Filosofa Ponders …

Posted on by under Economic issues, Free Press Issues, Global Issues, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

Y’know, my friends, something has been nagging at me this past week.  I started to write about it a few days ago, then changed my mind, but it keeps weighing heavily on my mind and … I need to share my thoughts with you.

First, though, let me make it clear that I think any loss of life, especially under tragic circumstances, is sad.  I do not wish death on anyone, ever.

Having said that, I find it disturbing that this nation – the media and the public – have been far more engrossed in and concerned with the fate of five men on an adventure of their choosing in a mini-submarine than with the Greek fishing boat that sunk, killing some 700+ migrants.  Are the lives of five very wealthy people, in fact, worth more than the lives of more than 700 people fleeing Syria, Pakistan and Egypt?  Not only that, but the time and money spent on the search and rescue operations for the mini-sub far exceeded any efforts to rescue the people on the fishing boat.  WHY???

Between the time the mini-sub went off the radar until it was determined to have imploded, there were no less than twelve mass shootings in the U.S., but did you hear about any of them in the news?  Thirteen lives were lost in those mass shootings, more than double the number of lives lost in the mini-sub.

Again, I do have empathy for the families of those five men who died tragically.  I have more empathy, however, for the 700+ migrants – many of them children – who were just seeking a safe place to live, or the people who were killed by gun violence, or even in auto accidents.  We know exactly who the five men in the mini-sub were … we know their names, their backgrounds, and have seen their pictures.  Doesn’t anybody care who those migrants were?

This seems to me yet another example of America’s wealth worship.  Each of the five men aboard the mini-sub paid a quarter of a million dollars for the ‘privilege’ of being cramped up in a small space and transported to the wreck of the Titanic for not much reason other than for bragging rights.  Sadly, their ‘adventure’ ended tragically, but … I cannot find it in my heart to think of it as the biggest tragedy of the week, as the media has made it out to be.  If they had been just average Joes without billions of dollars to waste, would we have seen non-stop coverage for days about their possible fate?

I think perhaps our priorities are skewed if we place more importance on five people with great wealth than we place on those fighting for their survival.  It seems indicative of an even bigger problem.  Your thoughts?

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42 thoughts on “Filosofa Ponders …”

  2. Jill, this weekend was your normal weekend in my city – three separate shooting incidents causing one death and five hospitalizations. Yet, this type of weekend probably happened in multiple places across America. Ho-hum. More shootings. Keith

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    • We’ve got you beat … we had six shooting incidents over the weekend causing at least 4 deaths and multiple injuries. We’re still reeling from the man who shot his three young sons last week, too … a memorial was held for the boys over the weekend. And multiple fatal car crashes … like you say, just another day in paradise … yawn.

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  3. Thank you Jill for an interesting post. I have no answers to your questions but you have given me something to think about as I weed the garden today. Mostly how, if at all, I add to the cult of celebrity and what, if anything, I can do to combat it.

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    • Thank YOU! My goal is never to convince people to think as I do, but rather to get them to stop and think, maybe consider a point of view they hadn’t considered before. So, if I’ve given you something to think about while you weed the garden (oh what fun!) then I’m happy!

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  5. The most important part of the mini sub accident that should be told and retold is that each of those people knew going in that it was not a safe venture. They each had to sign papers acknowledging that they knew they were on an unsafe vehicle and death could be the result. Three times on the first page alone they read it and signed anyway. Why? How many reasonable people would take a chance like that? I have problems signing pre-surgery consent forms that list death as a possible outcome, not because I’m afraid to die but because if it’s not considered safe by the people doing the surgery I think they should find someone who can take responsibility for the outcome without the patient being frightened going in. Those five people actually signed their own suicide letters by going ahead with the submersible. It was not certified for use by any agency at all but was used anyway. Has the company that sent it out anyway been charged with the crime of knowingly using a craft that they knew was unsafe? NO! Several attempts had been made to send that thing out before and all had been aborted within minutes (or in one case, 5 hours before it was found and brought back to the surface). No one on any of the previous attempts could make contact with the outside world because the internet function was turned off immediately to prevent letting the families know there was a problem.

