M6.8 Earthquake in Japan

[Japan]

[URL="http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/412418"]http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/412418[/URL]

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Here is a link to the news story. When I heard this from my Japanese friend, I panicked. I hope that his family is alright. At least it seems to only have 2 deaths total. [/COLOR]

[Sandy]

Yes, I heard that the death toll is relatively low considering the force of the earthquake.

Then again, I know Japan has quakes frequently, and so the architects have taken that into consideration and designed sturby but flexible buildings to accomodate the situation. Talking about thinking ahead (always a good thing)...

My thoughts are with the victims, in any case. Hope everybody's okay from your friend's family, Japan!

[Retribution]

[size=1]You know that massive tsunami that swept across South Asia a few years ago? They still haven't recovered from that in many places...[/size]

[silpheedpilot]

[COLOR="SlateGray"][SIZE="1"]*whistles*

My, my. What an earthquake.

My condolences to the families.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Break]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]You know that massive tsunami that swept across South Asia a few years ago? They still haven't recovered from that in many places...[/size][/QUOTE]

Other things [i]do[/i] happen you know. People could still claim to not have recovered from the Holocaust, it doesn't stop the world.

As for the earthquake itself. It's a bugger, I must say. Hope people can get back on their feet soon enough.

[Retribution]

[quote name='Break']Other things [i]do[/i] happen you know. People could still claim to not have recovered from the Holocaust, it doesn't stop the world.[/QUOTE]
[size=1]Yeah, but I find it odd/disturbing/sadly predictable we've totally forgot about such a greater tragedy [i]that still causes human suffering[/i] and some earthquake that's taken relatively few lives is getting this press.

Sort of like Katrina. When's the last you read a story on New Orleans?[/size]

[Japan]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]Yeah, but I find it odd/disturbing/sadly predictable we've totally forgot about such a greater tragedy [i]that still causes human suffering[/i] and some earthquake that's taken relatively few lives is getting this press.

Sort of like Katrina. When's the last you read a story on New Orleans?[/size][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkRed"]So you think that since it doesn't concern you, who cares? You are selfish. Bad things happen yes, but I have a right to hear when something happens to my friends. I'm sure that is the case for everyone. [/COLOR]

[Retribution]

[quote name='Japan_86'][COLOR="DarkRed"]So you think that since it doesn't concern you, who cares? You are selfish. Bad things happen yes, but I have a right to hear when something happens to my friends. I'm sure that is the case for everyone. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]
[size=1]Thank you for making a hasty generalization without understanding my point.

My point was that we should be attentive to all human suffering, not just that which is most published. We shouldn't forget a story just because it falls off the front page. As it stands now, we have hipster-causes people like to join. Save New Orleans! Save Darfur! But as soon as it falls out of print, people get on with their lives and start worrying about much smaller issues.

I mean, I understand it's only natural to forget about unpublished stories. Out of sight, out of mind so the saying goes. But I'm saying we should resist this and remember that which is forgotten by the mainstream media.[/size]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR="goldenrod"][quote name='Retribution'][size=1]Thank you for making a hasty generalization without understanding my point.

My point was that we should be attentive to all human suffering, not just that which is most published. We shouldn't forget a story just because it falls off the front page. As it stands now, we have hipster-causes people like to join. Save New Orleans! Save Darfur! But as soon as it falls out of print, people get on with their lives and start worrying about much smaller issues.

I mean, I understand it's only natural to forget about unpublished stories. Out of sight, out of mind so the saying goes. But I'm saying we should resist this and remember that which is forgotten by the mainstream media.[/size][/QUOTE]Retribution. Aren't you making the assumption that others are 'forgetting' about other human suffering? Honestly I am at a loss as to why people can't be upset over a tragedy without being expected to remember every other one that has 'fallen' off the front page.

I understand what you're getting at but it comes across as [I]I think the rest of you are heartless for not mentioning this or that tragedy[/I]. Personally, I wish people could say, hey this happened to me, get some much needed feedback without having past tragedies tossed into their faces for once.

