Most of you must have already known about the attacks on Norway, which apparently had the greatest number of casualties since WORLD WAR TWO. For me, Norway was a rather obscure country, and not much actually happened to the country that attracted this much global attention; actually, I was of the impression that Norway was like a "If you don't harm me, I won't harm you" kind of country. However, suddenly, Norway was thrust into the global spotlight, and for the wrong reasons. As stated in the first sentence, two attacks were carried out on Norway, with a time gap of merely around two hours. It is the deadliest attack by any single gunman in recorded history. It was an extremely painful and shocking experience for both the Norwegians and others all around the world, and many world leaders showed support and condemned the attacks. I read a few articles about the incident, and what really struck me was the reactions and feelings of the survivors of the attacks, particularly the attack on the island (the second one).
According to an interview with one of the teenage survivors, she recalled how terrified she was, and how she was so worried and afraid she would die like all the other dead bodies surrounding her. She was also filled with regret and remorse, as she thought back on all her past deeds and thought about how foolish she was. To put it simply, there was seemingly no hope left for this survivor, and the only road left was a desolate one to death. It was truly a traumatic experience for her, and no doubt, many of the survivors would be receiving psychiatric treatment to get over the trauma. Reading various articles about the incident, both in newspapers and online sources, really provided different perspectives on the attacks and made me realise how important life is.
Most of us waste our precious time away, partaking in foolish acts and only caring about the short-term benefits. However, little do we know how precious life actually is; it is so fragile, and it can be taken away from us in a single gunshot. Many of us have been taking life for granted, which also stems from our sheltered childhood. We think that our lives will never be threatened and many of us, including myself, do not see the true value of life. In Norway's case, no one expected that they would have been the target of terrorist attacks, since they have been not been attacked since World War II. Similarly, although most, if not all of us have not had our lives in danger before, we must not take our lives for granted and foolishly think that nothing will ever happen to us. This incident has taught me an important lesson; it has taught me how important life was, and how fragile it can be. From now onwards, I have learnt to treasure life more, and will not take it for granted. I hope many of you have also realised the fragility of life through this very unfortunate incident. ):
Roystan
Hi Roystan,
ReplyDeleteI think that this post is very insightful and I have agree that life is really fragile. I think that many people in the world do not realise this fact, by looking at the number of people who decide to waste their lives away by committing crimes, getting addicted or just lazing away. I hope that I will be able to make full use of my time, by helping other people, forging good relationships and learning new skills, so that I will be able to face death with no regrets. Life is fragile, definitely, but we have no right to destroy others' lives. I think that all murderers are very selfish and cruel, and should face their punishment. Through this incident, I hope the world will be more aware to treasure their lives by making the right choices everyday.
Nathanael
I agree with most of what you say. Most countries start out with a "If you don't harm me, I won't harm you" attitude. However, terrorists do not have this attitude; they harm as and when they want, to achieve their goals through extreme methods.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I feel you could have talked about how Norway could step up their security to prevent such a thing from happening again. That the terrorist managed to plant a bomb in front of a government building, killing 8 people, shows a lot regarding the lack of security in Norway.
Overall, a good and strongly opinionated post.
Wen Hong
Hi Roystan,
ReplyDeleteI agree that life is fragile, so much so that one may lose it anytime. After all, we may be the strongest leaders of the world, the one with best abilities, but once the essence of life is lost, none matters. We disappear into death, the unknown, which one can also interpret as nothingness. However, most people do not realise this until they face life-threatening experiences, such as the aforementioned Norway teenager. Because most of us nowadays live in luxury, we waste away our time being hooked on to computer games and television programmes. Sometimes, a harsh lesson is required for us to learn something, that is, the fragile nature of life. One should live life to the fullest. I believe this can be done if one accomplishes his wishes and goals in life, such that he/she is able to face death with peace.
It is also wrong of us to take lives of others. Let us not talk about humans, rather animals as tiny as an ant deserve to live peacefully. You may say that the terrorists are all at fault, but I think not. Truthfully, I pity them for they have the wrong ideals; they have been brainwashed by organisation leaders such as Osama Bin Larden. If the entire point of living was to die itself, then what purpose does it have? I have heard rumours that terrorists believe they will be treated well in the afterlife. Well, all of us do not know what the afterlife will be like, so it is best not to take a bet for it. Instead, live life as you like it, not for another's sake.
Life is like an empty shell unless you add flavour to it. Overall, your points are very precise and well-explained, as well as meaningful for most of us.
Kai Xiang