    I read this information today on Yahoo news after finally getting my phone to work again. One of the people was quoted as saying that there were “three places where we are warned that it could lead to death Where do I sign?” I wonder if he is laughing now? And now they have just said the family members of the five victim will likely be able to collect life insurance on their loved ones even though they signed the waiver. This according to two legal agents. So the rich families will profit from these deaths and become even richer. I feel sorry for their loss, but to profit from it? Not that sorry. I also have a 19 year old grandson and if I ever hear that he is that stupid we will have a serious discussion about it all.

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    • While the loss of lives is sad, as you say … they knew what they were letting themselves in for. They wanted an adventure, didn’t care how much money it cost, didn’t stop and think that maybe a thousand kids could eat well for a year for what they spent on their ego trip. And now, as you say, their families will be even richer, and the United States will have paid millions for the search and rescue operation because these men wanted an adventure. It seems a gross waste of wealth and I find it hard to feel much empathy at the moment.

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  6. Even beyond the rich vs. poor aspects of all this … the death of the individuals who died in the deeps was considered to be -INSTANT- because of the implosion. Those folks on the boat -suffered- in their deaths.

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  7. Yes, all of these tings. Leaves a grrrr taste in my mouth, reading about the fishing trawler disaster, the superyacht’s assistance in rescuing people (while the Greek coast guard decided not to help until it was a true disaster) while India endures another disaster, the war in Ukraine goes on — just what history needs, more killing fields and destruction — while the big news cookie is, “Look! Rich people! Submersible! Tragedy.” I didn’t wish the the submersible victims ill, but gosh, spending 250K each to do this risky thing took the edge off my sympathy for them, except the young man, who apparently didn’t want to go. Meanwhile, the US Navy already knew the submersible had imploded. They have the tech spy gear to spy on undersea happenings. But they let it all play on.

    The world, sometimes, you know? Hugs ‘n cheers, M

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    • I fully agree with all you say, my friend. The fascination with the wealthy and powerful to the exclusion of all else makes me sick. And yeah … these days the world takes a toll on our psyche, doesn’t it? That’s why I blog … I need an outlet for the angst, need to share it with people who understand, and sometimes maybe with those who didn’t understand but are at least willing to listen and think about things. Sigh. Hugs ‘n cheers, Michael

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  8. “Greek fishing boat that sunk, killing some 700+ migrants. ”

    I know the topic ain’t sexy anymore and y’all wanna forget about it and get to war with your next victim, PR China. But I must remind you all of the greatest tragedy right now: 130,000 Ukrainian servicemen dead, crippled or so heavily wounded, never to return. All in a senseless proxy war, an ill-conceived attempt by the USA to destroy Russia. 😦

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    • My friend, I have not forgotten about the Ukrainian service men and women, nor the civilians in Ukraine. The U.S. didn’t start the war in Ukraine … Vladimir Putin did. The U.S. supports Ukraine … at least most of us here do. But that doesn’t mean we cannot also feel sad and angry about the deaths of some 700 innocent migrants, does it?

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      • Oh man. How long am I commenting here? I’m a fuxn truth bomb in case you didn’t know! Why won’t you face the facts and learn the truth? Is the patridiodicy in you that strong? Ukrai… args, I’m so tired of this shit right now. 😦 I could tell you all the proven facts a hundred times more and you’d still believe the cheapest propaganda lies coming out of Washington. Even repeating them. Like a drone. I thought you were better than that.

        Of course I feel for the 700 migrants but their fate is based on a different fukky uppy by our western democratic govts than the 130.000 death that also go directly on the account of a) USA, b) NATO, c) EU.

        Russia/Putin was the target! Marked for “regime change” and destruction. Fact. And for a moment it looked like them stupid Russians drunkenly stumbled into the haphazardly prepared trap … but now we’ve seen they are unkaputtable. Like every time since early medieval times. Deal with it.