We don't need to openly mention other stories to remember them. Nor do we need to tell people who are currently going through one. Oh by the way, remember this? In this case I think a simple, I hope your friends are alright is more than enough. As well as the relief that it seems very few were killed. [/COLOR]

[Retribution]

[quote name='SunfallE'][COLOR="goldenrod"]Aren't you making the assumption that others are 'forgetting' about other human suffering?[/COLOR][/QUOTE]
[size=1]But isn't that assumption correct? Where is the outrage? Where is the outpouring of charity to these previously popular causes? It was once there, and now is gone.

[QUOTE][COLOR="goldenrod"]Honestly I am at a loss as to why people can't be upset over a tragedy without being expected to remember every other one that has 'fallen' off the front page. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]
You can be upset over this tragedy, but keep it in perspective. Remember that there are thousands still in the same condition they were in two years ago immediately after the tsunami. New Orleans is in the same condition as immediately after Katrina.

[QUOTE][COLOR="goldenrod"]I understand what you're getting at but it comes across as [I]I think the rest of you are heartless for not mentioning this or that tragedy[/I]. Personally, I wish people could say, hey this happened to me, get some much needed feedback without having past tragedies tossed into their faces for once.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]
And I'm truly sorry if you think I'm saying that. Generally, what I'm calling for is keeping these previous tragedies in the back of your mind. I'm certainly not accusing anyone of being heartless for not remembering other things, because I'm just as guilty of it as the next person.

[QUOTE][COLOR="goldenrod"]We don't need to openly mention other stories to remember them. Nor do we need to tell people who are currently going through one. Oh by the way, remember this? In this case I think a simple, I hope your friends are alright is more than enough. As well as the relief that it seems very few were killed.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]
You're absolutely right here. And I truly can't believe I'm saying this, but this is an exercise in relativity. This earthquake was bad, with 600 injured and 9 killed. I'm truly sympathetic for those who lost someone. But let's be frank here... that's a drop in the bucket when compared to the previous tsunami.

I guess what I'm saying is, people always pour out their sympathy for a week, maybe a month to the cause. And then it's on the next cause. And the next. The true scope of human suffering on this planet is not grasped by any of us. Like I said, that's sort of to be expected since we're so far removed from it all. I guess seeing all this sympathy to this earthquake that only claimed 9 lives makes me wonder about how we feel [or do we even remember?] about previous tragedies. Is it all a facade of sympathy that lasts a week? Are we truly sorry for these people?

Sorry for rambling.[/size]

[Sandy]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]
I guess what I'm saying is, people always pour out their sympathy for a week, maybe a month to the cause. And then it's on the next cause. And the next. The true scope of human suffering on this planet is not grasped by any of us. Like I said, that's sort of to be expected since we're so far removed from it all. I guess seeing all this sympathy to this earthquake that only claimed 9 lives makes me wonder about how we feel [or do we even remember?] about previous tragedies. Is it all a facade of sympathy that lasts a week? Are we truly sorry for these people?[/size][/QUOTE]

You want everyone to carry the weight of the [I]whole[/I] world on their shoulders constantly? When people's private lives are oftentimes unbearably tragic on their own? People just aren't that strong.

Anyway, I don't get you. Japan posted about the recent earthquake, something that touched her closely through her friend. So she didn't list every catastrophe that has taken place previously. So what? How is that forgetting or disrespecting anything?

On the contrary, I think it's very rude to come to a thread where someone's worried about people who they care about, and say "Yeah, but think about all the people who died back then! This is nothing compared to that! Why aren't you saying anything about that, huh?"

This thread isn't about catastrophes in general, or comparison of them, thus Japan didn't even bring them up. This thread was about this particular case.

I know your rant was meant to be more about the general state of things, but you've got to think of the emotions of other members sometimes as well. People react to things that happened close to them (or someone they know), and soon forget more distant events. That's completely natural, and no one should be made feel bad about it.

[Retribution]

[quote name='Sandy']You want everyone to carry the weight of the [I]whole[/I] world on their shoulders constantly? When people's private lives are oftentimes unbearably tragic on their own? People just aren't that strong.[/QUOTE]
[size=1]Alright, I guess I came on too strong and my point was lost. I'll try again.

