Why are disasters upsetting to people even when they are not directly involved?
“Even with all our technology and the inventions that make modern life so much easier than it once was, it takes just one big natural disaster to wipe all that away and remind us that, here on Earth, we're still at the mercy of nature.” Neil deGrasse Tyson.
“Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of.” Stephen Hawking.
“The minute you think you've got it made, disaster is just around the corner.” Joe Paterno.
What do you think is the true cause and purpose of disasters?
“Climate is always evolving, and natural disasters have always existed.” Marco Rubio.
What about disasters caused by people?
“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." Plato.
“The wicked ones make us better persons for those that deserve our attention. Nothing is really lost and wasted in this alchemical dance of life.” Robin Sacredfire
What should we do when a disaster shocks us to a standstill?
“What we ought not do is play politics with those who've been afflicted by disasters. This should not be controversial. Stop playing politics, do the right thing for the country and let's make sure we're not making politics with disaster relief.” David Plouffe.
But seriously, what could be a positive view on disasters?
“I think part of being human is learning to roll with the punches, to deal with any kind of personal or professional disaster that might crop up. You have to learn to deal with that stuff or not survive.” Amy Gerstler.
“If falling into desperation worked to make things better, then I would say, 'Let's all jump into despair.' But it doesn't help. The only way to truly find meaning and fulfillment is to look at the disaster, the pain, the difficulty, and know with complete certainty that good can come from this.” Yehuda Berg.
“There is a tomorrow after a disaster, and it's sometimes hard to remember that in the midst of it.” Sheri Fink.
“No matter how well things are going, failure and disaster are just around the corner. So celebrate the good, but be ready for the bad.” Vivek Wadhwa.
“No matter what is happening in life or in the world - war, natural disaster, poor health, pain, the death of loved ones - if existence is filled with art, music and literature, life will be fulfilling, a joy.” Karen DeCrow.
“When we rebuild a house, we are rebuilding a home. When we recover from disaster, we are rebuilding lives and livelihoods.” Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
“In the past, people worked together only when some great disaster threatened.” Walter Ulbricht.
“There's nothing like a jolly good disaster to get people to start doing something.” Prince Charles.
“I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.” John D. Rockefeller.
Does anyone have a last word to say about disasters?
Thank you, panel of wise men and women!
My heart goes out to -
* All who have suffered the terrible storm in Cape Town and the rest of the Western Cape - the most devastating storm in 30 years!
* All who have lost precious belongings, and even friends and relatives, in the devastating fires from Knysna to Port Elizabeth along South Africa's beautiful Garden Route.
* To those who have suffered discomfort due to the snow and icy conditions in Ceres and surrounding regions.
Relevant news reports
https://www.enca.com/south-africa/cape-storm-brings-snow-to-mountains
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2017/06/10/Fairview-forest-community-evacuated-as-Knysna-fires-spread-to-plantation
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/forensic-investigator-believes-arson-is-the-cause-of-knysna-fires/
https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/news/watch-what-knysna-looks-now/
https://www.enca.com/south-africa/more-deaths-reported-in-cape-fires
By the way...
Thank you so much!
Thank you to all the members of the Virtual Busker Guild for welcoming me into your midst, and for convincing me that a tip jar is the way to go for bloggers who don't want Google to spoil their blogs with distracting advertisements. A special thank-you to Angelia from flashpress for installing the relevant links in my blog.
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