Is the chaos in New Orleans a sign that civilization is a thin veneer? Is it proof that we're all a bunch of savages?

Well, millions of people around the world are sending aid money.

Thousands are coordinating aid efforts.

Hundreds are risking life and limb to save lives and rebuild the city. They'll receive very little pay for doing so.

Hundreds, maybe thousands more are waiting for the chance to go down and join them.

..and few people are looting stores and shooting guns.

So, what does that tell us about human nature?

In the late seventies, New Yorkers reacted to a blackout by looting and smashing stuff up. Two years ago, New Yorkers reacted to a blackout by directing traffic and having block parties. During the late '70's, the crime rate was already high, the government was incompetent and people had no respect for the city. Two years ago, the crime rate was down and the leadership was competent (except during the blackout) and people resisted the urge to self-destruct.

Even before the flood, the crime rate in New Orleans rivalled Baghdad's. The situation is a lot like New York, only the disaster is much more life threatening and everyone has guns. Still, during the late '70's, neighborhoods in the South Bronx looked about as bad and they had guns too.

New York rebuilt. So can New Orleans.