A Photo Lesson from Japan: Why People Forget

The people native to North America like other tribal civilizations had an oral history.  With no television or iPad to distract them they sat around the fire at night and told stories that were passed down to them from generation to generation.  Today in our modern civilization we have photos, videos, books, etc. but our ability to learn the lessons from previous generations is significantly diminished because we have lost the oral tradition in our culture.  I'd give it a hundred years and the lessons from the Japan Tsunami will be fading fast in people's memories.

 

Which brings me to the photo display of showing the Japanese Tsunami of March 2011 either as it hit the coast or in the immediate aftermath and then two following pictures that progressively show the clean-up that has been accomplished in six months.   See the Sacramento Bee's photo show

 

 

What is dramatic is how quickly the damaged buildings, boats and debris has been removed from the scenes.  As we wipe the earth clean of any record of a calamity we are collectively wiping clean the memory of the event for those who will follow in our footsteps.  If it were me, I think I'd leave one of the larger ships parked way inland as a rusting hulk and reminder of what got it there for future generations.  "Daddy, why is that ship there?"  The answer to that question and the physical reminder in the middle of the community would do more than any other monument or record of the event.

 

Neil Clement shared the link to the photos.