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> Every schoolchild knows the story of the Titanic, the luxury ocean liner that hit an iceberg and sank in 1912. So why did the Empress tragedy, which claimed e
by carlosjobim 1y ago
> Every schoolchild knows the story of the Titanic, the luxury ocean liner that hit an iceberg and sank in 1912. So why did the Empress tragedy, which claimed even more passenger lives a little over two years later, fail to embed itself in our collective national consciousness?
Because the Titanic was the biggest ship ever, it sunk on its maiden voyage, although it was said to be unsinkable. It's probably one of few stories from our time which will be remembered in a thousand years.
- DevelopingElk 1y agoThat, and there were survivors to tell the tale. Ships sinking with all on board lost was a reality. There was always the chance that one who went out to sea might not return. The Titanic's survivors made the story known and memorable.
- the_af 1y agoThe Titanic was thought to be unsinkable, so "there was always a chance" didn't apply in people's minds to this case.
- close04 1y agoThe Titanic was the largest ship at the time, "unsinkable", on its maiden voyage, carrying some of the richest people in the world, greatest maritime disaster at the time, still basically at #2 after more than a century, and the wreck lost for 70 years. The story is definitely more sensational and mysterious than other sinkings.
- chopin 1y agoThe 'Wilhelm Gustloff' had at least 4000 casualties in 1945. I believe the memorability of the Titanic is only loosely coupled to the number of casualties .
- close04 1y agoI included the casualty count as a response to the article quote in OP's comment: > So why did the Empress tragedy, which claimed even more passenger lives a little over two years later, fail to embed itself in our collective national consciousness? The Titanic sinking caused ~50-60% more casualties. But casualty numbers alone are probably not enough to make either of them memorable. But an "unsinkable" ship, biggest ever, carrying the worlds richest, inexplicably sinking on maiden voyage and disappearing for decades is a very powerful story.
- Yeul 1y agoTitanic happened in peace time. In WW2 many ships went under with thousands on board. And after 1945 people were encouraged to forget about everything and not ask any uncomfortable questions.
- bombcar 1y agoAnd popular media grabbed the story. Fame for shipwrecks is hugely dependent on that - if it’s going to live past its time. Gordon Lightfoot ensured that people a hundred years from now will know the Edmund Fitzgerald but the thousands of other wrecks in those lakes will be known to locals and researchers only.
- jolt42 1y agoI understand 30,000 have died on the Great Lakes as a result of shipwrecks.
- broken-kebab 1y agoAlso, the author could read himself and notice that final paragraph where he tells that "Empress" sunk right before the WWI. Which obviously made all other news mostly irrelevant
- pergadad 1y agoIt was the biggest ship of its time, but we have much bigger ones now (both on tonnage and passenger capacity).
- carlosjobim 1y agoThat's why I wrote it was the biggest ship ever, not that it is the biggest ship ever.