The document summarizes Rebecca Solnit's book "A Paradise Built in Hell" which argues that communities are often the first and most effective responders during disasters. Through case studies of major disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, the book challenges the common perception that people panic and act selfishly in emergencies. Instead, it finds that people come together with altruism and mutual aid, and that crime and social problems often decline. However, the document cautions that while communities can be resilient, disasters themselves should not be desired due to their terrible impacts.