The Reckless Few Should Not Be Our Main Focus

When disasters happen we often stop people from helping, opting for "official" responses from government authorities instead. This is done in the name of safety—more people might get hurt if "un-trained" people are allowed to help. Inevitably some might get hurt, but only a small minority.

What we have done is likely worse. We have traded in the greater good with immediate and motivated help with distant, cold, and delayed help which is slow in materializing and slow to act once formed. We stop ordinary people from becoming a part of their own life experience, shutting them out from their own humanity—stopping ordinary people from acts of heroism. Trying to keep a few people from harm by stopping helpful, motivated action is troublesome.

We do this in other ways, too. We put together rules and procedures aimed at stopping a small number of people from "cheating" the system, forcing everyone who needs help to suffer through anguish and humiliation, often times making everyone worse.

Let's accept the few people who act recklessly or unethically in order to let the vast majority benefit.