Disasters & Grief

My Fragile Contradiction talks about the wave of sympathy that tends to sweep a nation following disasters akin to that occurring in Asia.

When tragedies like this happen, you always hear people chirping around you about how blessed they are and crap like you know the typical “It makes me appreciate my family and what I have more" What pisses me off is this kind of sympathy last for like maybe a hot second…its all bull crap, because the next day they are complaining about not being able to buy the latest Vutton travel bag.

The scale of the damage done is immense and will be felt for many years to come. At such times, I feel particularly thankful that neither myself nor anybody I know is involved, but no real, genuine sense of grief. Without meaning to seem heartless, the headache I'm currently experiencing is of much greater concern, than any event abroad; regardless of the numbers involved. It's more immediate. It's something I may have had a hand in causing. It's something I have the power to cure.

Unless one has some real-world link to such events as opposed to simply newspapers and 24 hour news coverage, such disasters won't have any significant, long term effect on feelings, behaviour or future actions. You probably won't become a dedicated charitable giver, nor will you suddenly adopt 'carpe diem' as your life's motto after realising the tenuous nature of human life.

We all care about what's happening. It's just better to take whatever practical steps are possible to help, rather than constantly affirming the sadness and tragedy of these events, trying to conjure up feelings which aren't really there.

To contribute to the British Red Cross appeal, click here.

: 28 Dec 2004 22:53 |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem