Why People Are Afraid of Natural Disasters

[1241Penguin]

Recently in my Social Studies class, we have been learning about the Cascadia subduction zone. Basically, it's a fault on the Pacific coast of North America from Vancouver Island (near where I live) to Northern California that is supposed to be the source of an earthquake and tsunami. This got me thinking why people are so afraid of natural disasters.

The way I see it, people commonly worry about losing their homes and property in general. If you think about it, if we lived in a world without any property, there won't be anything that people should be worried about. I mean, even if there is a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, nothing much will be lost. For instance, if an earthquake occurred at a time where buildings can easily be made using sticks and straw, there's nothing much for you to lose, and anything that is lost can easily be repaired.

Now though, in a society where we have to pay our hard-earned money for homes and property, we will obviously fear if any damage appears, because in our mind, we will be reminded of the hard work required to earn that home and those cars. Not to mention the time and labour it will take to rebuild our complex structures and buildings (e.g. power plants).

Of course, people will mostly fear losing their lives in natural disasters, and that is probably the main concern, but I think losing property from a natural disaster is also a big concern.

Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think people fear natural disasters?

 

[PureAwesomeness]

I don't think this is going to lead to a very deep discussion. People fear natural disasters because they are disastrous. People's lives and safety are put in danger. Habitats, homes and property are destroyed. Most people would prefer the life (and everything that goes with it) that they live now to life (or lack thereof) that would follow a natural disaster.

 

[Azuremen]

I don't think this is going to lead to a very deep discussion. People fear natural disasters because they are disastrous. People's lives and safety are put in danger. Habitats, homes and property are destroyed. Most people would prefer the life (and everything that goes with it) that they live now to life (or lack thereof) that would follow a natural disaster.

This. The fear results from a legitimate concern for self preservation and consistency in life style.

You'd probably get a deeper conversation from the top "Why do people fear spiders?"

 

[Grayfox]

Some of them are unpredictable and humans are scared of the unknown.

 

[TheCracker]

Because nobody wants to be buried alive under a fallen building, or washed away by a tsunami or flash flood, or sucked up hundreds of feet in the air by a tornado, or burned to death in an out of control bush/forest fire.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

You live on a fault line too!!! So do I

 

[Carson79]

Generally find those that study the so called " social sciences" Are real wacka doddles!

 

[Mazerati]

This is the stupidest thread ever created. It's like saying "Why people don't like having everything they own being destroyed"...and then actually attempting to explain why in more than one sentence.

 

[Submerged]

Well, technically, you cannot answer the question of "Why people do not like having everything they own being destroyed?" in one sentence, unless the sentence was impossibly long.

On the actual question, it seems to have a straightforward answer. But it does lead to other topics.

The original poster is basically saying: "If valuables and/or shelter was easy to obtain, would we still have the same reaction to losing them, as we do with our (hard to get) shelter/valuables?"

Sometimes, you may need to just read between the lines and search for the deeper meanings that sometimes exist.

 

[Danoff]

First of all, it's pointless to imagine living in a world without property (such a thing would be a right violation). But even if you could, people still wrap sentimental value into objects. Whether it's a painting by a dead grandmother, or a wedding photo album, or a house that has been in the family for generations... People have lots of (sometimes strange) reasons for getting attached to inanimate objects. You're never going to do away with that.

Having been in a position where I evacuated my home in the face of a natural disaster, taking with me only the thing that I was unwilling to lose... I can say that there is something primal about abandoning your shelter and hoping it's there when you return.

 

[wfooshee]

I'm not afraid of natural disasters per se. I'm afraid of being killed in one, or of experienceing a life-changing injury, or of being ruined financially (as in finding the house gone when I return from evacuation.)

Things that are supposed to happen "any day now" in the continental US:

Megaquake near Memphis, Tennessee. No earthquake codes in the building codes of that area. Everything comes down during the quake.

Megaquake in the New York area affecting NYC. Similar to Memphis. Everything comes down.

Megaquake offshore of Seattle. See Japan this past March.

Megavolcano in Yellowstone. On a scale of possible extinction event.


No use fearing those, there's nothing reasonable that can be done in preparation.

As for other disasters, like weather events, it depends.

With hurricanes, you know days in advance that they're coming. If you don't leave, then face the consequences. It ain't the government's job to protect you from the storm, or to rebuild your house after.

With tornadoes, you might have a few minutes' warning, if you're paying attention, i.e. you have a window, a radio, and it's not the middle of the night. Even your best shelter might be insufficient, though; if your house gets removed by an EF5, hiding in the bathtub may not be good enough. Those are the scariest things I worry about.