No, I don't want others to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. If this tragedy touched you, I want you to remember that you're not alone, and that thousands, perhaps millions around the world feel the same as you.

[QUOTE]Anyway, I don't get you. Japan posted about the recent earthquake, something that touched her closely through her friend. So she didn't list every catastrophe that has taken place previously. So what? How is that forgetting or disrespecting anything?[/QUOTE]
She didn't necessarily forget any of the previous tragedies. I admit, I misread her first post.

[QUOTE]On the contrary, I think it's very rude to come to a thread where someone's worried about people who they care about, and say "Yeah, but think about all the people who died back then! This is nothing compared to that! Why aren't you saying anything about that, huh?"[/QUOTE]
Granted, I went about this in the wrong way, but I wanted to call to mind the greater picture. I understand it sounds absolutely terrible when I say that, but let me say this real quick. For Americans, 9/11 was hell on earth. Something like three thousand people died in the World Trade Centers. And while I'm not trying to criticize anyone directly involved with a said tragic event, we must also keep in mind (speaking in broader terms) that that number of people who died on 9/11 isn't even a tenth of the number of civilians dead in Iraq. Conflict and loss are relative locally speaking, so again it's understandable to be distraught, but at the same time... forget it.

[QUOTE]This thread isn't about catastrophes in general, or comparison of them, thus Japan didn't even bring them up. This thread was about this particular case.[/QUOTE]
I won't be an idiot and play semantics [I've already gotten enough people heated here], but this thread really had no direction from the get-go aside from "here's a news article". Who knows, is it possible that this conversation is valid?

[QUOTE]I know your rant was meant to be more about the general state of things, but you've got to think of the emotions of other members sometimes as well. People react to things that happened close to them (or someone they know), and soon forget more distant events. That's completely natural, and no one should be made feel bad about it.[/QUOTE]
Right, and that's valid to say as well. Perhaps that's the crux of the problem. I guess I'm seen as pointing a finger at those currently affected versus speaking in broader terms. Sorry for confusion, and sorry if I sounded like a jerk.[/size]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR="goldenrod"][quote name='Retribution;784132][size=1]But isn't that assumption correct? Where is the outrage? Where is the outpouring of charity to these previously popular causes? It was once there, and now is gone.[/size][/QUOTE]That doesn't matter. It's not relevant to this thread at all.[quote name='Retribution;784132][size=1]You can be upset over this tragedy, but keep it in perspective. Remember that there are thousands still in the same condition they were in two years ago immediately after the tsunami. New Orleans is in the same condition as immediately after Katrina.[/size][/QUOTE]No, one does NOT need to keep it in prospective. Nor does one need to remember that there are thousands out there in the same condition, etc. Your missing the point Retri. They don't need anyone's permission to be upset. It[I] is [/I]upsetting, whether those other events happened or not.[QUOTE=Retribution;784132][size=1]And I'm truly sorry if you think I'm saying that. Generally, what I'm calling for is keeping these previous tragedies in the back of your mind. I'm certainly not accusing anyone of being heartless for not remembering other things, because I'm just as guilty of it as the next person.[/size][/QUOTE]Then by all means, do so. In a thread dedicated to that topic, instead of rudely interrupting others who are upset by what happened in this one. They don't need it. Is it really so hard to say I'm sorry to hear that and leave it alone?[QUOTE=Retribution;784132][size=1']You're absolutely right here. And I truly can't believe I'm saying this, but this is an exercise in relativity. This earthquake was bad, with 600 injured and 9 killed. I'm truly sympathetic for those who lost someone. But let's be frank here... that's a drop in the bucket when compared to the previous tsunami.[/size][/quote]No its not. Honestly, we do not need to bash other people experiencing something by pointing out how it could be 'worse' And saying it's a drop in the bucket trivializes the frustration and grief of those who did lose a loved one. I'll be equally as frank, it's rude and unnecessary in my opinion.[QUOTE=Retribution'][size=1]I guess what I'm saying is, people always pour out their sympathy for a week, maybe a month to the cause. And then it's on the next cause. And the next. The true scope of human suffering on this planet is not grasped by any of us. Like I said, that's sort of to be expected since we're so far removed from it all. I guess seeing all this sympathy to this earthquake that only claimed 9 lives makes me wonder about how we feel [or do we even remember?] about previous tragedies. Is it all a facade of sympathy that lasts a week? Are we truly sorry for these people?

