Not Much To Smile About
By Hani Kobrossi
18/03/2011
“Smile and the world smiles with you”….if only it were that simple.
Last Friday, 11th March: Despite entertaining a huge grin on my just-woke-up-automatically-thinking-it-was-time-for-work but realised it was the weekend face, it took but a matter of minutes to realise not many others in the world were smiling at that moment, nor would they be for some time to follow. It is currently difficult to attempt a normally stress-relieving tongue-in-cheek analysis of global events. Sobering as it is though, the present situation could not go uncommented.
The dramatic and heart-breaking live images of a terrible, frightening and simply inevitably destructive tsunami flowing relentlessly, anonymously and uncaringly through Japan’s north-eastern lands was enough to banish even the most optimistic smiling individual into a depressing, dark and emotionally straining outlook on the world we live in today.
Amidst the might of nature’s destructive power, political and social strife across swathes of the globe and incessant images of human suffering and struggle, one would be forgiven for thinking we’ve never had it so bad. Of course, the truth is a combination of concurrently despairing situations and also the increased awareness of a wired-in global population consistently fed with 24-hr news coverage. There is no doubt that we are facing a number of dangerous and truly pivotal geopolitical events, exacerbated by an increased collective conscious, knowledgeable of all the latest (unfortunately worsening) facts and figures.
From minute-by-minute updates on the possibility of further devastating earthquakes to intricate explanations (with diagrams) of Water Boiler Reactors and chances of “nuclear meltdown”. So much can almost feel, well – too much.
Anyone who has visited Japan – I have luckily had the pleasure of both spending time in Japan and the honour of working with the Japanese – will know that the unique and inspiring model of civility that pervades every facet of the population will see the Japanese people through this darkest of times. Almost a week gone by and, after hundreds of hours of analysis and prognosis, sickening images of evil waves literally washing away man-made constructions and man alike, the social situation in one of the world’s most populous lands (per sq. ft.) remains a glowing and warming example to the rest of what passes for humanity these days. Just imagine what we would be witnessing if it were the US West Coast. Social calm and caring community in Los Angeles? Your shudder is audible.
Rumours and panic battle with logic and sense – that is to be expected after such a traumatic experience and the on-going danger in the form of Fukushima. However, who could not take heart from watching the collective and orderly manner with which the general Japanese public has continued to stoically announce it is prepared to rebuild, re-engineer and re-start? And let us all be grateful, it is a country that provides a lot of the world technology, manufacturing quality and prowess all-too-often taken for granted.
It is not surprising that one currently concludes there is very little to smile about. Frowning too much and forgetting how to smile when the world so needs compassion though, will only serve the miserable descent that make us less human. And it will give you serious wrinkles.