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3/19/2011
All the bad signs
Japan is into the second week of the tsunami disaster and nuclear plant meltdown. The situation is grave but how grave? There were reports and reports and updates and updates. The Japanese on the ground are feeling uneasy. Many are openly questioning the reports coming out from their govt. What is the situation today?
Last night I heard Naoto Kan saying that he would be visiting the site next week. This is the first time a senior govt official is talking about a visit to the disaster site. What does it say? For one whole week, with all the assurances that the nuclear fallout is still safe, no govt officials dare to visit the actual site of the disaster. Maybe I am wrong and they did visit the site but not reported.
And the victims were accusing the govt of neglect and leaving them to die. Japan is a super efficient govt. Not just talk only. They have proven it in many ways. Why are the aids not reaching the stricken people after so many days? Bad transportation, bad coordination, bad weather, not enough helpers? None of these is valid. The Japanese are the best equipped and best organised. Even in India and China, helicopters will be flying around to drop aids to the victims. Maybe all the helicopters are used in dropping water on the nuclear plants.
Is the situation that bad that it is better to leave the affected people on their own, to die as the victims are claiming? Could it be that these people are like lepers, already hit by radio activity and better to leave them there than to risk good people going after bad people?
The Americans are helping, but no troops on the ground. They are keeping at a safe distance of 80 km. What does this tell? Is there a message saying nothing nearer than 80 km is safe?
Then the exodus of foreigners and those who are able to do so. Embassies and MNCs are telling their staff to get out of Tokyo. Another bad indicator that there is more to it than meets the eyes.
Finally, yesterday the threat level using the International Nuclear and Radioactivity Event Scale (INES) was raised from 4 to 5 with 7 as the highest. And the cooling of the 6 nuclear reactors are still work in progress, with one leaking water as fast as water being pumped in, and some still in threatening state.
The signs are bad and saying a lot of bad things that were not reported. A sure sign of things are getting better is to see govt officials and the Americans on the ground itself. The UN nuclear envoy also avoided visiting the site.
And there is no surge of volunteers rushing to save the victims by the highly nationalistic Japanese and their samurai spirit. Obviously things are bad. How bad?
Although is is understandable many people will be in a negative state and therefore their reactions will be intensely emotional (even for the normally 'reserved' Japs), it certainly looks like the people-in-charge are way over their heads on this one.
ReplyDeleteTo add to the mess, they are doing all the wrong things and the consequences are beginning to look like a cluster-fuck waiting to happen.
A government can never be 'trusted' to look after the interests of the private citizens/ individuals. When the shit hits the fan, the govt does what it always does: they make a bad mess worse, shuffle the feet and clear the throats, and then make excuses or engage in collusion and cover ups.
Same story, again and again, right thru history -- Victoria Bush fires (police chief having makan in fancy restaurant when all the shit was going on), Pakistan floods, New York 911, Tsunami 2006, Hurricane Katrina New Orleans...cock up, cock up, and more cock up.
At least in Aust/ NZ the people already know: you better prepare yourself. Queensland floods, NZ earthquake and the Victorian bush fires -- as devastating and 'instant' as the natural disasters were, people got thru it because they depended on themselves and each other and had prepared the best they can for emergencies.
Here's the philosophical/ economic principle: The less government you have, means you have to rely on yourself and the private, voluntary contracts with others, along with private resources and private social institutions already in place -- all based on mutual self-interest -- to survive and get through the crisis i.e. contrary to popular belief, the less govt, the better your chances because you have to -- out of necessity and self interest -- look after yourself and after each other.
Later on, post-disaster when it comes to money, don't hold your breath either for "government help".
You will find after this is over -- those who took the initiative to look after themselves and help each other will do much better than those who depended on the govt for "help".
Here's Peter Schiff on Japan's impending cluster-fuck
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'". -- Ronald Reagan, US President
Just look at the US testing its' own environs; sea and air for contamination. It is few thousand kilometres away from Japan, if the Americans are worried, just imagine those right where the disaster happens.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese are more honest in their Saying 'ren bu wei ji, tian zhu ti mie' meaning one who fails to save or serve oneself first deserves to be decimated'.
The Japanese may have preserve their stoic culture for millenniums, however, most of them have became materialistic and PRAGMATIC as well. Their cohesiveness is not as good as before anymore. Suicides of old and young are amongst the highest in the World.
In any case any citizenry hoping to depend on their governments are only opening themselves to be manipulated and exploited by those they hope to get help. This is universal truth and most pronounced in Sin.
patriot
I agree with patriot's 'hard truths'.
ReplyDeleteWhen Governments tell their version of truths, if it is 'good' you need to discount it by a third, and if it is 'bad', you probably have to add a 33% premium in terms of severity to it, perhaps more.