Geek that I am, I love physics. I particularly like quantum theory when it bleeds over into other worlds we might not associate it with. I was listening to NPR about the current situation in Burma, still horrendous, and how while the Military powers-that-be there are more than willing to accept our aid, they still will not accept expert help in disaster relief distribution. Maybe they saw the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, I don’t know, but that would more explain their exclusion of the US, but the fact is, they won’t let anyone in and supplies are being horded.
So this got me to thinking about Schrodinger’s Cat, a theory in quantum mechanics. In short, there’s a cat in a box with a vial of poison that will be released under specific circumstances. Assuming the circumstances are met, the cat will die. However, if you do not open the box to check on the cat, then the cat remains forever in this state of duality that the cat is both dead and alive until such time the box is open.
Schrodinger’s Cat opens up an interesting dialogue on ethics for me. See, once the cat is in the proverbial box, in my mind anyway, the cat is already dead and this is Burma in a nutshell: the Junta there believes (or want to anyway) that the people to be fine and outside help is unnecessary. They play at Schrodinger’s Cat in that they keep the people in Burma in a permanent state of limbo, being both alive and dead as the theory suggests. However, there’s a fly in the ointment, we’re talking quantum mechanics here, there’s always a fly in the ointment, and in this case namely it’s the Copenhagen Interpretation.
The Copenhagen Interpretation, in its own and separate nutshell, is that nothing exists until it is measured. Quite simply, the Junta is in some serious freakin’ denial. They don’t want to know how many people have died, they don’t want the international community in their country to assess how bad things really are there. They’d rather have the cat forever be both alive and dead to suit their dictatorial purposes. The people aren’t dead, they aren’t in need, and their country is fine so long as no one outside their own perverse and diabolic circle looks at it.
It is now estimated that probably over 80,000 people have died due to this disaster and over 2 million more are at risk. This is the same country who last year during the Saffron Revolution called out for international intervention and the world answered back with a big fat deaf ear.
If ever there was a time for a little war and revolution, you’d think this would be it.
Personally, I hope the cat is alive, although I’m not betting on it.
7 comments
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May 18, 2008 at 12:52 am
girlgriot
This situation scares and galls the crap out of me. And thank you for saying ‘Burma’ not M____. (When the Junta was beating the crap out of people last year, all the news anchors were saying ‘Burma’ and giving lengthy explanations for why that was really the better name to use … but now they’re all back to M, with no explanations at all.)
I appreciate the Junta’s grasp of quantum theory, but I think someone needs to lay some common sense logic on them: what fun is it to be a crazy, dictatorial junta if all the people you get jazzed from oppressing are dead? You gotta keep people alive so you can keep them under your heel! They can’t have it both ways. No people, no need for a supplies-hoarding junta. They really need to look at the big picture.
Sorry, I’m feeling like a bitter woman (to quote Ms. Schlafly). I think I need a drink …
May 18, 2008 at 12:36 pm
inmate1972
Yeah, I hear news reports like this and I need a little “sugar in my coffee” as well.
May 18, 2008 at 12:37 pm
inmate1972
…oh, and regarding the country, I quote the illustrious J. Peterman: “…it will always Burma to me…”
May 19, 2008 at 10:46 am
Turkish Prawn
Real and successful revolutions must come from within. The sad part is that it would appear that the mechanism that holds the people of Burma down survived with little real damage. I feel for the victims of both tragedies in Burma (governmental and natural) but find my self wondering how they can not rise up against their oppressors.
Easy to say from here, I suppose.
Turkish Prawn
http://foxandmaus.wordpress.com/
May 19, 2008 at 11:25 am
inmate1972
But they did rise up, last fall, and were violently beaten down. These people need international intervention to oust this regime.
May 20, 2008 at 10:27 am
Turkish Prawn
Eee. You’ll understand why that makes me jumpy.
May 21, 2008 at 8:41 pm
andrea
Wow. Very insightful post and so sad. There are times when the international community needs to butt out and times when they need to step in and say hey, enough. The Junta have been terrorizing the Burmese for long enough. It’s such a sad situation.