The heros among us

The talking heads at NPR were concentrating on interviewing the intrepid and motley "navy" composed of private boat owners who have rescued many stranded Houstonians from 2nd floor windows in residential neighborhoods.   They also allowed the spokesman for the National Guard to wax poetic about the heroism of the troops being mobilized to aid in the evacuation and the coming recovery from Harvey's wrath.   I appreciate the service these people are doing and applaud the selflessness on display.  What I don't like is the chest thumping about how Texans, or for that matter New Jerseyans or New Yorkers after Sandy put their neighbors first and spent time and money helping others.  Of course, that's what most humans do.  It is not a peculiarity of geography.  Throughout history humanity has consistently shown that in a crisis we react with altruism.  It's who and what we are.  Of course there are some who put their own safety and comfort above that of others, but they are in the minority.   Most of us are just waiting for the local crisis to activate that part of us which values the commonwealth over the individual.