"Mankind discovering how to harness power from nuclear energy is like a mouse figuring out how to construct a mouse trap."
Naoto Kan - prime minister of Japan at the time of the Fukushima Nuclear disaster and subsequently, after his resignation, an anti-nuclear campaigner. (From Fukushima- BBC world service podcast.)
Nuclear Power
It is acknowledged that the development of nuclear energy ran in parallel with the development of nuclear weapons. Rolls Royce has been given consent to develop microgenerators. The analogy from the past might living next to a Gasometer. Nuclear generators are far more dangerous than gasometers, with the threat of contamination of vast areas for many years ahead.
It is acknowledged that it is virtually impossible to hide nuclear weapons. Deep sea submarines apparently are now visible. Statistically we see that all countries have a history of war. The cycle of war appears to be inevitable.
Einstein and Oppenheimer were all too aware of the moral dilemma associated with splitting the atom.
Migration
On my journey to America recently I chatted with people who presented such contrasting views and beliefs. One expressed beliefs which explained how Donald Trump's re-election remains a live prospect. Another showed the best of America; beliefs full of hope and freedom of thought.
The issue of migration is essentially to do with greed. People living in poor and repressive societies believe they deserve better. The pay they recieve for a hard days work in not enough to dream dreams. In the West we are able to plan trips to far off countries, and travel with the knowledge we will receive a welcome. In many some countries the notion of 'possessions' and ownership is different to the West. Things exist and we all have a right to use them. If I am not using an electric drill, say, why shouldn't someone else use it? They will never be able to afford their own. and it's not being used so why not?
In the 2004 German film called the Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei which translates as "The Educators", has three young anarchists breaking into rich people's houses, moving their possessions around (but not steeling a thing), and leaving their calling card which say "You have too much money".
We do not thank the burglar who voluntarily returns stollen goods. They should not have taken them in the first place. But what about those who have too much? Perhaps their property is stolen in itself? In the West most theft is completely legal.
So we are stuck in a system that discriminates against the poor. The world GAT agreement ensures that the rich countries will always be ahead of the poor. Are these countries ever going to share power? Certainly not. Instead we describe poorer counties as 'developing', as if the ability to become rich like us is in their hands. Obviously there is a basis of truth here, but the incentive to work hard and achieve, when the gains are so meagure is dispiriting. There are wonderful examples of people who do create success against the odds, such as Adama Diémé who has done inspirational things in senegal. But I notice that Adama actually lives in France, as does Tété-Michel Kpomassie who wrote about his story of leaving his family in Togo to live amongst the Inuit people in Greenland (spurred on by his fear of snakes). His book is called An African in Greenland (1981),
