Why do people become so nice during natural disasters? (wrote this during JAIMS program, April 1st, 2019)
When I visit public places, I notice something common: people come together to share experiences—shopping, walking, dining, enjoying a café. It made me think that connection brings happiness. But is that true? Nowadays, people stay connected through technology—Facebook, Twitter, social media. Does this mean they’re happier? Have we lost our human connections? Not exactly. We often see people coming together to help each other during tough times. This raises a complex question: why do people become so compassionate during crises? Take, for example, the 9/11 attacks. In a country as individualistic as the United States, people banded together, supporting each other like family. During the 2011 tsunami in Japan, people united to help each other in the face of destruction. Why do we see such kindness during hardship? Even in India, where differences in culture and religion can cause division, people come together to help each other when disaster strikes. Why this shift in perspective? It s...