Sorry for rambling.[/size][/QUOTE]I think Sandy hit this one the best. It's unrealistic to expect people to carry the weight of all tragedy at all times. Again your missing the point. If you really want to discuss this then lets start a thread on it instead of expecting people who are coming to terms with what happened to see that. How about we let them have time to grieve, to find out if their friends are okay, [I]before[/I] we start in on '[I]how come we give this sympathy when this other thing was worse?[/I]' It's just common courtesy if you ask me.

[B]EDIT:[/B] Ah I see, you were responding while I was typing up my response Retri. So I guess that clears things up for me then. ^_~ Sorry if it looks like I was beating a dead horse, since that was not my intent. [/COLOR]

[TheResplendent]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]Thank you for making a hasty generalization without understanding my point.

My point was that we should be attentive to all human suffering, not just that which is most published. We shouldn't forget a story just because it falls off the front page. As it stands now, we have hipster-causes people like to join. Save New Orleans! Save Darfur! But as soon as it falls out of print, people get on with their lives and start worrying about much smaller issues.

I mean, I understand it's only natural to forget about unpublished stories. Out of sight, out of mind so the saying goes. But I'm saying we should resist this and remember that which is forgotten by the mainstream media.[/size][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Tahoma"]As much as I get what you're probably trying to say, what you are coming off as saying is that only the most massive tragedies with high casualties should be paid extensive attention. That's why you are being misunderstood, unless of course that IS what you are trying to say. To react to this by bringing up greater tragedies and then stating how much worse they are as a reason to not lament over this one is pretty silly. Again before you overreact I remind you that I am not accusing you of doing this, merely stating that as truth as it relates to the situation.

As time goes on, we move on, we get over, we forget, we forgive. Our progression is much more then just simple physical changes that come with age. We can't dwell on tragedies in the past forever, the same way we won't be dwelling on this one in the future. But as they are announced now as current events, it's the bulk of damage and the time of most sorrow for those affected either directly or indirectly. So it's understandable to be upset regardless of whether or not it pales in comparison to another time in history. It's true that many of these events are fleeting in mind for us, but it is in fact human nature. The same way it's human nature to sympathize, and everyone is different so the degree to how much we sympathize will vary. It doesn't mean people are forgetting things, or comparing things. I can tell you that when 9/11 happened, I did not sit down and start comparing it to times in the past or present where there were greater casualty counts and then go "Oh, well it isn't so bad then!". More goes into defining a true time of turmoil then simply people being killed.

But this isn't a game of what tragedy can top what. Thinking of it that way is pretty morbid. Dependant on whose POV you are looking at it from, a murder of a single person in the streets can be a bigger tragedy then victims of an earthquake. Don't live your life thinking about all the mass murders in history and lamenting for the sake of a point, you are right...people get on with their lives, as should you.

Anyway, that's my two cents. You've already clarified yourself, but you'll have to forgive me for wanting to add in my perspective. If it helps, think of everything I said as a general statement toward anyone that may share those types of aforementioned feelings.[/FONT]

[Retribution]

[quote name='BKstyles'][FONT="Tahoma"]=Don't live your life thinking about all the mass murders in history and lamenting for the sake of a point, you are right...people get on with their lives, as should you.[/FONT][/QUOTE]
[size=1]I'm only quoting this because this is the center of what I'm trying to say. Aside from this though, I think I've clarified my point enough.

I'm not really saying we should only pay attention to the hugest catastrophes, or that what happens is some how lessened because something larger has happened. At the heart of it, what I meant to say was that we should never forget human suffering just because it falls off the front page. I also urge people to constantly understand the scope of it all, and I know that's basically impossible, but we should at least try to know that humans all over the world feel the exact feeling of loss.

And I disagree that I should move on with my life... when the tragedy is ongoing.

