Commentary

For disaster recovery, the best knowledge is local knowledge

For disaster recovery, the best knowledge is local knowledge

Veronique de Rugy

As residents all along the Southeastern coast start to put their lives back together after a devastating visit by Hurricane Matthew, these communities will face unique challenges. Not surprisingly, the calls for billions of dollars in federal government aid are already coming out loud and clear. In states affected by storms, government is often thought of as the only answer to reconstruction. However, research on the aftermath of natural disasters reveals that more often than not, local residents are better-suited to efficiently address these challenges than government on the local, state and federal levels.

Even if the federal government could increase the funding to help these communities above and beyond the $5 billion available in FEMA's disaster relief fund, the money would have to come from an omnibus bill passed by Congress in a lame-duck session, meaning it could be months before they receive an increase in funds. Even if Congress were to approve unlimited funds for rebuilding, it would most likely be surrounded by the type of bureaucracy that benefits a few while undermining true recovery of getting people back into their homes and communities.

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Matt Brown’s introspective journey from Holy Cross to Hollywood

Diane Kilgore

You may wonder what William James, a Harvard-trained physician of the 19th and 20th century and Matt Brown, a Holy Cross-trained actor of the 21st century have in common, but their parallels of challenge, introspection, and commitment are deep and inspirational. Both men grew with the foundational support of loving parents and siblings, one in Cambridge the other in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Their respective collectives enjoyed the benefits of cosmopolitan footprints that walked comfortably between chums and church yet both blazed trails off the beaten path. Separated by time, their struggle to settle into their professional lives are two everyday examples of a quest for perspective and the profound rewards of tenacity. Ultimately, they remind us all to believe in the wisdom of listening to our own mystical inner voice.

William James' biography is complex. His father, a famed minister of wealth, provided the family with a foundation that was theological and materially comfortable. Of frequent poor health, William studied painting and traveled until he pursed a career in medicine. The physician turned to an academic's life. In 1873, becoming an instructor of anatomy and physiology, his analytical curiosities further drew him to explore the emerging science of psychology. Appointed the first instructor of that practice in the country, James was often disappointed and depressed finding hard science insufficently answered the true mysteries of life. After 34 years of blending theoretics his tenure at Harvard concluded in 1907, as Professor Emeritus of Philosophy.

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