Or knowledge that largest environmental disaster in world history (perhaps drought in some cases larger?) is now about to fully engage and impact the American polity?

I read your last comments above as a summary of the world as you perceive it, not as you wish it to be. I don’t have a strong argument that — as generalizations go — the world is other than as you perceive it (at least our modern American corner of the world).

Culture and our religious and scientific sub-cultures have a wide array of traditions and possibilities. What you have described is not inevitable, it is not beyond changing.

But, I will admit that — at least this morning — I don’t have much practical insight into how better outcomes might be nourished. I could quote lots of insights, but to practically implement them across our culture?

Well… a bunch of meetings today, maybe an opportunity will arise.

For starters, it is safer to say that people like having science on their side than it is to say that people want science to give them the best answers. To the extent we are willing to look to science for answers, we prefer if not expect them all to be happy or at least convenient ones.

When we resign ourselves to accepting tragedy, we have an innate tendency to see it as a reciprocal response to something we or others have done wrong. (We can but tend not to see it as the unintended side-effect of doing something good for ourselves but bad for others or neutral to ourselves and others but skewed by circumstances.) And we tend to accept personal responsibility only when we can’t find anyone else to blame or accepting responsibility has benefits that far outweigh its costs to us.

One of the things religion has going for it as an explanation for these things, is it gives its adherents a sense that their good deeds will payoff in the long run (at least in eternity if not later in this or a future life). But assuming this payoff represents a divine endowment or comes from the benevolence of the deity also assumes an equal and opposite source of evil exists in the world. When we accept that, it becomes altogether too easy to assign blame elsewhere without acknowledging or accepting our share of responsibility for change.

The leadership challenge here is to make the opportunity for good something that can payoff sooner rather than later without diminishing the possibility of achieving some future good if we act now. This is a hard sell if we expect people to also acknowledge, if not embrace, complexity and tragedy as you suggest. But, as we have seen before, people are not only capable of holding onto two conflicting if not contradictory notions at once with little or no sense of dissonance as a result, they often find it comforting. And this is about all the complexity most of us is willing to accept at any one time.

What we see is no surpise whether in the Gulf or on the beltway all portrayal of the greed and the need for criminal arrests whether government employees who took advantage of their entrusted government position and BP turning their cheek away from regulations, BP executives who have known far more than willing to share….

As far as Thomas at the White House, who whether 90 or 50, is privilieged to sit in the White House and makes some outlandish comments…she should have been gone long ago and again the Jews at the whip of the world…Thousands of missiles flying in from Arab held territory and state. A land which the Jew had to dsefend when Arabs surrounded, a hand in protection by the Creator in his covenant only made to Hebrew and no one else -

Caution to the Jew as Jerusalem in the east may come under siege, yet the world will see God’s hand held high again as his words and intent are clear -

….as well, Israeli must acknowledge that Palestinian have same rights and all can live and work together, not necessarily to embrace, but to resoect one another – yet none of this to happen as long as the Palestinian is used as a pawn by other Arabs -

Israel like any other nation of people has every right to protect itself from the narrow perspective of Thomas and all other Arabs who are filled with such hatred…Folks like Carter, the UN organization and so many others since Hitler have done their best to diminish the Jew, to kill the Hebrew, to subject them to attack and all turn the other way….The UN is certainly an example of the prejudice, the hatred of mankind which is quickly leading the world to economic failure and War, global warfare never seen before…

As I repeat that while the Israeli must also be fair and afford dignity to neighbor, all parties including the international community should be on hand making sure that much needed goods in Gaza for the good people of Palestine are in fact “humanitarian” and nothing else – Israel and the international community owe this to the Israeli people as so many are quick to criticize, however I would like to see what would happen if missiles landed on Brussels or the Vatican…yeah, right! I have walked the streets of Israel and Palestinian streets, yes, even in despair and the fact that there is sometimes no electricity, no water more often than not, no work, etc. and the Palestinian child, the Right to be educated not in jihad, but in how to become a contributing member of society, to have Hope, to be able to compete in society for good jobs to create achievement, to excel, however given what we see today – for both sides and so many other nations, prepare for War, real War for the “Brutes of Tehran” have other ideas, using religion to create strife and killings among its own, preparing to attack other Arabs, not only the Hebrew, a group of leaders even willing to spill fellow rich Persian blood on the streets of Tehran….How treacherous, cold-blooded murders who certainly live a good Life making sure they have food, water and even the luxuries of Life…

