When you picture a disaster, how do you know that's the way it will really go? The fact is, you don't - and neither do movie directors making badass semi-classics like San Andreas or The Day After Tomorrow. Where do these ideas about disasters come from, how true are they and are they helping us managing these crises that keep whacking us across the face like we're Bruce Willis in Die Hard? Lindsey Thomas (author of Training for Catastrophe) and John Carr (co-author, with Sam Montano of The Landscape of Disaster Film) join Jordan and Mitch to discuss those grab a gun moments, how movies crossover into disaster education, and how it all shapes what we see when we imagine a disaster.

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AI Generated Show Notes

Chapters

00:00 Introduction of guests

04:16 Defining disaster movies and favorite picks

07:49 The construction and impact of disaster movies

11:54 The influence of disaster movies on real-world disasters

17:31 The standardization and normalization of disaster

30:50 Analyzing the accuracy of disaster movies

37:18 The role of literature in constructing disaster imaginaries

39:54 The limitations of preparedness training exercises

41:01 Inaccurate Disaster Scenarios and the Why

43:01 Religion and Politics in the Disaster Imaginary

46:51 Misinformation and the Blurring of Fact and Fiction

50:55 Improving the Way We Imagine Disasters

57:03 Limitations of Current Disaster Preparedness Efforts

01:01:56 The Power of Storytelling to Reshape the Disaster Imaginary

01:16:12 Dry Transition.mp4

01:16:40 The Influence of Disaster Movies

01:17:35 Nostalgia and Western Flavors

01:18:01 Shoot-Them-Up Action in Disaster Movies

01:18:18 Ending Tough Shift vHigh.mp4

Takeaways

Disaster movies shape societal perceptions of real disasters.

Preparedness strategies have historical roots dating back to WWII.

The impact of 9/11 has changed disaster narratives significantly.

Cultural artifacts influence how we understand and respond to disasters.

Training exercises often rely on fictional narratives to prepare for real events.

Diverse perspectives are crucial in disaster planning and response.

The normalization of disaster narratives can lead to misconceptions.

Realism in training exercises is essential for effective preparedness.

Disasters are often compounded and not singular events.

Public perception of disasters can be influenced by media and storytelling.

Summary

This conversation explores the complex relationship between disaster movies, societal perceptions of disasters, and the preparedness strategies employed by emergency management. The guests discuss how cultural artifacts shape our understanding of disasters, the historical context of preparedness, and the impact of events like 9/11 on disaster narratives. They emphasize the need for diverse perspectives in disaster planning and the importance of realism in training exercises, while also critiquing the limitations of current preparedness frameworks.

Keywords

disaster movies, preparedness, emergency management, societal response, cultural narratives, 9/11 impact, disaster training, fictional narratives, societal resilience, disaster perception