Wow! The rescue of 33 miners in Chile has made the mankind proud!. It is not just about Chile, but is all about the human spirit. It is not only a demonstration of human grit and intelligence but also compassion and care. Viva Chile! That’s the way for the world to go!
The San Jose Gold and Copper mine in which the tragedy has occurred also shows the perils of mining and how humans operate with huge risks on their lives. The 32 chileans and 1 Bolivian would have entered the mines mostly out of compulsions.
The anxiety of those 69 days they survived and more important the anxiety they would have when they were hauled up in a steel cage over 700m to the surface is immeasurable. It is just the human spirit that is vested with hope that copes us to survive these. This is not just equal to a Space travel, as this is an accident and Space travels are incidents.
Though these miners were lucky to be trapped in a Gold and Copper mine instead of a Coal mine and had access to air with 20% oxygen, had even potable water access from wells, had a good amount of space to move around, the deprivation and the uncertainty about life they suffered for 69 days makes their survival a real human feat.
This feat has been possible not ‘just’ by the support the miners got from the ground. This has been possible primarily by the collaboration they had between them. The miners had actively collaborated between them to help each other to dug wells and share whatever food they had in a controlled way. There was even a paramedic in them, who became a medical professional at times of need. So what do we learn from it.?
Active human collaboration can create wonders for the planet. But that humans tend to collaborate only if their survival is threatened is scary. If at all we learn a lesson, we learn that collaboration and not fierce competition is the need of the hour for human beings.
Remember for a moment the trapped miners did what we do normally above the ground..? Above the ground, we are all taught to outdo each other, reach for food and materials as fast as we can, hoard them for ourselves for the sake of future. We call it competition and are drummed day in and day out it is the most natural and healthy way to live.
Think if the miners in their anxiety did that and tried to outsmart each other underground..? Could they have lived..?
Collaboration and not competition is the future way to go. Yes, sportive competition helps us to stay healthy and inspires others to follow suit. But that is not the cut-throat competition our economic and social models are based on.
There are umpteen cases where mine accidents result in loss of human life. Such mines give precious resources like Coal and other minerals which are very vital for the current economic models of life. But can we say these mines have the safety standards even as that of an aeroplane..? The proportion of money being spent in raising the safety standards of aeroplanes is not comparable to what is being invested in mines, given the huge incomes that come from mines..
Why..? It is simply because miners are often from poor families who have come into mining as the last resort. This method of labour which treats human lives cheap is called Slave Labor, though the compulsions are economic and not social.
The excessive mining of natural resources is taking a toll on the planet, in particular, when human beings do not know how to replenish them. This is going to cause an environmental disaster. Further we are basing our economic models on finite natural resources assuming they are infinite and that is going to cause an economic disaster to human race.
Remember, this planet, if it continues with the current economic models based on unhindered exploitation of natural resources may go to a state where the entire human population needs to live under the soil in mines, due to excessive global warming.
This is not a scenario, but a distinct possibility if we continue with the current economic models that rely on uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources.
In every life, there is a lesson. Learning it is called Evolution.
-TBT