BP truly doesn’t care, Thomas doesn’t care, the UN doesn’t care and all are in jeopardy and fellow neighbor see the greed, the indifference to us all, however I guess it has to take Kevin Costner, the actor to make profits to as partner in a company bringing technology to the Gulf to rescue the Gulf because BP with its billions and billions, who cares if there is a spill when drilling for more riches…

Well Mr. Costner and BP, as you will all benefit, how about supporting my proposal as Global Citizen Joe that BP offer each legitimate claimant, $25,000 in BP shares now that the stock is down for let me assure you, BO wiull revisit this well and profits will gain flow as they have no intent to cap this oil find for ever -

$25,000 in BP shares for each legit claim and you Mr. President will make sure that each individual gets his rightful share as after all, you and your staff tell us that you are responsible, you’re running the show..from here on Main Street, BP continues to run the show and Congressional members running for the exit doors –

God Bless all! Pick up your Bibles and read them – the answers are clearly written in scripture -

(Chris)topher Tingus
aka
Global Citizen Joe
chris.tingus@gmail.com

Anyone who has read more than two or three of my posts/comments will agree I am more than willing to leap to portentous meaning from modest evidence.

I will also offer, “Sometimes Dr. Freud, a cigar is just a cigar.”

A big company took a big risk that it down-played to itself, regulators, and anyone else who was paying attention (not many).

The company did not prepare itself — and there was little incentive for others to prepare — for the discounted risk.

A cascade of unpredictable, but fully anticipated, failures transpired. Eleven lives were lost, tens-of-thousands of lives disrupted, untold environmental damage is still emerging, and the economic impacts are beyond precise measure. Political fall-out is being fought over.

We may well make more meaning from Deepwater Horizon. Like a drunk waking up — for the 100th time — in a strange place, we may, this time, have an epiphany and our life will be changed for the better. May it be so.

Along the way I hope we might also accept a more modest meaning regarding the behavior of complex systems. We can be sure that every so often, in an unpredictable way, complex systems fail, flip, fluctuate — other f words come to mind. We ought to anticipate this behavior by consciously cultivating resilience in advance.

I am not trying to disagree, but advocating another meaningful outcome.

I agree this is something bigger. And all our experiences and points of view colour our perspective. Having spent most of my adult life in a uniform on behalf of my Nation, I feel obliged to entertain all points of views, not simply the convenient ones. And, as you captured towards the end. . . our leaders must reframe this catastrophe and their relationship with we, the people. Our response now and our expectations in the future requires broad introspection and trying to see a deeper perspective as our definition of and emergence of the relationship of Homeland Security to all other things.

Here in America, it is the credibility of those we see as principals that concerns us most. Just about everyone else I have contact with outside the country sees this as emblematic of something bigger. As you note, they also tend to see it as karmic payback for our bad behavior and even more self-serving decision-making style. At the same time, they worry about its impact on them and wonder what peril will confront them next as a result of our tendency to seek quick and easy answers to complex questions.

I suspect, indeed, I know, that my agreement with these observations colors (colours?) my take on current events. That’s why I see it as all the more important for our leaders to reframe this catastrophe as an opportunity to change the way we live and relate to others.

To stay with the original theme; the ability of Armando Galarraga to accept the fact that the umpire made an error is as important as Jim Joyce admitting it. There are no winners in that scenario. Sincerity on both gentlemen’s part and perhaps knowing it cannot be changed or it will likely not be changed also aids in moving on. Hindsight (instant replay) further demonstrates contrast in present and past perspectives And, Galarraga will long be remembered for the perfect game he didn’t pitch.

