Yes, it is nice that the "Evacuation produced an unprecedented explosion of mass empathic understanding, by enabling rural people to step into the lives of the

Yes, it is nice that the "Evacuation produced an unprecedented explosion of mass empathic understanding, by enabling rural people to step into the lives of the urban poor." But all that poverty and suffering existed long before this reaction. Why did it take the evacuation for people to step out of their bubbles of privilege? It literally took shoving the reality of these children into these people's lives, forcibly popping their bubbles. Self-serving cognitive dissonance is empathy's arch enemy. It is equally if not more powerful. Sadly, it is only overcome when things get so bad people cannot avert their eyes to the suffering of others. Even then (e.g. Rwanda) empathy too often loses. This is not history. This is now. Unequal and racist criminal justice. Growing economic inequality that feeds on the exploitation and commoditization of people. The tech industry's living in a bubble of good times and power, building frivolous and self-indulgent products while people are being gentrified out of their homes. The lucky 10% putting their already privileged kids in private or effectively private schools, abandoning the children who need it the most to ever more neglected public schools. [EDIT: I knew this would be an unpopular comment. Started with 4 upvotes, then two downvotes, the latter confirming my point of view. What other reason is there for a downvote other than my calling out selfishness (who can deny that?) and cognitive dissonance? Any down-voter care (have the guts) to comment?]