        The only thing we can do right now is apologizing to the people of Ukraine for sacrificing their country and their sons, husbands and gramps for the hatred of just a couple aholes in deep state America. And apologizing to the 700 dead fugees for causing death and destruction in their homelands. We, the people of the West, we should be ashamed, sick of ourselves! I know I am.

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  9. Every life lost is tragic. But having said that, I agree that the amount of resources and media attention put to it compared to the endless suffering of thousands of others is quite telling of where privilege and priorities are so skewed these days.

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    • Exactly so. Western society seems to have an endless fascination with the wealthy and the powerful and the media plays to that. Frankly, if the wealthy want my respect, they will gain it only by using their wealth to help those people who are struggling for their very survival. Sigh. But then, I am in the minority, it seems.

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  10. Nobody cares what happens to you if you are not wealthy. But also the “ordinary” people support this hailing of the rich by watching the Karshians and all that crap about rich people. Even respecting people for being rich without knowing how they earned their money.
    I salute the Mexican who tried to save as many immigrants as he could! That should be the normal reaction in situations like that. He is a real hero!
    In Europe it happens with the refugees, people that flee from wars that many European countries have a hand in, which makes it double hypocritical. The refugee boats were shot at from the coast, and fishermen who sailed out with their boats to save people were punished with a fine, and their boats were taken from them. Shame on you, Europe. The Italians did so much for the refugees at the beginning, but it grew over their heads because the rest of Europe left them alone with the problem, utterly disgusting.

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    • I fully agree! I don’t understand peoples’ fascination with the wealthy. Most have gained their wealth by walking over the rest of us. While they hoard their riches, use them to buy utterly stupid things like private jets, yachts, mansions, etc., other people are living in cardboard boxes on the streets or putting their children to bed hungry at night. If the wealthy used their wealth to help humanity, then I might respect them, but the bulk of them do not, and in fact use part of their wealthy to buy members of Congress to ensure that no laws will be passed that might limit their ability to increase their wealth. And I also agree about the man who did everything in his power to rescue as many of the immigrants as he could … THAT is what a hero looks like, in my book.

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  11. Too bad about the kid. I had a grandson who would be nineteen

    There’s a metaphor in today’s popular culture, two actually, in the Jurassic bastardizations: the original and the recent rich Pakistani guy crashing a helicopter into the aviary and releasing all the pterodactyls. The original of course, the book, was not about dinosaurs

    Chaos theory, and statistical inevitabilities …

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  13. First, the Republicans/NRA are happy when other news outshines mass shootings. Mass shootings upset people, and they don’t like upsetting people. “It isn’t their fault not every gun owner isn’t a reponsible person. They should be!”
    And you did not tell the story of the rich Mexican yacht owner who sped to the scene of the immigrant disaster and rescued over 100 people out of the water! He filled up his noat with dtowning immigrants. He deserves to be your Wednesday feature!
    And yes people’s senses of What is Important is warped in G-7 countries, and Russia. The war in Ukraine is still going on. The Wsgner Group uprising is over, and the mercenaries are being sent back to Ukraine! But who cares?????

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    • You’re right that the NRA is always glad for anything that distracts our attention from the gun crisis. Yes, I could have named a thousand events and disasters that I think are far more tragic than the mini-sub’s fate, but sometimes brevity is best. And yes, rg, I still care very much about what is happening in Ukraine. Only so much time and energy …

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      • The part of the War in Ukraine was not directed at you, but people living in G-7 countries, including Canada. I thought saying it that way would stop you from taking it prrsonally. It seems I failed sgain. My apologies.

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        • Don’t apologize … and no, I didn’t take it personally, just felt that perhaps I should have included the war in Ukraine in my piece, but then there were many, many other comparisons I could have used, too, and we just can’t squeeze it all into a single post.

