The Fukushima
1. I cannot be sure, but I want to believe that heroism and stoicism are still present in the society. The Fukushima 50 showed unprecedented selflessness and bravery, and stayed in the most dangerous place in order to save the lives of others. I believe that nuclear plants’ employees in other countries would take risks and stay too. But the main example that comes to my mind is the Chernobyl disaster. Some of the Soviet Union workers stayed, when the Chernobyl blast happened. They helped to clean radioactive remnants of reactor in order to give way to firemen to do their job. Many of them died soon after the disaster or got cancer later. They launched a clean-up operation knowing that they had very few chances to live after they are exposed to such radiation. The heroes selflessly wanted to do something in order to save their children, people and in the name of the Motherland (“Liquidators”). In my opinion, in case of Japanese Fukushima 50, they stayed because of the duty and commitment to their work, while in Chernobyl, people stayed in the name of future generations and the country.
2. There are lots of professions when people put their lives at risk out of a sense of duty and commitment. For example, doctors, who work with dangerous viruses, risk to get infected and die, but they continue conducting their research. Firemen risk to burn alive if the fire is intensive, but still they do their work to save the lives. Police risk to get killed by criminals who have guns, but they do not hesitate to act in the name of law and order. These examples are just a few examples of many professions that require devotion and bravery from people. I believe that such people cannot imagine themselves just passively standing and watching threats. They need to act and they feel the urge to help others, despite any danger and fear.
3. In my opinion, the Fukushima 50 took this challenge as a sign of their destiny. Their moral principles and virtues guided them to risk and help others, because they happened to be in the center of events. Moreover, they felt committed to their families and friends who also did not deserve to go through a disaster like Chernobyl again. Their decision was based on ethics, morality and courage, and they indeed helped a lot before firemen and emergency services came. Others who joined them later did this out of the urge to help others. Their actions are brave and patriotic, and absolutely selfless.
4. I think this is the worst thing that the names of heroes are unknown. It is also awful that some of the Fukushima 50 members are afraid to say a word because of the fear that they will be associated with the construction company. They are true heroes of our time and Japan, as the entire world, should know their names. I think that they should be honored with some titles or medals by the highest authorities of the country. Moreover, their names should be taught to children in schools. Also, it would be great, if they got assistance in some medical issues related to diseases resulting from radiation.
5. It is a true fact that the Fukushima 50 would hardly stand up difficulties, if there were no strong leader ready to undertake the responsibility. Therefore, this is a great loss for leadership and fellowship studies that the names of the leaders of the groups remain unknown. They could serve the best example of management of people in crisis situations. However, this disaster also showed a lack of experience of the management of the plant. Leaders of Fukushima could predict tsunami threat and organize people, as well as turn off the reactors and avoid such a great danger. However, they did nothing to save people’s lives (“Lessons on Leadership from the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster”).
Works Cited
“Lessons on Leadership from the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.” Leadership. K@W, 3 Oct 2013. Web.
<http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/lessons-leadership-fukushima-nuclear-disaster/>
“Liquidators.” The Chernobyl Galler, n.d. Web.
< http://chernobylgallery.com/chernobyl-disaster/liquidators/>
