Friends Craig Duncan and Eric Gunderson both highly recommended that I read "Made to Stick". Eric actually sent me a copy to be sure that I read it.
This book is changing the entire way that I view and practice disaster prevention education. It is going to take me some time to absorb and apply all of it's very important lessons. The first one you can see right here. I have changed the title of this blog to DISASTER PREVENTION PRAXIS.
There is no escaping it. "Risk" is an actuarial term or a term from higher mathematics. It is addressed only to professionals and not to anyone at a grassroots level. I had to get honest. When people ask what I do and I start with "disaster risk reduction" their eyes glaze over. Even my dearest friends and relatives cannot repeat my explanations five minutes later when they introduce me to someone new. "Meet Marla" they say "She's involved in very important work in disaster response." Hmpf! I have to admit I have failed miserably...
So I am no longer doing "disaster risk reduction" which only ends conversations. The term "DRR" will never get us where we want to go. The "Curse of Knowledge" has caused us to "bury the lead". The lead (drumroll please...) "Disasters are Preventable!". "Meet Marla" my friends can now say, "She teaches disaster prevention." "Disaster prevention?" they will object "how can you prevent disasters? I didn't think anyone could prevent disasters!" ... and then we will have a conversation...
I'm now ordering 10 copies of "Made to Stick" to give away. Please read the book! You can order it from Amazon, or chapter by chapter through iTunes. If you order your copy of Made to Stick through my website proceeds will be used to buy copies for others.
RADICAL readjust by all of us is necessary. Bad news for many of us... including Risk RED!! Any ideas??? And 72hours.org (catchy but inaccurate message - better change to 7days.org) FirstVictims.org (which might want to consider (SurvivorsNotVictims.org).
Please post your discoveries and comments!
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