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  14. Because, those who died, on the, submarine trip are, of the, upperclass, versus those rlwho died in shootings, accidents, natural disasters, are, ordinary, people, that’s why, the news, broadcsted their deaths repeatedly, because, when you’re rich, everything you do, has that, spotlight shining down, whereas, if you’re nobody, then, the world, usually, don’t, pay any, attention to, what happens to, you. This is still, due to the, overall, messed up values of, the wealthy is deserving of, all the attention, while those who aren’t wealthy or, famous, nobidy CARES, what happens to, them…

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    • Yes, part of it is that the 5 who died in the sub were wealthy while the migrants were destitute, but I believe another part of it is that the 5 who died in the sub were white, probably Christians, while the migrants were people of colour, most probably Muslim. Bigotry, either way you cut it.

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  15. As you’d expect. I totally agree with youThose wealthy people paid for the most expensive suicides in history.Their deaths could have been avoided. The deaths from the immigrants boat could have been avoided too with a little more empathy from the authorities. It’s frankly disgusting that there have been more mass shootings in the U.S. WHICH HAVE GONE UNREPORTED.. They should be front page news with the public asking questions of their lawmakers about when reasonable laws will be made to curb gun violence.Without of course upsetting the NRA and voiding the rights of all the rabid gun owners there.It should be automatic that a ban on owning an AR15 or the like is first on the list. They belong in military hands only.
    You always phrase things betterthan me and you know my views on Gun ownership and responsibilities and tthe constant bribery of Lawmakers to favour sections of the weapons scene so I should leave it to you to show the outrage the rest of the world feels about the death of children and innocents in your country.
    Cwtch

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    • It’s a case of badly screwed up priorities! A few days ago, someone on Facebook posted that those 5 who died in the mini-sub were “heroes”. I begged to differ, saying that heroes are the ones who risk their lives for others, and these men did nothing of the sort, then I noted that they were getting more media attention than some school shootings get. One commentor called me an “insensitive liberal bitch” for my views. This is part of what’s wrong here … we cannot even talk to each other, but have to name-call and be rude rather than make a valid argument. I agree with all you say regarding our gun culture … it is insane and getting worse by the day. The gun nuts don’t want to listen to my voice … they would happily sacrifice the lives of half the nation as long as they get to complete their own personal arsenals.
      Cwtch

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      • INn the McCarthy era , all tthose arsenals would have been ready to repel invading communists But now I think they’d bve brought out to welcome them for Trump and to usher in a whole new Big Brother era.
        I agree about the insults, they’re a sign of minds incapable of stringing cohesive arguments together, and also sheer laziness by echoing political slogans that never stand up underr scrutiny. Cwtch

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        • True, but back in those days, they pictured communists hiding behind every tree, just as some in this era see evil in what they call “woke” liberals, or LGBTQ people, or non-Christians, or Black people. Must people always have to have a target to blame for their own shortcomings? Sigh. Yes, the insults are a sign that they have no actual facts or ideas, so it’s just easier to name-call, to apply labels to people they don’t agree with. But it’s so counter-productive that it is bringing this nation to the brink of something I don’t even want to think about. Cwtch

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          • This name calling and not being able to have an adult discussion was the cause for me not to participate in any discussions on FB anymore. But Americans don’t have exclusive rights on not being able to have a conversation in a mature manner, although it seems to be an art form in the US. It seems to have rubbed off on my brother, but he was susceptive to that 😉
            All political sides have the tendency to talk in cliches and catchphrases, the liberals are not free from that. I still don’t understand what “woke” means. Everybody has a different explanation. Maybe we should drop that expression again … 😉

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            • I typically don’t spend more than 5 minutes a day on Facebook … just long enough to post my posts and then I’m done … for I learned long ago there is nothing to be gained by trying to discuss anything civilly on social media. This time, though, it caught my eye and my fingers were typing before I even had time to think about it.

              I think that ‘woke’ is a catch-all intended by the right to be insulting, but as I’ve said many a time, by their definition, I’m woke and proud of it! They mean it as being sensitive to the plight of others, caring more about humanity than wealth, and being in favour of a strong liberal arts education with the teaching of our true history, not banning books, but encouraging reading in all genres. Not condemning people because they are different, but rather embracing and learning from those differences. For some reason that I will never understand, the right feels threatened by those concepts. They seek a white, Christian, straight, male-dominated society and anything else will be condemned by them.

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