How do you react to major disasters?

[Keith]

My first was September 11. I remember the day in explicit detail. I was in high school at the time, just starting my sophomore year. I was sitting down to have breakfast, eggs and toast. I turned on the TV and noticed it was the news. I was just about to switch to cartoons or something when I noticed the towers smoking. I called Mom into the room and it was then that we saw the second plane. All the classrooms with TVs had it on. I watched the coverage until it gave me anxiety. I didn't learn about the Pentagon attack or the other buildings until college.

Regarding Katrina, I always feel sorry for those in the southeast, around the gulf, and in the Mid Atlantic. They have to deal with hurricanes annually. I had no idea for a long time how devastating Katrina actually was. The fact that the Superdome was nearly destroyed really shocked me.

Columbia was a major shock for me as I always thought the Space Shuttle was cool since it could be reused (I was sad when it was retired). I'm way too young to remember the Challenger disaster.

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami happened just as I was finishing up at UC Santa Cruz. I was worried there would be a tsunami on the California coast as they were finding Japanese debris on the shoreline. It also damaged their nuclear power plants, which I was also worried about since the radiation could also end up here. There shouldn't have been a positive side effect, but there was...for...me. The IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Japan at Twin Ring Motegi was next on their schedule. Since the usual oval was damaged by the earthquake, the race was moved on short notice to the road course normally used for motorcycles. I'm a road racing fan so that gave me another Indy race to watch. Coincidentally, that was the last Indy race ever held in Japan.

Most other disasters I find shocking, but not as much as the above. These are the only ones that truly affected my life forever.

 

[King_Oni]

I go completely unfazed... though any "disaster" in the US seems far away from me anyhow. The worst we had is a few earthquakes in my area and even those didn't bother me too much. I think the actual thing that bother me most was that some stuff on a shelf got knocked over and I had to help my dad get on the roof for repairs

 

[Flinty]

I remember screaming at the talking heads for both Challenger and September 11 because they couldn't state the obvious: yes, the shuttle blew up; and yes, crashing into the buildings was deliberate. At some point you either need to say something new or get off the air.

 

[tlc]

The only 2 that really phased me were Challenger (I was 9 and it was my first thing so many people reacted to), and 911 because I was scared it could have been the start of WW3. But yes, I agree there gets a point where they need to say something new or give other news a chance. What bothered me about Challenger (besides the fact they knew it was too cold to launch but gave in to deadlines anyway) was that out of the whole crew the only person they ever really talked about was the schoolteacher.

As far as major natural disasters, that's one thing I am fortunate for, is that they don't really exist here unless you count snowstorms I guess, but that's just business as usual.

These days the news is like a toxic soup and I rarely even care to keep track of it.

 

[Andy R]

I have been involved in minor roles of the aftermath and reaction to Lockerbie, 9/11 and 7/7. I have also dealt with countless fatal and multi-fatality incidents. I won't be giving specifics, so please don't ask.
However the point is I always deal the same way, with a practical, emotionally detached approach. It's the only way to stay sane in the face of it.
I think, on reflection, that the Asperger's has actually helped with that.

 

[GoofKing]

I try not to think about the next horrible major disasters as I absolutely hate the thought of lost human lives When they do happen, I usually try and take my mind off of it as I become heart broken over it and find myself resorting to escapism because I hate this world sometimes :|

 

[artfull dodger]

I stay glued to the TV, radio or my police scanner, I want to know everything that is going on. I hate no knowing all the details (aspie traits) If its local to me like the near miss by a tornado last november, then I get very excited, I pace if I nothing to do. Sitting down and doing nothing is impossible for me.

 

[zeldagirl20]

9/11 was the first real major disaster that I remember being terrified. I was in 6th grade and we were just about to start science class when our principal came to our classroom and told us about the twin towers. The second disaster, and I don't know if this was considered major or not but it was major to me, was the Boston Marathon bombing. That scared me because I live on the west side of Massachusetts. I came home from work that day (I think I worked like a 9am-2pm shift) and I take the bus home so by the time I got home it was on the news. That hit hard because it felt like it was too close to home.

 

[Judge]

Watching my mother cry as my father had to explain to me what to do in the event of a nuclear explosion in October of 1962 wasn't a nice memory. We lived very close to military targets. And my father was suddenly "called away" for unknown duty elsewhere.

In the following year I still remember being in class and seeing the principal come in to whisper something to my teacher. I still remember the ashen look on her face as the principal silently exited the room, as my teacher told us that our president had been shot and killed. And I can still hear the haunting sound of drums beat as the caisson carrying President Kennedy's body rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC.

I've been through a number of nasty earthquakes...but the Loma Prieta quake of 10/17/89 will always stand out the most in my mind.

While working in the financial district of San Francisco in the 80s I recall a gantry crane that collapsed and fell to the ground from some 30 stories up. It left a street scene of carnage with a few deaths. Had to be the loudest crash I ever heard.

And I can still feel my own jaw drop watching in horror as each of the World Trade Center towers collapsed.

Only two and a half years ago we had a pretty alarming forest fire that came awfully close to the city. And only last year we had some major flooding in town.

How do I react? In retrospect they just happen...and you get on with your life the best you can and try to put it behind you. But it's always there back in your memory...never to really go away. At least not for me.

 

[Keith]

9/11 was the first real major disaster that I remember being terrified. I was in 6th grade and we were just about to start science class when our principal came to our classroom and told us about the twin towers. The second disaster, and I don't know if this was considered major or not but it was major to me, was the Boston Marathon bombing. That scared me because I live on the west side of Massachusetts. I came home from work that day (I think I worked like a 9am-2pm shift) and I take the bus home so by the time I got home it was on the news. That hit hard because it felt like it was too close to home.

