I know the human beings are always very powerless in front of natural disaster, especially in this case. Anyway, this time the Japanese show their calm and discipline again, they did their best and I also see the best result in the worst situation.
If I had to experience a disaster, I hope I were then in Japan, not in US or... China.
Very true! While it is a terrible reminder of nature's power over us, this can actually be seen as an encouraging example of how human progress can make a difference... Now I am back to the 18th century's belief in progress, when Goethe wrote "Prometheus" relating to Franklin's then recent invention of the lightning rod (english version, imperfect translation):
ReplyDeleteBedecke deinen Himmel, Zeus,
Mit Wolkendunst!
Und übe, Knaben gleich,
Der Diesteln köpft,
An Eichen dich und Bergeshöhn!
Mußt mir meine Erde
Doch lassen stehn,
Und meine Hütte,
Die du nicht gebaut,
Und meinen Herd,
Um dessen Glut
Du mich beneidest.
Ich kenne nichts Ärmer's
Unter der Sonn' als euch Götter.
Ihr nähret kümmerlich
Von Opfersteuern
Und Gebetshauch
Eure Majestät
Und darbtet, wären
Nicht Kinder und Bettler
Hoffnungsvolle Toren.
Da ich ein Kind war,
Nicht wußt', wo aus, wo ein,
Kehrte mein verirrtes Aug'
Zur Sonne, als wenn drüber wär'
Ein Ohr, zu hören meine Klage,
Ein Herz wie meins,
Sich des Bedrängten zu erbarmen.
Wer half mir wider
Der Titanen Übermut?
Wer rettete vom Tode mich,
Von Sklaverei?
Hast du's nicht alles selbst vollendet,
Heilig glühend Herz?
Und glühtest, jung und gut,
Betrogen, Rettungsdank
Dem Schlafenden dadroben?
Ich dich ehren? Wofür?
Hast du die Schmerzen gelindert
Je des Beladenen?
Hast du die Tränen gestillet
Je des Geängsteten?
Hat nicht mich zum Manne geschmiedet,—
Die allmächtige Zeit
Und das ewige Schicksal,
Meine Herren und deine?
Wähntest du etwa,
Ich sollte das Leben hassen,
In Wüsten fliehn,
Weil nicht alle Knabenmorgen-
Blütenträume reiften?
Hier sitz' ich, forme Menschen
Nach meinem Bilde,
Ein Geschlecht, das mir gleich sei,
Zu leiden, weinen,
Genießen und zu freuen sich,
Und dein nicht zu achten,
Wie ich.
(ca. 1773, manuscript from 1777,
published by Fr. Jacobi 1785)
There also is an informative article in the NZZ.
And here's the scanned version on google books (long live google, another force for progress, not without side effects):
Unfortunately, things have turned out to be much worse than we thought when we posted our comments. We can only hope for the best and send our best wishes to those struck by nature's ruthlessness... By overcoming this, people prove what it means to be human. Even after one might have forgotten that amongst all the crap one is dealing with on a daily basis as a resident of a technologically advanced country.
ReplyDeletePS: Among that crap I subsume the view so common in Germany that nature is all good and we only have to get rid of all technology (nuclear energy, GMOs, vaccines, pre-implantation genetic diagnostics) to be safe & healthy. Even in the face of a ultimately human-caused - partial? - nuclear meltdown. No, "natural" life is nasty, brutish and short!
The situation in Japan is hopefully slowly getting under control - of course the tragedy has happened - thousands are dead - but at least the nuclear aspect of it might remain relatively insignificant... Paradoxically, in my native Germany, things are getting out of control politically. Angst seems to govern everything. No intervention in Libya, even though most of the world agrees that Gaddafi must be stopped, exit from nuclear energy...
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, I will post the explanation I gave for my leaving the German Green Party in 2005 which has a lot to do with nuclear energy, genetics and the politics of free higher education (in German): Parteiaustritt
I hope, no more innocent people will die in Libya and that Japan can once more impress the world by its resilience (maybe the government could do a better job... But I've talked enough about governments).