Alright, that's my two copper.[/size]

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]Heard about this on the news yesterday, I hope your friends are alright. What concerned me most was hearing there'd been damage to a nuclear power station, but apparently none of the reactors were in danger.

In relation to Retri's arguments, while I think he has a point and that we should try and keep the suffering of others in our minds, rather than just seeing each as tragic and moving on. However realistically humans don't do that, we feel bad about these people who died but in reality there's nothing we can do for them, and let's face it, there's always new tragedies to take the spotlight. I know that sounds harsh, but it's realism, there's always suffering in the world, but maybe that even compounds Alex's point to keep aware of these people, or maybe just to be thankful for what we have.

I mean Irish people could harp on about the Irish Famine that killed between one and two million people, just to put that figure into perspective, that's a third of the Holocaust and ten times the East-Asian Tsunami. But it happened one hundred and fifty years ago, so what would be the point of it ? That said, a remembrance day would probably be appreciated. [/SIZE]

[Rachmaninoff]

First of all, I certainly hope your friends are okay. And I hope they get things back to normal as far as restoring power, repairing the damage, and other issues goes.

I do find the concept that remembering other past tragedies while this one is occurring is a bit insensitive and pointless. Or rather the implication that someone has to keep it in prospective is. Not that we shouldn't remember them, but rather the timing of said call for remembrance was in poor taste.

It reminds me of when we had a tornado in down town Salt Lake City a while back. No one was killed, but the sheer shock and damage, which compared to other occurrences was very minor, was startling and frightening as all get out. I'm sure others who have seen tornadoes or been in the path of one can relate, it scares the hell out of you. So I can only imagine that being in an Earthquake would have a similar effect.

And all those well meant comments about how it could have been worse, or that no one died, or that this place was more devastated and people died, were not appreciated at all. They just came across as condescending lectures that we didn't appreciate how lucky we were compared to some other incident that did claim lives.

And yes I know this has already been addressed. I just wanted to point out that I can see why people were taking offense over it, because to be frank, [I]it is offensive[/I].

[Retribution]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']I do find the concept that remembering other past tragedies while this one is occurring is a bit insensitive and pointless. Or rather the implication that someone has to keep it in prospective is. Not that we shouldn't remember them, but rather the timing of said call for remembrance was in poor taste.[/QUOTE]
[size=1]Perhaps the timing was in poor taste, but I think I'm being misunderstood in a big way. That's probably my fault. I'm not talking about remembering tragedies long past, I'm talking about remembering current and ongoing matters where people's lives are horribly effected. It's not trying to belittle those who are impacted by tragedy-x, but [i]rather this is a call to solidarity with others who are suffering.[/i]

So when that tornado didn't damage or hurt anyone, yes, be glad for your good fortune. But also acknowledge, understand, and feel for those who were not as fortunate as yourself.[/size]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]Perhaps the timing was in poor taste, but I think I'm being misunderstood in a big way. That's probably my fault. I'm not talking about remembering tragedies long past, I'm talking about remembering current and ongoing matters where people's lives are horribly effected. It's not trying to belittle those who are impacted by tragedy-x, but [i]rather this is a call to solidarity with others who are suffering.[/i]

So when that tornado didn't damage or hurt anyone, yes, be glad for your good fortune. But also acknowledge, understand, and feel for those who were not as fortunate as yourself.[/size][/QUOTE]Gods, you really are annoying you know that right? Yes you didn't exactly start your point of in a clear manner, and you've since then clarified it. What I don't understand is why any time someone points out how it's abrasive you insist on demanding some sort of concession that we '[I]should[/I]' be grateful and feel for others less fortunate. :animesigh

We do not need to make a huge cry for solidarity every time something happens. It's tiring, draining and annoying as hell. We don't need to say, [I]oh I'm so grateful that others have it worse than I do[/I], since it's [I]obvious[/I] that others do have it worse.

I'm not going to lie, plenty of things happen that I don't feel sorry over one bit. Why? Because it really is tiring. I lack the capacity to constantly feel grateful that I have it better than others. Does it mean that in the end I don't care? No, it means that I'm not going to try and pretend it affects me more than it really does. I'm not going to start this cry that people don't give a damn when that was never present to begin with. And most importantly [I]quit expecting people to acknowledge it[/I]. The more you keep calling for it the more I find the whole attitude irritating since it seems like you're expecting people to be vocal when it's not necessary.

