A Preventable Crisis?

First of all, in this time of crisis, our thoughts and prayers should go out to the victims of the earthquake in Japan and their families.  I can only imagine the pain, confusion, and grief they must be suffering at this time of unfolding devastation.

When it comes to natural disasters, we immediately assume that no one is responsible, since obviously no one has the power and no connection can be made to a single or group of individuals. While this is a fact, the ensuing complications from the disaster may be a different story.

Due to the earthquake, we are seeing power outages, plumbing system malfunctions, public transportation failures, and nuclear reactor failures. We can all agree that this is a great tragedy.  Yet, they also share something else in common.  They are the outgrowth of over-regulation, which has resulted in the centralization of resources that need not be.

Nuclear power has been around since the 1930's and has been portable since the inception of the nuclear bomb in 1945. Yet only in this decade have we seen the viability of decentralized nuclear power.  Decentralized power would mean an individual household or neighborhood would have their own source of power,  instead of the current system of a centralized source being the only option for millions of people. Besides the obvious benefits of lower costs via competition, the concepts of energy shortages and blackouts would become antiquated like hunting for food. Decentralized water and sewage would also render similar outcomes. Decentralized transportation systems would allow for families and loved ones to reconnect faster and let rescuers operates with far more mobility and flexibility. Simply, decentralized  technology would socialize gains and privatize liabilities, as opposed to the current system which does the opposite, causing the current malaise being experienced by Japan.

Some reading this piece may be ready to accuse me of letting my "conservative" outlook cloud my judgment instead of recognizing a spade for a spade.

I would whole-heartedly disagree. For it is the inner "liberal" in me that's really heartbroken and cannot bear to see such suffering take place in the first place. It is because I feel that this tragedy afflicting the people of Japan is undue, that a burning desire in my heart to prevent such a crisis leads me to focusing on the failures and finding a solution. In fact, the conservative response would be something to the effect of  "You're too idealistic and prevention  is unrealistic" or that I am naive and need to accept tragedy as a part of life.

Fine, but why say this now? Am I not just being opportunistic and self-serving in this time of travesty? Well, because  we live in the world of the 24 hour news cycle, it's the only time people will listen and be able to analyze this argument in proper context.

Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Disaster after disaster, we keep reviving systems that fail us, expecting a different outcome at the next disaster.

Isn't it time we tried something different?