3 ms·

why don't we focus on facts? Because we don't have any actionable ones? But, okay, as you wish. I have the crisis firmly in mind now. I will not "rush to beli

why don't we focus on facts? Because we don't have any actionable ones? But, okay, as you wish. I have the crisis firmly in mind now. I will not "rush to believe that everything is fine" or anything. So. Do you have any advice about what action I should take next? I live twelve time zones away, am a citizen of a different country, and have only a passing acquaintance with nuclear engineering. I can't accomplish anything useful by panicking. I can't change building codes from N years ago, I couldn't prosecute anyone in Japan for negligence even if I had any evidence of same (which I do not), I can't dictate to Japanese industry even if I knew what to do (which I obviously don't), I can't run the Japanese government, I can't even vote in Japan. Neither I nor anything else we know can stop radioactive elements from decaying, and I can't unwind time and stop the earthquake. I suppose I can raise my blood pressure, and raise the blood pressure of everyone else I know, and we might even achieve mass hysteria. Is that really a good idea? Why? Like every citizen of the USA, I happen to have some experience with mass hysteria. It didn't turn out well in 2001. I'm not anxious to see more of it. What would you like me to do, instead of waiting for events to unfold, staying away from certain portions of the Japanese coast, hoping that various Japanese nuclear engineers have done their duty well, and meanwhile focusing on other things?

jedsmith 16y ago
Why do you have to act? What impetus is making you do something, whether it be conclude about the crisis so you can put it out of mind or fly over and pump seawater yourself or something? What is preventing you from doing absolutely nothing and still not forming a conclusion? This is the meat of the entire thing, I think, and those upvoting you are feeling the same way, so let's have a Robin Williams/Matt Damon moment, okay? YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. RELAX AND WAIT. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. RELAX AND WAIT. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. RELAX AND WAIT. This incessant urge to do something is making you draw conclusions early, too, and I worry that you're having a hard time seeing an alternate approach: do nothing, relax, go about your life, and wait for the big word on what's going on. This isn't your fault, either. It's the media's, for setting an expectation of knowing about something before it's over and for moving on before the long-term ramifications are widely disseminated.
fluidcruft 16y ago
If you're looking for something to do, beat the rush and go to Walgreens and buy iodine tablets.

jedsmith 16y ago

Why do you have to act? What impetus is making you do something, whether it be conclude about the crisis so you can put it out of mind or fly over and pump seawater yourself or something? What is preventing you from doing absolutely nothing and still not forming a conclusion? This is the meat of the entire thing, I think, and those upvoting you are feeling the same way, so let's have a Robin Williams/Matt Damon moment, okay? YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. RELAX AND WAIT. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. RELAX AND WAIT. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. RELAX AND WAIT. This incessant urge to do something is making you draw conclusions early, too, and I worry that you're having a hard time seeing an alternate approach: do nothing, relax, go about your life, and wait for the big word on what's going on. This isn't your fault, either. It's the media's, for setting an expectation of knowing about something before it's over and for moving on before the long-term ramifications are widely disseminated.

fluidcruft 16y ago

If you're looking for something to do, beat the rush and go to Walgreens and buy iodine tablets.