A sociological perspective

No one can calculate when these catastrophies will strike or when they are scheduled on the calendar, both forms of disaster are unpredictable and are able to catch civilizations completely off gaurd. They counteract the harmony and disturb the flow of societies, uprooting any means of establishment and community. In this paper I will asses a comparason between two major disasters in United States history. The disaster in 1976 at Buffalo Creek, in West Virginia, and a more well known disaster: The World Trade Center Bombing on September 11th, 2002. I will examin how two events, staged in completely different settings and with different

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In both scenarios, the terror of the unknown traumatized the lives of the many who were subjected to such sights. There was no words, no dogs, no nothing. This stereotype played an important role in explaining how individuals responded to the flood. And because of this, Erikson reveals that they have responded to the flood in a manner that reflects their backward and primitive Appalachian heritage; the people of Buffalo Creek behave along psychological guidlinges that can be explained by understanding their culture. It felt like you could reach out and slice the stillness. In Buffalo, the citizens found their safety in the town they lived in, the surrounding privacy provided by the mountains, and most importantly the lifestyle based on family that they cherrished. They focus mainly on what physical features have been damaged, attempting to restore the visual side of the culture - but really, its the people who make up the culture, its the people who find that security within themselves and within what is familiar to them. This sense of horror is what tears apart the simplicity and togetherness of a community. An over all assment will be that, regardless of where a community or individual is, for that matter, the desire to feel safe is nessesary, and without that, insecurity is unavoidable. The fact that somethign so dangerous was able to happen to such a prestegious country, implemeted doubt and insecurity among many citizens. Once that had been stripped from them - uprooted homes, destoryed farms and landscape - they felt alone, and helpless, without that familiar feeling of safety.

This similarity among two different cultures is stemmed from the socail bonds that hold these communities together.

Common topics in this essay:
Buffalo Creek, West Virginia, Kai Erikson, Bombing September, Virginia York, York Communities, buffalo creek, west virginia, attempt restore, responded flood, culture people,

Approximate Word count = 1346
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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