Boston was shocking too. Since I live in California it didn't affect me as much as someone who lived in New England. However, I couldn't believe that someone could just leave a backpack somewhere and not have it noticed and the area evacuated like at an airport.

 

[zeldagirl20]

Boston was shocking too. Since I live in California it didn't affect me as much as someone who lived in New England. However, I couldn't believe that someone could just leave a backpack somewhere and not have it noticed and the area evacuated like at an airport.

I just couldn't believe they did that. I was glued to the TV until they were found. I had heard (forgot who said this) that they were planning on attacking New York on July 4th but decided on the Boston Marathon instead.

 

[nova]

I honestly always feel completely detached to the point where I'm bored and annoyed by like the second time I hear people talking about it. I remember wondering why my mom was crying while watching the news on 9/11 because to me it was only happening on TV. When the Boston bombing happened, I felt guilty for feeling this way, but I was so over it almost immediately after hearing about it. But if it's a tragedy not a lot of people care about, sometimes I'll get really passionate. It's only when more and more people talk about it that I care less and less. I guess because I know it's a tragedy, but it's only when no one cares that I get emotional about it and consider it an injustice. But that doesn't happen often because I don't pay attention to the news because again, it bores me. Basically I'm trash.

 

[Kelly]

I honestly always feel completely detached to the point where I'm bored and annoyed by like the second time I hear people talking about it.

Basically this ^

The only disaster that interested me was the tsunami in Japan but only because I wanted to know how bad the radiation was going to be and how far it would spread, basically any human pain does not phase me, I see an animal in pain and I become emotional.

 

[Keith]

School shootings shock me to, especially since there's been an increase lately. You have to wonder whether when you were that old and something like that happened when you were at school. You can only think about the pain the parents are going through having been told that their children will never come home. It's awful.

 

[grapesicles]

I sound like a horrible person, but I generally find it really hard to empathise with sufferers of disasters/major world events. I get that it's sad and unfortunate, but I definitely don't get emotionally involved like many do - there's nothing I can do to stop it. I was 9 during 9/11 (or 11/9, rather), and remember my nan turning the TV on and being horrified; I just said "this is boring, I want to watch cartoons"- can't remember if I understood exactly what was going on. Even my little cousin who was around toddler age asked "why is America falling apart?" and was upset.

 

[Shannon Beech]

I sound like a horrible person, but I generally find it really hard to empathise with sufferers of disasters/major world events. I get that it's sad and unfortunate, but I definitely don't get emotionally involved like many do - there's nothing I can do to stop it. I was 9 during 9/11 (or 11/9, rather), and remember my nan turning the TV on and being horrified; I just said "this is boring, I want to watch cartoons"- can't remember if I understood exactly what was going on. Even my little cousin who was around toddler age asked "why is America falling apart?" and was upset.

That sounds like me. It's hard for me to emphasize with things I don't have a direct emotional collection two or things that are unfamiliar to me. I also travel emphasizing with things I myself haven't experienced. Going back to 9/11 when it happened I didn't even know what the twin towers were. I understood the concept that it was really bad but I didn't feel real emotional pole until we learned a family friend had passed away.

 

[Ellylldan]

This is interesting topic. When it's a human made disaster, it hardly touches me. When I hear about a natural disaster somewhere, I usually get really curious, because it's been kind of a special interest of mine.

I was thinking maybe I don't get touched by it because it all happens far from me? But years ago, when I was 14 I lived through pretty big earthquake on Sakhalin island and I didn't even get scared even for a second. While my parents were grabbing documents and my little sister to run out, I calmly went to the kitchen to put some food in my backpack. I remember thinking: if I will not think about it, who will? I was inspired by Sam Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings, hehehe

Light earthquakes that rarely happen here where I live now make me worry only about my husband and my cats.

 

[AsheSkyler]

For bad weather and natural events, I generally just get annoyed. I feel bad for the people who have to put up with whatever hand they're dealt, but I really dislike how the news reporters will fixate on one city or region and then act like everybody else hit by the same thing doesn't matter. The only time I get scared is when the tornado sirens go off. I've lived with the threat of tornadoes my whole life, and believe me when I say Birmingham isn't the only bloody place that gets them in Alabama. Not that the news cares. Bloody reporters...

Man-made problems I just get mad and rather politically incorrect.

 

[Harrison]

Natural disasters tend to make me react like the parody of Britishness, I put the kettle on for tea. I wouldn't mind but I drink coffee, so you know it's a disaster if I'm making tea. Emotionally I am disconnected apart from the awe I have of nature on a bad day.

Man made problems exhaust me. The carnage humans are capable of all in the name of money or 'god' makes me want to deny my existence. No, I don't point the finger at one faith, or one country, humans are alone in the animal world as far as their capacity to destroy each other is concerned.

 

[Spiller]

the awe I have of nature on a bad day.

The carnage humans are capable of all in the name of money or 'god' makes me want to deny my existence.

I think of the history of human carnage as like adolescent growing pains in a sense. Basically we're going to become a spiritually enlightened race because of our suffering and increasing capacity for empathy, fellowship and compromise (think United Federation of Planets), individually and as a group, or we're gonna become extinct, this world of ours has plenty of time left yet to nurture a genuinely intelligent species..
How do we expect to survive by ignoring nature and insist on living on fault lines or the sides of volcanoes?
How do we claim inalienable human rights while fighting over whos' opinion is right?
Is there another animal species on this planet that acts in such an irrational manner?