A Confluence of Factors

When you watch a bunch of sticks burning have you wondered who the fire's parents are? The sticks and the matches probably because they created the fire. How about the wind that flamed the fire or the person who started the fire? If the fire spread to nearby vegetation causing a forest fire who bears the blame? How about the arid condition of the forest itself?

Watching the video clip of the tragic ferry disaster in South Korea is quite heart wrenching, especially how the students could have been saved had the situation been managed differently. Another needless tragedy was the suicide of the vice principal of the school who felt responsible for the death of the high school students for he had pushed for the field trip to Jeju and was saved from the ferry. Upon further reflection various factors have been discussed, one being the Korean culture of respect for elders and authority. It has been wondered had the students been a bunch of American kids would they have ignored the instruction to stay in their cabins. I think it is not just about obedience but of respecting that the authorities would know what is best for the good of everyone, in this case an orderly evacuation. The video clip showing the captain climbing out onto a rescue boat before his crew and other passengers has drawn public anger but also explanatory comments that it is common for Koreans to let their elders and higher ranked colleagues priority when evacuating in a dangerous situation. In the light of comments about how the Korean culture has partly to be blamed for the disaster, parents who lost their children may even blame themselves for instilling strict unflinching obedience in their children.

Alas this blaming game will certainly bring about immense pain and guilt. If the vice principal could see that his approval/pushing for the trip was just one condition out of many many factors that contributed to the disaster he might feel less afflicted. Like the metaphor of the fire that I described above, he alone could not have brought about the disaster, so many conditions happened together gave rise to it like in a confluence of rare factors that causes a perfect storm.

In fact even in our everyday life we are so inclined to blaming and often suffer from being blamed. The most toxic habit is of course blaming oneself endlessly. I think we will have more peace if we remember that in any one event so many factors often beyond one's control or even in one's knowledge are at play.

Even if we are the match that strikes and builds the fire, we certainly have no intention nor power to singularly cause a forest fire.