Get off the beach! Tsunami coming!

[Mizar]

Franko:

I understand cynicism of humanity, and there's a lot of reason for it in general.  But the truth is there's a sound reason for the human apathy you describe.  There is only so much one CAN care about and dedicate resources to for an extended time.  If you tried to be sympathetic to every disaster until it was reasonably resolved, nevermind every war, famine, etc., you'd go mad.  To say nothing of being drained of all resources; i.e. money, effort, time, etc., in a short time.  The fact is, it is not very practical to directly contribute on an individual basis.

But we are not helpless to do anything.  We certainly can contribute collectively, as members of our individual countries, with our "small" specialized contributions.  This adds up to a most significant national effort that can assist victims, and would not be possible without every individual aggregate contribution to support it.  For instance, the U.S. 7th fleet,  with their heavy lift capacity, is on their way to assist Japan.  That there isn't much we can do as individuals doesn't mean we don't care or have any sympathy.

Ok then... party pooper...

Point is we like to think we care about what ills befall others in this world and pacify our guilty feeling by commenting on it and making a donation to the latest relief effort...

But at the end of the day if we're really honest, unless it affects you or me directly then we don't really care about what happens to others whom we don't know or have ever met...

The proof of this is what are you doing right now as you sit on this forum typing your post and reading stuff about the Amiga and basically leading our lifes as we normally do...

Human beings are the most selfish creatures on the planet and nothing will ever change that so now that you've said your piece and made yourself feel a little better, then get on with life and stop pretending that anything you or I say here will make a difference...

[Mizar]

Franko:

You're right with the cynicism of humanity.  Governments should be willing to deliver the assistance they promise.  The poor should not be passed over for help.  I have seen time and again the selfish arrogant unscrupulous attitude of total callous denial of definitive reality, as all that so many care about is promoting their selfish agenda.  Technology may be rapidly advancing, but character and wisdom are not advancing at any more than an infinitesimal rate.  The human race could possibly advance in technology to the level depicted in Star Trek by the 24th century, but certainly not the optimistic level depicted of wisdom or egalitarian society so soon as that- that will take millennia longer at least, I think.  Not to contradict my previous point, though, about practical limitations to how much individuals can do about disasters- it does have to be more of a collective effort.

cecilia:

I agree that's notable that the Japanese are calm in such disasters.  Also notable and admirable how they are so disciplined as to be orderly and follow rules, even when it's obvious they wouldn't need to in a particular situation.  For instance, in this crisis the traffic was not flowing, yet they still wait at red lights to cross the street.  Though I think the most notable and admirable thing is how they are not inclined to go looting, or taking advantage of the situation for greedy purposes.  This is markedly different from most of the rest of the world.  I think it demonstrates the Japanese sense of honor, that most of humanity does not possess.

[Mizar]

It's not the height of the waves that make the tsunami powerful it's the volume.

Actually, it's the mass and the velocity, i.e. the momentum, that makes the tsunami powerful/damaging.  The wave has immense mass (weight) and high speed, hence the irresistible destructive force that no building or any other object can stand up to.  For example, if someone throws a huge thin rubber air filled balloon at you, no matter how hard they throw it, you'd easily laugh it off as it wouldn't cause the slightest bruise.  But if the same size boulder falls on you, no matter how short a height it falls from, i.e. slow speed, you'd be crushed like a bug.  They're both the same large volume, but the first has negligible mass while the second has a great mass.  It's the mass, not volume, that multiplied by velocity determines the momentum, and hence the destructive power.

[Mizar]

@ ceilla

I believe in science for the most part, but even scientists get it wrong and sometimes (in fact quite often) and can't agree with each other about their results and quite often try to de-bunk each others research...

There is quite a lack of discipline in certain sections of the scientific community these days and it mostly seems to come from the same old faces that you see time and time again on documentaries on the likes of the Discovery channel...

Reckon myself some of these so called "Scientists" will do & say anything for their 15 minutes of fame... :rolleyes:

Like with any occupation, you have good scientists, and you have bad scientists.  Part of science is disagreeing with other scientists, and even trying to discredit them with better empirical evidence, or more unambiguous research methodology for acquiring it.