Catastrophe, abundance and a ruthless ocean: why the Titanic disaster continues to captivate
- June 25, 2023
- 0
The question that’s on the mind of many this week is why did some of the world’s richest people risk their lives to go to the bottom of
The question that’s on the mind of many this week is why did some of the world’s richest people risk their lives to go to the bottom of the sea in a cold and cramped “experimental” submarine to see the wreckage of the Titanic?
The “unsinkable” ship, which sank on its first voyage across the Atlantic in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg, is perhaps the most famous ship in the world. The Titanic is recognizable by more of the world’s population than, say, Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria (the fleet of Christopher Columbus, which began the Spanish conquest of America), or HMS Endeavor Captain Cook (a large sailing ship that set sail during the British conquest of Australia). The long forgotten ship Endeavor was found sunk off the coast of Rhode Island last year.
The maiden voyage and disastrous end of the Titanic was one of the biggest news stories of 1912 and has continued to fascinate us ever since. The disaster inspired songwriting and several 20th-century films, including James Cameron’s 1997 epic novel, long considered the highest-grossing film of all time. More recently, the Titanic exhibits, which invite visitors to view relics and explore recreations of the ship’s interior, have drawn huge crowds in New York, Seville and Hong Kong.
There are two reasons why we are so drawn to the Titanic, and why the super-rich are apparently willing to part with their money and even risk their lives look at his broken helmet.
Your first wealth. The White Start Line, which built the Titanic, touted the ship as the most luxurious ship ever to sail. Wealthy passengers paid up to £870 for the privilege of occupying Titanic’s most expensive and spacious first class cabins. To put this 110-year-old money in perspective, when the First World War broke out in 1914, infantrymen in the British Army received a basic salary of around £20 a year.
The sinking of the Titanic as depicted in Untergang der Titanic, a 1912 illustration by Willy Stöwer.
Titanic films and exhibitions are popular because the public likes voyeurism contemplate the beautiful furniture of the ship, the dazzling clothes of its passengers rich and handsomeand their dishes are prepared in elegant restaurants. First class passengers enjoyed a multi-course dinner with salmon, steak and foie gras pate. Chefs from Australia and around the world occasionally recreate dishes from the Titanic for curious diners.
Hundreds of poor immigrant passengers represented Jack (performed by Leonardo DiCaprio) in Cameron’s film, they also traveled aboard the Titanic. They lived in crowded areas and enjoyed less interesting foods such as boiled beef and potatoes. If her class had been the only people aboard the Titanic, the ship might have quickly faded from memory.
The fact that the Titanic was advertised as unsinkable also adds to its appeal. The ship, whose name suggests its sheer size, was created to fool the ocean. When he left England, he symbolized the dominance of man over nature. At the bottom of the Atlantic, it serves as an internal reminder of the amazing power of the indomitable sea.
The same two factors, the futility of the voyage and its failure at sea, are currently generating the current global interest in the Titan submarine disaster. Few world events garner so much attention, including statements from Downing Street and the White House, and live news blogs from The New York Times and The Guardian.
Titan, like the Titanic, attracts our attention with its obscenely rich passengerseach reportedly paid US$250,000 (four to five times the average U.S. salary) to visit the wreck of the famous ship that fought at sea and was defeated.
And then there is the intriguing mystery and power of the sea. The media is publishing useful graphs that try to teach our earthly brain to understand how deep the ocean is and how deep below the surface of the sea lie the Titanic and possibly Titan.
I saw the site last night Deep Sea, Neil Argawal circulates on social networks. The site allows viewers to be transported from the surface of the sea to the seabed, immersing themselves in the images of various marine animals inhabiting different ocean depths.
At 114 meters there is a killer whale, and 332 meters is the depth that a person reached with the help of diving equipment. It takes a large displacement to bring the Titanic nearly 4,000 meters below the waves.
In addition to huge income disparities, thinking about Titan and Titanic encourages us to recognize how little we can “see” the sea in our age of mass surveillance. Even the mighty US Navy, assisted by the Canadian, British and French governments, has been unable to muster the resources and technology needed to locate, let alone rescue, the missing submarine.
While the sea seems to have swallowed up another ship, we remember the limits of human knowledge and dominion over the ocean.
TO Talk: Christie Patricia Flannery, Research Fellow, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, The Australian Catholic University.
Source: Aristegui Noticias
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
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