That all being said, our current predicament I believe has a combination of self victimization, hubris, entitlement, and what amounts to politically convenient hindsight built in. Is this the unintended consequence of American Exceptionalism or Imperial Hubris? Is this the expected outcomes we can look forward to in the future as our needs and wants outpace our supply and reach? Questions and more questions.

We’ve become so accustomed to exorcising all the “bad” players and at the same time practicing hypocrisy it’s a wonder we have any respect in the world. Here are some British perspectives on the situation;
• “The Americans want their cake and to eat it too. Their gluttonous requirement for cheap oil meant that they sanctioned risky deep underwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico – and now its all gone wrong they throw all their toys out of the pram.
• It was Americans who caused this disaster. American equipment, procedures, inadequate contingency plans and American equipment. YET THEY BLAME THE BRITISH
• They ruined our Banks and the economy. They are untrustworthy and xenophobic. Boycott their goods and holiday elsewhere.”
How much truth lies in the aforemntioned perspective?
Global economy, global reach, global needs; global responsibility.
“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
Is it our insatiable need for convenience and consumption clouding both our temperament and judgment when it comes to laying this entire thing at BP’s feet? Is this more a question of when this was going to happen as opposed to if it was? What is our responsibility in this? Do we have any? Do the winners go the spoils?
Earlier this week Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner showed how little respect many on Capitol Hill have for BP. He inferred that BP was lying about the disaster:
“Whenever you hear someone with a British accent talking about this on behalf of British Petroleum they are not telling you the truth. That’s the bottom-line,” Weiner said. I wonder if Mr. Weiner has the same disposition when anyone from Congress speaks? I wonder if he realizes how little respect there is for he and his cohort? A British accent…. Is that a bit like a Jewish sounding name or something along those lines? That reckless hyperbole does not solve any problems but plays to constituencies. A dangerous and stupid statement. Stunning.
There is also evidence that the sheer amount of scrutiny might be overwhelming BP. Quite frankly, who would be able to stand up to that level of scrutiny? Where are Transocean and Haliburton in all of this? And I wonder when the next bright idea of boycotting BP will be announced….who will that really hurt? Small service stations all over the United States are reselling gasoline they’ve already purchased. Is it their fault? It seems like our need to punish knows no bounds… except of course when it comes to our own messes… anyone gone to jail yet for Bank Bail outs and Housing scandals?
Yes, there are certainly issues with BP( I do not think it’s been British Petroleum for some time)
BP has been cited for breaking US drilling and safety regulations over 600 times over the last decade at their various sites. This compares to under 10 violations for Exxon Mobile.

It’s also been fined 760 times under OSHA findings, Exxon Has Just 1. http://bit.ly/8YXvuF

Hee’s the bottom line; this is very, very bad. It has immediate National and in short order, International impact. It very well may permenantly alter our southeast/gulf eco and economic systems. It also may destroy food and wildlife. IN every sense this is a global catastrophe. But we should not be surprised. This was to a degree predictable and when any company or institution takes such high risks with virtually no margin of error and such tight coupling, you’re going to have issues. And, it puts our Nation at some degree of risk.

All this being said, what of our role, the American consumer and citizen? Where does our degree of culpability lie? Do we have any responsibility, albeit tertiary or beyond, in this catastrophe? What behavior will me immedietaly alter to mitigate the crisis? Will we park the car? Will we walk? What minor inconvenience are we willing to sustain to lessen our risk taking? Are we the victims or the perpetrators? Some rhetorical questions and some real ones, but this situation, under glaring scrutiny and reverse discovery is all for naught…it will not get the oil back in the ground, much like Jim Joyces’ changing his mind the next day…

“Alea iacta est”; the die has been cast. We have crossed the Rubicon; now what?

Thank you for your continued provocative and enlightened posts.