|
Look, I think everyone understands that life has not conquered death completely, that horrible things still happen in the world.
The point of this is that it was a story of pure joy that everyone could feel a part of.
We can admire the technical proficiency and comptency of the Chilean state in organising such an incredible rescue, a technical feat which had never before been accomplished.
As Americans (as most people here are) you ought to be proud of the scientific genius of one of your citizens that made this rescue possible.
I dont think that anybody would say that the suffering of these minors is beyond anything in human history. I dont think anyone who has any idea what it was like would underestimate how hard it was, and the bravery and toughness of these men.
As I said in my last post - from a narrative point of view, these men were dead for 17 days. There was really no hope of finding them alive, hardly any hope of finding their corpses. And suddenly they were back from the dead.
It may be sentimental: but watching the look on the kid's face when the first minor came out, watching jaded newscasters just laughing with joy as the minors came out, allowing one self to be caught up in the happiness of these families and the Chilean people - I do not consider myself to be reduced as a human being if such things make me feel sentimental. I do not consider cynicism or worldliness as some kind of higher state.
_
One other thing I read, which I will just mention
When "the 33" first made contact with the outside world, the first question they asked was not for supplies or rescue. They asked for news about 3 other minors who had been separated from the men just before the accident. When the people above ground told the minors that the 3 men were safe, they heard cheers, laughter, cries of joy from the minors.
_
They are not supermen, or even heroes... just ordinary working class men who through their toughness and solidarity, stayed together and did not allow any one of the group to collapse, and thus endured hell and were reborn.
Today, and tomorrow, and every day there will be plenty of human tragedy in the world which we may mourn. I do not consider it wrong or in some way "weak" to also take joy from the good news when it happens.
__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."
The Gospel of Thomas
|