Our Voice
Has disaster fatigue set in on campus?
The 9.0 magnitude earthquake that ravished Japan last month has claimed over 14,000 victims, according to Japan’s National Police Agency. Another 13,660 people are still missing. Despite this ongoing tragedy, the campus has been oddly silent when it comes to aiding in relief efforts for Japan.
Disaster fatigue—a desensitization to natural disasters—seems to be running throughout campus when it comes to aiding in relief to Japan. This attitude could be attributed to different factors. One factor is the issue of proximity.
Like the disaster in Japan, the 2010 floods in Pakistan didn’t garner student attention. Part of the reason students didn’t get together to aid in efforts could be because of the sheer amount of distance between the United States and the tragedy. The disaster in Japan is experiencing the same treatment.
It could be easy for students to think of Japan as being a world away—not only in actual distance but also in cultural values. This act of inserting distance between oneself and the disaster causes students to pass the responsibility to others—which ends in an endless game of passing the blame.
When the earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, it seemed to be more relevant for students due to the closeness of Haiti to the United States. Also, when referring to the Haitian earthquake it is worth noting the fact that donating to Haiti almost seemed like the “cool” thing to do.
Another issue that arises is the fact that college students are known for having limited funds—so they might not have the money to donate. Students also may be maxed out when it comes to donating to another cause.
As sad as it is to say, disasters are a part of life. Yes, this disaster is a horrible situation for Japan—but students might feel exasperated when it comes to donating to yet another disaster.
However weary students are of donating, technology has made it relatively simple to aid in relief efforts in small, albeit, effective ways. Sony music has released an all-star “Songs for Japan” album which features songs by Bob Dylan, Madonna and Justin Timberlake. The album is available on iTunes for $9.99 and all proceeds go towards relief efforts for Japan.
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