many people did evacuate; we should remember that countless people volunteered food, water, and even shelter to those who survived the storm.  Katrina deserves a version of the patriotic images such as the raising of the flag at the World Trade Center.  Nevertheless, Hurricane Katrina will always be treated in popular culture as a blunder.  Remember this fact when you read about some of the great blunders in history.  Consider that while we may read that is was a blunder, there were probably countless heroes who will never receive credit for their selfless actions. 

References

Reiland, R. R. (2005, September 19). Comedy of Deadly Errors. Retrieved January 27, 2012, from www.pittsburghlive.com: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_374919.html

Rituals and Stereotypes of Hurricane Katrina

When you think about Hurricane Katrina, many automatically think of thousands of people standing outside the Superdome.  You also think of people looting, shooting and raping each other and think of elderly people dying in their beds.  While these things did happen, and no one denies they did, they did not occur to the degree that has been reported.  Katrina was one of the most documented events in modern history.  Because of the massive media coverage, the aforementioned events have since led to stereotypes being placed on Hurricane Katrina.  In essence, Hurricane Katrina has become the “stock character” of hurricanes. 

            Hurricanes have been stereotyped because of Katrina and its aftermath.  People now are led to believe that every hurricane heading for the United States will cause death and destruction on a grand scale.  Anarchy will reign.  In reality, while no one will discredit that Hurricane Katrina was a terrible storm, there were other storms that were much worse and caused more damage than Katrina.  However, because of this stereotype, every time a hurricane comes close to landfall, media begins to report on the coming apocalypse; sending reporters all over the area projected to be hit.  Shows are interrupted or cancelled.  Everyone and their brother are interviewed.

            A lack of Government response is another stereotype that has come from Katrina.  This stereotype is partly true; it does take some time for the government to respond.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) admits this, and has developed a website called www.ready.gov, where it shows people how they can become self-sufficient in any type of natural disaster.  However, the government does responded en force after any natural disaster.  Even while Katrina was still moving through New Orleans “dozens of National Guard and Coast Guard helicopters flew rescue operations” (The Editors, 2006). 

            In applying these theories to describe Hurricane Katrina, what has made Katrina such a popular stereotype has been the wide-spread media coverage.  The fact is that Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 storm when it made landfall (The Editors, 2006); it was a Category 1 storm when it crossed over Meridian, Mississippi where I rode the storm out.  It was not the all-powerful storm that it has been stereotyped as.  As mentioned before, Katrina has become the “stock character” of hurricanes.  When people consider a storm coming ashore, they think of Katrina, much the same way a movie actor playing a gangster will study Al Capone.

            I have gained some insights in applying these theories.  Stereotypes have a way of making people think differently about something.  In some ways Katrina’s stereotypes can help; without the stereotype that the government won’t help after a disaster has spurred the creation of websites like www.ready.gov, or other sites that help people become self-sufficient.  In some ways Katrina’s stereotypes hurt, we now consider every hurricane or other natural disaster to be the next world-ending crisis.  This leads to panic and mass confusion. 

            Katrina was a bad storm, and many people’s lives were disrupted because of it.  Unfortunately, many people also were injured and killed during the storm.  However, put in perspective, Katrina doesn’t deserve the stereotype that it received.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Terminator-2-judgement-day.jpg

www.google.com

For this assignment my three icons were The Terminator; Google®; and a firefighter.  The Terminator comes from the television and film series of the same name, Google® is one of the most common and well-used internet search engines, and firefighting is the global profession that involves emergency, fire and medical response. 

I chose each icon for various reasons, but the each has a symbolic status.  The Terminator icon was chosen for many different reasons.  The Terminator character definitely has the recognition factor, as do many different quotes from the movie series.  Statements like “I’ll be back!” can be easily identified from the movie, even by people who haven’t seen the movie.  I also chose Google® because of its recognition factor.   The word “Google” has replaced the words “search for” in daily language.  For instance, many times when we are looking for something on the internet, we will say, “did you Google it?”  For my final icon I chose firefighters.  Whether it is the firefighter with ice hanging off his mustache, the firefighter raising the flag over the ruins of the World Trade Center towers, or the buff firefighter in the calendar, firefighters have become a universal sign of help. 

I grew up watching the Terminator movies, so I have used the quotes from the movies and I can identify with that “you are destined to be something great” idea. My wife uses the phrase “I’ll be back” from the Terminator movie, even though she has never seen it.  I use Google every day, and I didn’t realize how much it is ingrained in our everyday lives until I heard the phrase “Google it” from my mother.  Finally, the firefighter; my grandfather was a firefighter, and I remember looking forward to the fire station tours that every American child experiences at some point in their elementary school education.  Now, I am a firefighter of fourteen years.  Most of us can remember the iconic image of the firefighters raising the flag above the World Trade Center disaster and the role firefighters played in that disaster elevated the profession to hero status.  

What does Popular Culture mean to me?

Thanks for pointing this out.  My definition of Popular Culture is:  "A grouping of various traditions, media pieces (sound, print, and visual), and styles that define a set group of people" I know that seems to be a very antiseptic response, so let me try to put it into other words.

For me, popular culture allows us to give reference to a particular period of time.  For example, when I ask you about the 1940s.  In a historical mindset, you would think of the World War II.  In a pop culture mindset, you may think of big band music, or radio programs, or the movie "Casablanca".

Popular Culture Artifact

In my opinion, there isn't a more prominent popular culture artifact than the statement " Fra-G-Lay; must be Italian" from the movie A Christmas Story.  This movie, which at the time was considered a box-office flop but went on to be considered one of the top Christmas movies ever, the statement  "Fra-G-Lay; must be Italian" is made by the narrator's father after receiving a "major award".  

As you go through this week, place something out that says "Fragile" at your school or office and see how many people make the same statement as seen in the movie.   

Welcome to my Blog!!!

Welcome to my blog; I hope that we will have a great class this first 6 weeks.