Irrational Consumerism
Although Mexico and Florida have been getting most of the press, it appears that Cuba got slammed by Hurricane Wilma as well. A combination of high tide, torrential rains and storm surge created flooding up to six feet deep for several blocks inland from Havana’s Malecon, the seawall that lines the city.Castro, however, was quick to point out how different the reaction of Cubans was to that of Mexicans and Americans slammed by this and other storms.
''Fidel contrasted the peacefulness, discipline and the organization shown by our people before the blow by this dangerous phenomenon, with the scenes of looking of stores and markets seen in the United States during Katrina and now in the Yucatan, Mexico,'' the state news agency reported.If it turns out that he’s right and Cuba escapes the looting that plagued New Orleans and the Yucatan, he has something to be proud of. And I certainly can’t condemn his criticism of the irrational consumerism that’s taken over our country. I read a story in the New York Times this weekend about how stores can’t keep this modest little item on their shelves.
“This is the great different between capitalism, which promotes irrational consumerism, selfishness and craziness that leads people to loot a mall when a disaster of this type comes, and our socialist society where there's an enormous effort for equality, solidarity and justice.”
Of course, some might argue that the absence of crime and looting in Cuba has more to do with it being a police state than a socialist state.
posted by Anonymous @ 7:26 PM
