Kamikaze

The news of the Fukushima nuclear plant employees battling to cool the stricken reactor from meltdown is extraordinary and disturbing. It brings to mind the depths of the human spirit.

These workers who face near certain death from radiation likely understand what they are putting themselves under. However, they continue to go through with their ordeal, knowing they will live the remainder of their lives in such brutal and inhumane conditions and die in suffering.

What state of mind causes people to do this? To place country over self, the lives of others over their own. I cannot answer this question, perhaps it was forced upon them, perhaps it was an obligation of their work, perhaps it was a higher cause. This incident also brought home the thinking that go through suicide bombers, matyrs, soldiers who sacrifice their lives and in many cases what a tragedy it is to see life cut short.