The_Rev Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 4000 is a lot of dead people. Even when you take into account they're Indian. Very sad. Wat? Sad times in my home town this weekend, the Gurkhas are garrisoned in Nuneaton and this weekend marked the 200th anniversary of their involvement with the British army so there was a ceremony in the park in the town centre and a new memorial unveiled. News of the earthquake came through just a few hours before the ceremony. Must be awful for the Nepalese who live here with friends or family back home who have been directly affected by the quake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) What the hell Yillan?! I don't think you meant it in a racist way but rather an ill advised comment on the number of dead to overall population? But still? Jeez man. ...Also, how have you changed your name? Edited April 28, 2015 by Ingram85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 4000 is a lot of dead people. Even when you take into account they're Indian. Very sad. Not exactly sure what you're implying here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tegis Posted April 28, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted April 28, 2015 ...Also, how have you changed your name? Part of the donation-page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 not sure if racist or mocking racism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post YLN Posted April 28, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 28, 2015 Not a racist. Not a racist I just mean that in the way we interpret news, we'd think 20 people killed in an Amsterdam fire is a lot, and 20 people in Nepal would be nothing. But 4000 seems like just enough to pique our interest in a fashion similar to a 10 car pile up in Manchester. It's just a lot of dead people. And because they're of a race where we assume they die in large numbers generally, the news wouldn't register with us until the death count is above say 500. It looks like it might reach 10,000 now, which is 20 times as many as that which garners minimal interest in a Nepalese death count, which should make it quite interesting indeed. But it doesn't. I'm only interested in hearing if the 4 missing Irish have been found, and even at that my interest it only passing. And again people are only willing to engage with the news story in this topic because I've posted something faux racist about it. Yet for those involved each death is massive, but because the narrative for us is just a load of foreign people dying, we can't really engage with it, in the way we might with Zayn leaving 1D. I suppose we can identify moreso with Zayn because we've heard of him. It's easy for us to get more information, but we can't engage with the story. What about if I told you that there's a very old woman in Nepal, whose family have all died in this earthquake. Every single one of them. All her children and grandchildren. Her husband died years ago. She had no friends other than her family. And now she's totally alone in the world. And she's old. And all she sees is panic. And once the aid workers come and go, she's not sure who's going to look after her anymore. It's a nice little story isn't it and easier to engage with. Or a 12 year old girl whose parents and siblings are all dead. And she's just wandering around looking for them. And a well dressed man comes up to her and asks if she needs help, and he says he knows where her parents are, and she goes off with him. And he doesn't know where her parents are. We like news to be sad, to make us afraid, make us hate, or to relate to sex in some way. A death count doesn't pull at the heart strings in the way an individual story within that death count might. A story of a fire in a nightclub will register because you go to nightclubs and it could have been you. Makes you afraid. You read about me being racist about Indian people (Yeah I know they're Nepalese), adds some hate to the story. Delicious hate. Sex is easy. Boy, 16 has sex with teacher. A guy had sex, and it's more interesting to you than the death of 4000 people as a result of the movement of the earth's tectonic plates. It's just interesting that we're all so uninterested 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) denied being a racist like a true racist. banhammer. I'm joking by the way, har har. Edited April 28, 2015 by lapal_fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted April 28, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted April 28, 2015 Very perceptive post, YLN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Good post yillan but I've learned to accept that a lot of society just don't really give two **** about anyone else other than themselves. Those who shrug their shoulders at such news like this will always be present. Those kind of people you will never change. It's just a sad constant in life. Myself, I can't believe just how many have already died let alone how many more that total will go up to. But other than feel sorrow and sadness, there isn't much more I can do. Edited April 28, 2015 by Ingram85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choffer Posted April 28, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted April 28, 2015 Time to buy another ShelterBox, I think. I'd encourage you to do the same, if you can. http://shelterbox.org 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tegis Posted April 28, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted April 28, 2015 Not much one can do but give a little help. Donation sent! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 4000 is a lot of dead people. Even when you take into account they're Indian. Very sad. They're no more Indian than you or me, they have their own culture, languages and traditions and Nepal is a proud and ancient nation. It will be 10000 at least,(let me be wrong, please) rescue teams are only just reaching the worse effected areas, and there is still no communication with many villages. And that's just from the immediate earthquake. Many more will die in the coming months as hastily rebuilt houses are washed away in landslides as the monsoon falls where the natural and man made protection has been destroyed, people starve because crops have been lost and disease spreads because what little sanitation there is has been wiped out. The scope of this tragedy is uncomprehendable from the comfort of the uk. Please help them if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Good post yillan but I've learned to accept that a lot of society just don't really give two **** about anyone else other than themselves. Those who shrug their shoulders at such news like this will always be present. Those kind of people you will never change. It's just a sad constant in life. Myself, I can't believe just how many have already died let alone how many more that total will go up to. But other than feel sorrow and sadness, there isn't much more I can do. You can donate, it will make a difference. Take a look at my blog (in sig). Lots of those smiling children are now homelessness (thank god as far as I know so far they are all alive). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Interesting post Yillan. I'm not buying the noone gives a shit line, but I get your sentiment of trying to provoke a reaction. I know people can't give to every charity that asks, there isn't enough money in most people's wallets to make that happen but I think taking a moment to think about how lucky most of us who are reading this have been in life to be born in an affluent country during a (relatively) peaceful time rather than in a war zone or a disaster area. Stick your hand in your pocket and give a bit of spare change to some people who really need help right now. http://www.dec.org.uk/appeals/nepal-earthquake-appeal https://donate.oxfam.org.uk/emergency/nepal?intcmp=hp_hero_nepal_2015-04-25 http://www.redcross.org.uk/en/About-us/News/2015/April/Donate-to-the-Nepal-Earthquake-Appeal http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/current-appeals/nepal-earthquake-appeal/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Interesting post Yillan. I'm not buying the noone gives a shit line, but I get your sentiment of trying to provoke a reaction. I know people can't give to every charity that asks, there isn't enough money in most people's wallets to make that happen but I think taking a moment to think about how lucky most of us who are reading this have been in life to be born in an affluent country during a (relatively) peaceful time rather than in a war zone or a disaster area. Stick your hand in your pocket and give a bit of spare change to some people who really need help right now. http://www.dec.org.uk/appeals/nepal-earthquake-appealhttps://donate.oxfam.org.uk/emergency/nepal?intcmp=hp_hero_nepal_2015-04-25http://www.redcross.org.uk/en/About-us/News/2015/April/Donate-to-the-Nepal-Earthquake-Appealhttp://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/current-appeals/nepal-earthquake-appeal/ It's a cliché, but a little goes a long way in Nepal. Here a fiver might buy you a muffin and a coffee, in Nepal it can feed a family for a week. Don't think "I can't afford much so it's not worth it", it will all make a difference. Of course, if you can afford £100, that will do even more. Oh, and if you donate via Facebook at the moment, they'll double it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted April 29, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) Where can you donate through Facebook? (Facebook, obvs. But I can't see a link on there or anything) Edited April 29, 2015 by Stevo985 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 It's been coming up at the top of the screen when I've logged in over the last couple of days. Though as you ask, it seems to have gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted April 29, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted April 29, 2015 Found itclick me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I owe my life to a couple of Nepalese sherpa's For shame I lost their details around 2004 having stayed in touch with them for a few years .... hope they and their families are OK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumerican Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I'm sure all the other VT serviceman and veterans would agree with me when I say that the Ghurkas are effin outstanding. If you can donate then please do. You owe them more than you may realise. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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