Monday 2 February 2009

Making a drama out of a crisis

Reading about record heatwaves in Tales from Down Under is a little surreal as we sit here in what the News tells us is the worst weather since 1991. I can't help but think that this is a mis-perception on the part of the media as looking out of my window it doesn't look that bad. I got up and turned up to work today to teach on my module only to find out that the University was closed due to bad weather, although the roads were actually better than they have been on many other occasions.

Ian left at the same time to take the perilous drive up to London, amidst tales of jack-knifed lorries, serious traffic jams, road closures etc, only to find that, with the exception of a few roads around his home, all was clear and he had a pleasant journey.

The trend of reporting incidents, weather, the economy and day to day events in the most over-exaggerated tone, thus making an everyday event seem like a crisis is probably in part responsible for the feeling of doom and gloom pervading everywhere.

On the way out of work I saw the cafeteria manager; a Scot. "If we stayed at home everyday it snowed in Scotland then I would never have had any schooling". We laughed. I worked in Canada for a couple of years and you wouldn't dare to be late for work due to the snow, let alone not turn up!

2 comments:

twosheilasandadog said...

.....it almost makes me homesick, all this talk of snow.We are buying ice bags by the truck load just to keep the beers cold here!
Keep warm
F & V x

Michael House said...

We had to go out last night, both for supper and to give Simon's sister her boarding pass to get back to Austria, so we had to go. But, it was hairy, the roads near here had not been gritted at all. One car was stuck, we saw very little traffic. But, by this morning it had all gone, but the schools were still shut for no apparent reason! I think organisations are so fearful of litigation that they are overly cautious. And yes, I do agree the media whips it up further as well.

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