Sensitivity to Hiroshima

BobLacat · 30 Jan 2013

I am engaged in a discussion for which I would like answers from actual Japanese members (not presumptions about what the Japanese must/should think).

The amount of warming being absorbed by the planet due to climate change has been expressed in terms of a number of Hiroshima bombs per second. As a visualization for a very large amount of energy, this is an effective metric, particularly for certain demographics (age groups) in the USA, England and Australia.

But is the use of the Hiroshima bomb in this context either offensive or disturbing to any of today's Japanese people? What is your gut reaction to this?

Xarashin · 7 Feb 2013

Well I can see why not many people replied honestly..

I'll give it to you straight. No, I'm not Japanese but I can assure you that they are more than likely still sensitive about such a thing, with good reason. Now I'm sure no one takes it personally, but still I'm sure they would find the reference to be insulting because instead of using the term "Hiroshima bomb" they could simply say it was an Atomic bomb, and perhaps state the size of the bomb. Bringing up an event as painful as that in their past is probably not the brightest of ideas.

Korra · 1 Mar 2013

The day the bombs landed in Japan, it was all celebration for Korea.

Although it is pitiful that innocent Japanese were killed.

nahadef · 2 Mar 2013

Korra said:
The day the bombs landed in Japan, it was all celebration for Korea.
Although it is pitiful that innocent Japs were killed.

I'm sorry that you are an unhappy person. I wish you luck in the future being happier and less hateful.

thomas · 2 Mar 2013

Thanks for reporting this, nahadef, the user has already been warned.

Trond · 2 Mar 2013

Korra said:
The day the bombs landed in Japan, it was all celebration for Korea.

Although it is pitiful that innocent Japanese were killed.

That was rude.

Mark of Zorro · 2 Mar 2013

To answer the question, I am not Japanese. I doubt many Japanese would think too much about it. As a human being though, I am a bit offended. Its pretty insensitive if you think about it. Its on the level of a question like, if you shot 3 babies each in the head once with a Colt Paterson, how many bullets would you have left to shoot the mother?

The only difference is that people are numb to the facts of Hiroshima. But it does not make it any better.

I cannot say I have a gut reaction though. I am just as desensitized as everyone else, difference being, I realize I am and I am appalled by the fact.

Mark of Zorro · 2 Mar 2013

Trond said:
That was rude.

Maybe you would not feel so if the Imperial Japanese colonized your country?

In fact, I doubt most who experienced that would even admit there was such a thing as innocent Japanese.

I don't think he was rude. I think he was blunt.

BobLacat · 2 Mar 2013

FYI, I am only interested in the positions of actual Japanese. Getting opinions based on presumptions from others is easy, but it is not as cut and dry as it seems. A fair number of very intelligent people have been hashing this out, and everything stated here so far (by non-Japanese) is pretty obvious to everyone, as are a fairly large number of perspectives that haven't yet been mentioned.

So please... I am very, very curious to hear the opinion of anyone who is Japanese, and I have no need to hear the obvious from people who aren't.

Please respect the content of the original post/query.

Glenski · 2 Mar 2013

This is Global Warming - A Lesson for Monckton and Co.

If this is where you are trying to read about real science, I'd suggest finding another site. Seems like a very strange way to describe the situation. Have seen this sort of gibberish posted as comments or blogs, but nothing to substantiate how they did the calculation, or to show that they even know what the science means.

Look it up on Forbes for real science.
"Global Warming Has Stopped"? How to Fool People Using "Cherry-Picked" Climate Data - Forbes

undrentide · 2 Mar 2013

BobLacat said:
The amount of warming being absorbed by the planet due to climate change has been expressed in terms of a number of Hiroshima bombs per second. As a visualization for a very large amount of energy, this is an effective metric, particularly for certain demographics (age groups) in the USA, England and Australia.

But is the use of the Hiroshima bomb in this context either offensive or disturbing to any of today's Japanese people? What is your gut reaction to this?

I myself do not find it offensive nor disturbing, and I assume majority of fellow Japanese people would be in the same opinion.
It is an effective metric, as you stated, and using the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima in this way does not give any connotation/implication (neither positive or negative) to it in this particular context.

Korra · 2 Mar 2013

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb, 1945 - A Day That Shook The World [HD] - YouTube

Mark of Zorro · 2 Mar 2013

FYI, I am only interested in the positions of actual Japanese.

My wife is Japanese. I asked her. Her response was basically "whatever". She said "Iin ja nai"?

Good luck getting replies from Japanese here. Not so many from what I can see as this is an English site.

OoTmaster · 3 Mar 2013

Yeah I don't see much of a reason the current Japanese population would really care. I mean it was 68 years ago. Anyone directly involved is likely dead already. It would be like using pearl harbor to judge the damage to naval bases and ports. I really wouldn't care. Pearl harbor was more than 68 years ago and I really don't think much about it. Besides to think it was something that happened in a war long ago.

epigene · 3 Mar 2013

BobLacat said:
I am engaged in a discussion for which I would like answers from actual Japanese members (not presumptions about what the Japanese must/should think).
The amount of warming being absorbed by the planet due to climate change has been expressed in terms of a number of Hiroshima bombs per second. As a visualization for a very large amount of energy, this is an effective metric, particularly for certain demographics (age groups) in the USA, England and Australia.
But is the use of the Hiroshima bomb in this context either offensive or disturbing to any of today's Japanese people? What is your gut reaction to this?

Not at all disturbing. I think that is the response of the general population, considering that the impact of the recent meteor crash in Russia was measured in terms of the Hiroshima bomb in news reports in Japan, and I saw no one protesting it, both in the media and among the people I know.

Tamayo · 3 Mar 2013

I'm not Japanese, but I really can't see why anyone would freak out about the way they chose to portray the numbers.

This site is trying to push the ol' doomsday agenda, so what better of a catastrophic event to compare with than a something horrible like the atomic bombs? This isn't the first time I've seen these sorts of comparisons. It isn't uncommon to hear figures in terms of how many times the number of those lost in the Holocaust died in the World Wars, for example. It's all so that the information will have a more serious impact on the reader.

Terrible things are committed on and by every country -- There's no reason for anyone to take it personally. What I would question, however, is whether or not they're trying to blow the fear factor out of proportion.

Sensitivity to Hiroshima

BobLacat

後輩

Xarashin

後輩

Korra

Kouhai

nahadef

Quietly exploding

thomas

Unswerving cyclist

Trond

Norske Generelt

Mark of Zorro

先輩

Mark of Zorro

先輩

BobLacat

後輩

Glenski

Just me

undrentide

Japa'n vagyok

Korra

Kouhai

Mark of Zorro

先輩

OoTmaster

先輩

epigene

相変わらず不束者です

Tamayo

先輩

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