The Fukushima 50 – The stuff of legend
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As a species, we like our legends; The 300 at Thermopylae, Gottendamerung, King Arthur, “The Few” of the Battle of Britain, the Bridge Too Far, Apollo 13. Names that have altered the Zeitgeist and left their mark on the language of a hundred cultures across thousands of years.
What is unfolding in Japan is the stuff of legend.
A few people, ordinary people, unremarkable people, with the correct skills, are facing an implacable enemy, with a thin hope of success, and similarly thin hopes of survival. Many are past retirement age, all are volunteers. They kissed their wives and husbands goodbye, sent messages to children and grandchildren, and headed out to make a last stand to save all they hold dear. They know the consequence of failure. They know they’re unlikely to live to enjoy success. They do it because they must, and there is no one else to do it.
They face no physical enemy, but the forces that bind and control the very fabric of reality. In another age, this would be a tale of daemons or Djinni, but we live in an age of science, not magic. They struggle in half darkness, at the edge of exhaustion, with dwindling food, inadequate tools, in a place that make the Nordic hells crossed with the Somme seem cozy.
The Fukushima 50 are destined to enter the lexicon of legend. We can only hope that they’re remembered as the ones who strove and won, rather than the 300 of the nuclear age.
The fires at Fukushima
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Beautifully said. I welcome more stories like this. People giving disaster the finger and doing what needs to be done in Japan.
Thanks, Hroth
Well written, Hro. Thank you.
Actually there’s around 200 of them.
The thought is good though mate.
Bravery should never be diminished.
Around 200 mate not 50.
Remember the 200…
Jesus H Christ…Could you go in there and sort it knowing you will die?
…and I worry about Oldham Athletic FC…
oh dear…I deserve to be admonished….
It’s a rolling 50. And I am no one’s “mate”
Damn straight. If I would be permitted a geekery reference, the Fukushima 50 understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, and they will be honored and remembered for this.
This is very nice indeed and it made me think hard about what must be happening to the Japanese people. It made me feel rather lucky.
This is an excellent post H.O. You capture a sense of the tragedy from the outside looking in. Welcome to MMA!
Very interesting way of looking at things, I think you are absolutely right.
Nice take on the tragedy Hrtohgir, you are a most welcome addition to MMA.