Studying Mandarin

I belonged to the first generation that had the threat of nuclear warfare hanging over our heads like the proverbial sword of Damocles. Who knows how our generation was affected by the fear and terror of total annihilation?

 

If everyone was like me when they were a kid, I didn't even think about it. I suppose that every now and then in school, we would practice what to do in the event of a nuclear attack from Russia. That consisted of hiding under our desks with a towel over our heads until the teacher told us we could come out. Kids didn’t fear war. Well, Canadian kids didn't anyways. Unlike the Europeans and the Asians, we had no frame of reference and could only imagine war to be like it was on the TV. Kids feared teachers and parents, large dogs, bees, and monsters under the bed or in the closet.

I would imagine that the whole hiding under a desk approach was designed more to pacify the adults. The government had to show that they were in control of the situation and had a plan. If they really wanted us to be ready for a nuclear bomb, they should have had daily prayers and classes in the afterlife. Come to think about it, thee were daily prayers in class. If a bomb ever hit, we would be dead. Period! The politicians and a few whackos would be safe for a while in their bunkers until they ran out of food and water, then things would have gotten very real, very fast.

Every generation since that time has also lived under constant threat of nuclear annihilation. Today, to my knowledge, no one even gives it a second thought. There are nine countries with nuclear weapons, the United States, Russia, England, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. I am sure you will sleep better tonight knowing that.

Well, when one of those politically unstable countries develops nuclear capabilities, the rest of the world holds its collective breath to see just how unstable they really are. Right now, I am kind of worried that North Korea, Syria, Afghanistan or any other place where they call westerners “The Great Satan” might just want to blow something up to make the point that they are too a real nation!

I guess part of my lackadaisical attitude is due to living in Canada. We have no real sites that have any military or political significance. Plus, it is pretty cold here for a good portion of the year. We are pretty much liked throughout the world and if Prime Minister Harper could keep his mouth shut, everything should remain the same. Sure, we might be guilty by association; our politicians hang out with some pretty seedy politicians from those “bully” countries like USA, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. We are trying to suck up to China, but they don’t really need us for a friend.

In short, no one hates us enough drop a bomb on us. Maybe we should just sit back and let the “big boys” duke it out, then when everyone is at their weakest, we can step in with our converted fishing fleet and take over the world! We will of course be benevolent dictators, smiling at one moment and crushing any rebellion under our steel shod boots!

However, you just never know what the future will bring. That’s why I have a towel, a lead lined desk in the basement and have been studying Mandarin. Just to cover all of the bases…

Inspired by this picture sent by Kathy