I would have thought that the fact that people are even commenting in this thread, saying they wish things are alright would have clued you into the fact that people [I]do care[/I]. How about we leave the '[I]political correctness[/I]' BS behind for once? I know I am sick of the instant, this person suffered more or we shouldn't forget others that pops up every time something bad happens.

[Break]

I think the worst thing was just not even mentioning the earthquake in the first post... But can we leave that now? lol.

Even though the earthquake didn't kill that many people, it did, if I understand rightly, take a lot of homes. I can't begin to imagine how hard it is to lose your home and most of your possessions. Of course I would be thankful for being alive, but - materialistic as I am - I can't say I wouldn't miss all of my possessions. Being in England I naturally escape this natural disaster. Perhaps my sympathy for them is even heightened by this, since I've not been through it myself, since I'm not embittered or hardened by the experience. If I was I could say something like, "It happened here too, big whoop." I [i]could[/i], but I wouldn't. I'm too nice. :)

Oh gosh, I can't leave it lol.

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']I know I am sick of the instant, this person suffered more or we shouldn't forget others that pops up every time something bad happens.[/QUOTE]

I couldn't agree more.

Bringing up past tragedies is so ridiculous. I will demonstrate that: someone says "10 British soldiers have died in Iraq today :(" and I could respond, "So what? Millions died in a few months in World War I." You see? It is insensitive to the 'current' tragedy. Of course we should always remember the past tragedies, especially if they are still continuing - but, while they deserve this remembrance, they shouldn't be brought up with every new tragedy.

I promised myself I wouldn't do that. Oh well :animeswea

[Retribution]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']Gods, you really are annoying you know that right?[/QUOTE]
[size=1]I beg your pardon? All this time I've been trying to rephrase my points so that they're less annoying, less abrasive, and less offensive to everyone. I've conceded a number of my points for the simple fact they were pissing people off a lot, and I'm [i]still[/i] annoying.

[QUOTE]Yes you didn't exactly start your point of in a clear manner, and you've since then clarified it.[/QUOTE]
I'm glad you think so.

[QUOTE]What I don't understand is why any time someone points out how it's abrasive you insist on demanding some sort of concession that we '[I]should[/I]' be grateful and feel for others less fortunate. :animesigh[/QUOTE]
What in my last post was abrasive? Look, I offered my opinion on what you should do. Take it for what you will. Feel completely free to hit that handy-dandy ignore button for my posts if they're so annoying.

[QUOTE]We do not need to make a huge cry for solidarity every time something happens. It's tiring, draining and annoying as hell. We don't need to say, [I]oh I'm so grateful that others have it worse than I do[/I], since it's [I]obvious[/I] that others do have it worse.[/QUOTE]
I didn't think it was a tall order to count your blessings when a tornado doesn't destroy your house. But apparently so.

[QUOTE]I lack the capacity to constantly feel grateful that I have it better than others.[/QUOTE]
That's understandable. You seem to think I'm sneering at you because you're human or something. Hell, I feel the same way as you. But I'm talking about the ideal.

[QUOTE]The more you keep calling for it the more I find the whole attitude irritating since it seems like you're expecting people to be vocal when it's not necessary.[/QUOTE]
You've got to be kidding me. I mean, not to get off the beaten path, but failing to be vocal about human suffering is a serious, serious shortcoming. Again, I'm not going to accuse anyone of being a bad person because I'm guilty of it as well. But under no circumstance should you think it's okay to be silent about things like Darfur.

[QUOTE]How about we leave the '[I]political correctness[/I]' BS behind for once?[/QUOTE]
Sure, but realize that I wasn't being PC at the beginning of this thread, which is why everyone got mad at me.

Point blank, folks, this is my last post in this thread. I'm going to leave you my points in condensed format so that I'm abundantly clear.