 

[Kent]

Oh wait...

 

[dxm8975]

We dread natural disasters just because they are disastrous, and as long as they pose threats against human beings who're destined to reside with it, they will continue frightening us all the time, as there are no means/assurances of protecting ourselves from being embroiled in the devastating force of natural events, once they happen in somewhere of the world they pose dangers - the bigger the disaster, the more threatening they are.

That's what governed our lives/civilizations per a certain period in a long-time history of human beings - frigid storms, eruptions, tsunamis, fires and big earthquakes and so on in ancient ages. How far our technology reaches toward the level of being able to suppress natural happenings on its hands, probably the power of nature tramples our efforts. We just are spectators when they occur even if they should be more predictable than the past, thanks to wisdom of our modern-age ancestors.

 

[Pupik]

I don't think this is going to lead to a very deep discussion. People fear natural disasters because they are disastrous. People's lives and safety are put in danger. Habitats, homes and property are destroyed. Most people would prefer the life (and everything that goes with it) that they live now to life (or lack thereof) that would follow a natural disaster.

This ^ ...and know they can't blame anyone, which really annoys the some people deep-down inside.

Up next: Why do people on a Gran Turismo-related forum enjoy automobiles?

 

[Keef]

This is the problem: People don't fear natural disasters. You've got it backwards.

That is why they like on cliffs in California near an active earthquake zone, or among the volcanoes of the Northwest, or anywhere in tornado alley, or along the coast in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic waiting for hurricanes. Or maybe New Orleans, which I've heard is prone to flooding.

Most people around the world live in an area where terrible natural disasters will happen eventually. But they don't care. What are the chances, right? No sense in worrying about something that only happens once every 1000 years. They just go to work and make some money and live life. Besides, it's bright and sunny in New Orleans most of time, despite that fact that you're lower than the entire Gulf of Mexico, much less the huge lake right next to you, and it gets hit by hurricanes once in a blue moon.

Nope, people can't be bothered about natural disasters. The only time anyone considers them is when they're in geology class, or talking with friends, or watching it on Discovery Channel. Besides that, never. And then one actually happens, and everybody is terrified and wonders why thousands of people died when the put their houses on an active fault line.

 

[Mazerati]

This ^ ...and know they can't blame anyone, which really annoys the some people deep-down inside.

Up next: Why do people on a Gran Turismo-related forum enjoy automobiles?

Is THAT what this forum is about?! 💡
Now it all makes sense!

 

[PureAwesomeness]

Having been in a position where I evacuated my home in the face of a natural disaster, taking with me only the thing that I was unwilling to lose...

Now there's a good idea for a thread: what was Danoff unwilling to lose? His passport? His wallet? A photo album? His playstation? His porn stash?!

 

[Keef]

A better question would be, would have have committed an immoral act in order to save that one thing he was unwilling to lose?

 

[niky]

Of course, people will mostly fear losing their lives in natural disasters, and that is probably the main concern, but I think losing property from a natural disaster is also a big concern.

Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think people fear natural disasters?

You've obviously never starved half-to-death from lack of food because your crops (whether they were your property or not) died in a typhoon.

You've never sat out in the cold, shivering air late at night because an earthquake collapsed your hut.

You've never gone without nearby, modern medical care and facilities or emergency rations when you actually needed them (microscopic ash particle inhalation induced asthma, mayhaps?) because a volcanic eruption has destroyed your village/town/city.

-

Whether you lose property or not is immaterial. As Keef points out... people don't fear building their houses near active volcanoes, over fault lines, or out on the beach or behind a fragile levee where flooding or sea surges can be a problem.

Sure... they're depressed as hell after a disaster... but the primary thought isn't "Oh no, my wallpaper is ruined!" or "I had four more payments on that car!", but "What the hell are we going to eat, and where are we going to sleep?"

 

[DK]

My greatest fear about getting caught up in a natural disaster wouldn't be losing my PS3, my laptop or any of my other possessions, but rather I'd be scared of dying a long, protracted death under rubble or being caught by rising, inescapable floodwaters.

 

[lbsf1]

However there is nothing we can do to prevent natural disasters so if its going to happen it will happen, and if it will effect you it will effect you. What is the point spending your time worrying about something you can't change.

EDIT: Woo Hoo 2,500th post.

 

[sumbrownkid]

The biggest reason why people fear things like natural disasters, is because it is one of the few things that we have no control over.

It's natural for a person to fear what they cannot control.