The Bahamas, Hawaiian Snail Extinction, Compassion Fade

Why the History of Colonialism and Slavery in the Bahamas Matters to Hurricane Recovery Guest: Christopher Jones, PhD, Assistant Professor of history, BYU The official death toll of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas is 50, but that number will likely be much higher as responders sift through the wreckage of communities on Grand Bahama Island and the Abaco Islands. More than 2,000people are missing. Food, water and electricity supplies have been disrupted. Thousands of people are in need of evacuation and shelter. International aid organizations, the US Coast Guard and even the cruise ship industry are helping with the relief effort. As we’ve seen after natural disasters in Haiti, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the history of a place has affects its ability to recover. David Sischo fights to Save Hawaiian Snails from Extinction Guest: David Sischo, Snail Extinction Prevention Program (SEP) Coordinator with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources One is the loneliest number. And if you’re the last one of you’re the last of your kind, you’re not just lonely, you’re on the verge of extinction. That was the sorry fate of George –a Hawaiian tree snail, the last known member of his species. He died in January after spending all 14 years of his life in a captive breeding facility that was trying to save his species. Staying Compassionate in the Face of Mass Suffering Guest: Daniel Lim, PhD, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Empathy and Moral Psychology Lab, Pennsylvania State University We are bombarded with stories of suffering in the news and on our social media feeds –and even in our personal circles. Researchers have noticed something strange about our ability to feel compassion for others: Compassion does not generally grow as the number of people suffering increases. Rather, we’re subject to something called “compassion fatigue” as the scale of suffering grows. Psychologist Daniel Lim’s research has identified some possible solutions to this –ways to help us feel more compassion for more people.