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a lesson in humanity
text . Pauline Chan .
The massive tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan in March this year took more than 18,000 lives and gave us frightening images and videos of the disaster. After the tragedy, the people of Japan carried on to pick up their lives. But the way they did it gave the rest of the world a lesson in respect for humanity and society. In the days after the quake, there was calm in the affected zones as people queued for humanitarian aid and supplies. The country was a picture of discipline and order. No chaotic drama. No looting in sight.
After New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina, it was hit by another wave of disaster - looters. Thieves carted away goods on a shocking scale while police and National Guards looked on without a flinch. There were even reports that the police helped themselves to things in shops that belonged to 'everybody'. Chile saw widespread looting after an earthquake that was so bad that the military was called in. Haiti's looters took to the streets and ravaged stores after a 7.0 magnitude leveled the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The massive tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan in March this year took more than 18,000 lives and gave us frightening images and videos of the disaster. After the tragedy, the people of Japan carried on to pick up their lives. But the way they did it gave the rest of the world a lesson in respect for humanity and society. In the days after the quake, there was calm in the affected zones as people queued for humanitarian aid and supplies. The country was a picture of discipline and order. No chaotic drama. No looting in sight.
After New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina, it was hit by another wave of disaster - looters. Thieves carted away goods on a shocking scale while police and National Guards looked on without a flinch. There were even reports that the police helped themselves to things in shops that belonged to 'everybody'. Chile saw widespread looting after an earthquake that was so bad that the military was called in. Haiti's looters took to the streets and ravaged stores after a 7.0 magnitude leveled the capital, Port-au-Prince.
In contrast, Japan saw no looting. The media was perplexed and journalists pondered and analysed the unexpected phenomenon. The Japanese society places high regard on putting the needs of others above their own. Their system that nurtures values like respect for others, honesty and order may be the underlying reason for their quiet survival and social strength in times of crisis. According to a post on Good.is, official police estimates reveal Japanese citizens have turned in approximately $78 million in cash and valuables found amid the rubble since the earthquake hit five months ago. Found wallets alone contained almost $48 million in cash, while the other $30 million was retrieved from safes washed away by the waves.
Read about their system for crisis survival on Slate by Christopher Beam.
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