Helping vs Fleeing during a National Crisis: Irony and a Contrast in Mentality
The blood donation center was a sight that could have brought a man to tears. People, with absolutely nothing to gain other than pain and physical weakness braved hour-long waits to have thick needles stuck in their arms. But all of them still managed to put on smiles on their unnaturally whitish faces after 400ml were ruthlessly sucked out from them by a shaking, noisy machine that only made the experience seem more cold-hearted...
So I decided to spent this morning at a blood donation center in downtown Tokyo. The building the center was situated is home to both the blood donation center on the 6th floor and a Japanese passport application and processing center on the 2nd floor. Interesting enough, the lines at both of those centers were equally long, with people patiently waiting more than an hour to do what they went there to do.
Of course, the news on the TV in both of those places were equally grim. The fear of nuclear disaster is escalating as doubts about whether Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the owner of the nuclear power plant in trouble, and indeed, the Japanese government, are not downplaying the threats to human health from the radiation to avoid panic among the populace. Certainly, nothing positive can be inferred from that.
But at the same time, interpreting the news is a matter of personal opinions and more importantly, personal desires at the time. For those who wish to depart from the disaster zone (which have come to include Tokyo itself with the nuclear fallout), they will leave no matter what the news says, and for those who will stay, they will downplay the problems amongst themselves even if the news are exaggeratedly negative in content.
For those who are determined to help out no matter what, there is still plenty of opportunities to do so even if there is no means to get up to the disaster areas. Even though I mentioned that I am trying hard to find a way to get up north, I have unfortunately been stuck in Tokyo with extra work from the company, unable to depart. But even for people like me who are still working (somewhat) through the crisis, help can still be given.
That is not to say that the people donating blood is purely selfless and those departing heartless. Of course, monetary donations can be done anywhere in the world (and I am surely many people leaving Japan are donating), and it is perfectly logical for people lining up at the blood donation center to be packing their bags now and hitching on the next flight out of Japan as I write down these words.
Unfortunately, certain things cannot be bought with money and cannot be effectively shipped in from abroad rapidly and in needed amount. For instance, blood cannot be bought with cash (...well, at least in a civil, law-abiding society like Japan...) so separate donation mechanism is needed locally right here. And of course, when a large portion of donated cash is used for logistical expenses and personnel wages, we can make sure that every drop of blood donated can go to the people most in need.
Yet, the irony of two massive lines for different purposes in one building cannot be overlooked. In a country where conformity is a driving force for change and activism, which of those lines, defined by a common priority among its constituents, can pull in more people remains to be seen. And as people like me continue to call on people to help, I wonder if mutual support can suppress a tendency toward sheer social panic...
So I decided to spent this morning at a blood donation center in downtown Tokyo. The building the center was situated is home to both the blood donation center on the 6th floor and a Japanese passport application and processing center on the 2nd floor. Interesting enough, the lines at both of those centers were equally long, with people patiently waiting more than an hour to do what they went there to do.
Of course, the news on the TV in both of those places were equally grim. The fear of nuclear disaster is escalating as doubts about whether Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the owner of the nuclear power plant in trouble, and indeed, the Japanese government, are not downplaying the threats to human health from the radiation to avoid panic among the populace. Certainly, nothing positive can be inferred from that.
But at the same time, interpreting the news is a matter of personal opinions and more importantly, personal desires at the time. For those who wish to depart from the disaster zone (which have come to include Tokyo itself with the nuclear fallout), they will leave no matter what the news says, and for those who will stay, they will downplay the problems amongst themselves even if the news are exaggeratedly negative in content.
For those who are determined to help out no matter what, there is still plenty of opportunities to do so even if there is no means to get up to the disaster areas. Even though I mentioned that I am trying hard to find a way to get up north, I have unfortunately been stuck in Tokyo with extra work from the company, unable to depart. But even for people like me who are still working (somewhat) through the crisis, help can still be given.
That is not to say that the people donating blood is purely selfless and those departing heartless. Of course, monetary donations can be done anywhere in the world (and I am surely many people leaving Japan are donating), and it is perfectly logical for people lining up at the blood donation center to be packing their bags now and hitching on the next flight out of Japan as I write down these words.
Unfortunately, certain things cannot be bought with money and cannot be effectively shipped in from abroad rapidly and in needed amount. For instance, blood cannot be bought with cash (...well, at least in a civil, law-abiding society like Japan...) so separate donation mechanism is needed locally right here. And of course, when a large portion of donated cash is used for logistical expenses and personnel wages, we can make sure that every drop of blood donated can go to the people most in need.
Yet, the irony of two massive lines for different purposes in one building cannot be overlooked. In a country where conformity is a driving force for change and activism, which of those lines, defined by a common priority among its constituents, can pull in more people remains to be seen. And as people like me continue to call on people to help, I wonder if mutual support can suppress a tendency toward sheer social panic...
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