- [b]I'm not talking about tragedies that are long past. I'm talking about ongoing tragedy[/b].
- I'm not criticizing anyone of being a bad person. I'm human too, I do the same things as you all.
- By and large, all I'm asking for is some global solidarity. Counting your blessings. All that jazz. Yeah, it's uncomfortable. Yeah, it's tiring. But this it's an ideal standard that we're all [of course] going to fall short of.

I apologize if you took me to be offensive or otherwise misinterpreted my points. I understand that the miscommunication is my fault.[/size]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]What in my last post was abrasive? Look, I offered my opinion on what you should do. Take it for what you will. Feel completely free to hit that handy-dandy ignore button for my posts if they're so annoying.[/size][/QUOTE]Uh Retribution... You're a moderator... Know what happens when you try to put a moderator on your ignore list? This is the message you get:

[B]vBulletin Message:[/B] Sorry Retribution is a moderator/admin and you are not allowed to ignore him or her.

If you'd rather I took it to pm's then that's fine, or I can simply not respond to your posts in the first place, because once again... [quote name='Retribution][size=1]I didn't think it was a tall order to count your blessings when a tornado doesn't destroy your house. But apparently so.[/size][/quote]You're being condescending and rude. That's exactly my point, you can't say I'm sorry it happened without leaving the other stuff out of it. SunfallE already suggested starting a thread to talk about apparent lack of concern over suffering in general. My question is why don't you just do it?[quote=Retribution][size=1']You've got to be kidding me. I mean, not to get off the beaten path, but failing to be vocal about human suffering is a serious, serious shortcoming.[/size][/quote]You've missed it yet again. One doesn't have to be vocal to care about human suffering and it is[I] not[/I] a shortcoming if one doesn't bring it up every time something happens. :animesigh Some people prefer to simply just donate their time and money to see that charity assistance is given to those who are affected by tragedy. Instead of worrying about whether or not someone has said they care.

You're assuming that a lack of vocal response means that people really are apathetic and don't care. Something that just isn't true. Anyway, it's obvious you don't see my point and that I seem to be missing yours so like you... I'm done.

[Break]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']You're assuming that a lack of vocal response means that people really are apathetic and don't care.[/QUOTE]

When people are [i]too[/i] vocal, which they can be, it really annoys me. They pipe up about everything and anything they can find, and are terribly self-righteous. It's like watching ten Oxfam adverts in a row, with more aggressive narrators. I hate it so much lol.

[vegeta rocker]

[quote name='Retribution'][size=1]Perhaps the timing was in poor taste, but I think I'm being misunderstood in a big way. That's probably my fault. I'm not talking about remembering tragedies long past, I'm talking about remembering current and ongoing matters where people's lives are horribly effected. It's not trying to belittle those who are impacted by tragedy-x, but [i]rather this is a call to solidarity with others who are suffering.[/i]

So when that tornado didn't damage or hurt anyone, yes, be glad for your good fortune. But also acknowledge, understand, and feel for those who were not as fortunate as yourself.[/size][/QUOTE]

I think your point deserves a thread of it's own, it seems like you have a lot of good points but you aren't going to get the response you deserve in a thread aimed at something else.

As for the earthquake, i am glad the death toll was low and that families can move on from this tragedy with relative ease all things considered.

[Zidargh]

Just a post to offer my regards to your friend, Japan! Though I'm sure the family are fine :). (You probably know by now. Realistically, the odds are tipped in their favor.)

Also, to try and summarise an argument which has been dragged on for a bit too long... Ahem.

1.) Retribution - You make a good few points (which everyone else has said). But there was no real need for your post in the first place, was there? It wasn't as if [i]everyone[/i] on OB was raving about this incident.

The End.

;)

P.S: It's like that bloody stupid argument that we should apologise for the slave trade. "Oh I'm sorry for what occurred more than a century ago, it really was my fault. Despite me being a young liberal who actively opposes any form of enslavement and racism in any shape or form. Here's an XBOX 360."

[Looking back, the parallel is perhaps not that clear. I hope to God, this does not spark off some controversial debate. However, if it doesn't. I can assure you I'll be very grateful that debates are sparked off by other people and not me. ;) ;)]