Monday 21 March 2011

Day 70...

Damn... the full horror of Japan is slowly becoming apparent as the days roll by.


We have all been horrified recently at the images from Japan following the huge earthquake and subsequent Tsunami.  my thoughts and hopes go out too all those affected by this disaster and we can only hope that things are improving for them with regard to the problems they are having with their nuclear reactors.

I was having a discussion about the alarming regularity with which we hear about these types of things. Natural disasters, wars, unrest in the Middle East. Are things really so different now or are we truly in the age of information overload. With 24 hour rolling news we are subject to the full wonder and horror of the world and sometimes it feels as if it could be too much to bear. So many people have access to cameras on mobile phones, the internet, and sites like Facebook and Twitter that it could be said that everybody is now a journalist. In years gone by it could days or even weeks for the full picture to emerge following a disaster like the one we have just witnessed in Japan. And yet within hours we were able to see graphic images of the unfolding horror from amateur sources.

This must be incredibly difficult to deal with for those that produce the news. The stories come and go so quickly and nobody wants to be left behind. But equally it is difficult for us, the viewer, to process. It is very hard to imagine the suffering if you have not been subject to it but you can see it right there and it makes for uncomfortable viewing.

As expected the financial aftershocks of such an immense disaster have begun to ripple around the world. This is likely to continue for some time yet whilst Japan comes to terms with what has happened. The cost of reconstruction will be enormous. A world bank estimate today suggest that this could be as high as £145bn. No amount of money however will bring back the mothers and fathers, son and daughters, friends, lovers or neighbours lost forever. For  

We often like to think of the control we have over our lives – we make our plans and dreams – and yet we are at the mercy of events far beyond our control. We wake each morning ready to go about our daily lives but we are truly unaware of what is in store for us. That is quite a scary thought and one brought home with great clarity by recent events.    

I hope I never have to suffer such unimaginable horror first hand. Again my thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this disaster.

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