Japan has been all over the news lately, and the tragedy of what has been dealt by mother nature, to that country and it's peoples, is beyond words, beyond emotion and beyond imagination. At this moment, there is very little one can do except to observe and contribute when asked for.
Reports are sketchy and subjective, but one thing is clear: the level of focus, concentration and calmness in dealing with a disaster of this magnitude deserves our highest and deepest respect, notwithstanding what else has gone wrong and will be remedied in the future.
Witness the facts: a calamity that was 7 times more than the worst case imagined 40 years back struck this nation, and a tsunami washed out every line of defense it had built around it's nuclear infrastructure. And the result is there for all to see: a simple stance of moving on to the next step, a willingness to do whatever it takes, within the bounds of cultural and practical experience of dealing with similar issues in the past. If that does not deserve kudos, I don't know what else does.
There may be different options and different paths, and some that have not yet been tried. But no one in their right mind will refuse help to Japan if they ask. They have earned it through their simple act of preparing for the worst, and dealing with something far beyond worst in a way no other nation in recent past has.
Talk about this generously, contribute generously, and above all, be prepared to support the same level of "action" in your own country when and where stress or disaster is seen. From Japan, we can learn how to rise above our little selves, and prepare to handle anything that nature may dole out.
This is the real infrastructure of life change, and this is how you handle it!
Reports are sketchy and subjective, but one thing is clear: the level of focus, concentration and calmness in dealing with a disaster of this magnitude deserves our highest and deepest respect, notwithstanding what else has gone wrong and will be remedied in the future.
Witness the facts: a calamity that was 7 times more than the worst case imagined 40 years back struck this nation, and a tsunami washed out every line of defense it had built around it's nuclear infrastructure. And the result is there for all to see: a simple stance of moving on to the next step, a willingness to do whatever it takes, within the bounds of cultural and practical experience of dealing with similar issues in the past. If that does not deserve kudos, I don't know what else does.
There may be different options and different paths, and some that have not yet been tried. But no one in their right mind will refuse help to Japan if they ask. They have earned it through their simple act of preparing for the worst, and dealing with something far beyond worst in a way no other nation in recent past has.
Talk about this generously, contribute generously, and above all, be prepared to support the same level of "action" in your own country when and where stress or disaster is seen. From Japan, we can learn how to rise above our little selves, and prepare to handle anything that nature may dole out.
This is the real infrastructure of life change, and this is how you handle it!
Ramki excellent post!Nothing unites people more than a common threat! Think Kargil war, all Indians united behind the soldiers. Think pearl harbor attacks by these same Japanese, the whole nation rallied behind FDR. I think it is the human nature we only work effectively when pushed to the precipice?
ReplyDelete@Niraj: I think there is a level of "normal" unity required even to perform under extreme calamity. I am sure every culture has it, just that it may not be reflected at all levels of organization (individual, community, friends, town, city, state, country). There is also the perception that sees something as a calamity. Some would say the state of corruption in India is a calamitous situation.
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