The Chilean mine rescue

Postby sarobah » Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:50 pm

This has been a gripping story. Today I spent some time on the live feed, watching the proceedings.
Here’s my concern. While I wish the freed miners all the best, I hope the rescuers aren’t forgotten. They are the real heroes, but the media, and public attention in general, will inevitably focus on the men who were trapped.
As for that first rescuer who went down the shaft... No matter how many test runs they did, to willingly go down in that cage took (and I normally hate to use this term) balls.
Words, like Nature, half reveal and half conceal the soul within.

Re: The Chilean mine rescue

Postby haloguy » Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:56 am

well, i think that the rescuers were thanked, but our main focus should be on the miners, also, the rescuers were getting paid, it is like thanking a janitor for cleaning up the school, it is nice, but the main focus should be school itself

Re: The Chilean mine rescue

Postby sarobah » Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:31 pm

I somewhat agree with your point, but I have seen a couple of cases in recent years where rescuers put themselves in real physical danger and got absolutely no recognition from the media. In fact, in one case the rescuers were criticized for not taking more risks (by a bunch of reporters living it up on their expense accounts in a safe, comfortable hotel), while the people they rescued were called heroes and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for telling their stories.
My cynical view is that the general public find it easier to identify with the passive victims (and I’m not taking anything away from their ordeal, of course) than with the rescuers who put their safety on the line.
Also, even more cynically, dozens or hundreds of people may be involved in the rescue. It’s cheaper for the media to make payouts to (and heroes of) the handful of victims.
Words, like Nature, half reveal and half conceal the soul within.