The cost of living

Since first hearing about the Titan submersible situation I was pretty obsessed with following the story. I mean, how could you not? The coverage was unavoidable and updated with a frequency akin to costume changes at a Taylor Swift show.

It was a compelling story, though, wasn’t it? The whole race-against-time-to-save-the-lives- of-5-adventurers-on-the-excursion-of-a-lifetime to observe the wreckage of the legendary Titanic – wow! I must confess, I did wonder more than once if it was an elaborate scheme to garner attention for either Oceangate, the company who organized the trip, or as a pitch for a potential feature film. What can I say? I guess I’m a little jaded.

As the days passed and I learned more about the “mission,” the passengers, and the history of Oceangate and its safety procedures, my disbelief shifted. What were these people thinking? Why would anyone want to spend $250,000 to climb into a vessel (that wasn’t subjected to standard safety procedures), have the hatch bolted shut externally and then be jettisoned to the ocean floor to potentially catch a glimpse of the shipwreck grave of hundreds of people?

But, I guess that’s something hyper wealthy thrill seekers just do.

The resources devoted to locating, and hopefully rescuing those five men, were probably not insubstantial. Teams from around the world raced to the scene to offer their expertise, technology and services to the effort. Unfortunately, as we learned, it was all for naught.

In recent days, we’ve come to learn that the adventurers more than likely died on their initial descent. The vessel which they had hoped would convey them to the wreck of the Titanic could not withstand the tremendous pressure placed upon it and imploded, killing them hopefully, and mercifully, instantly. 

As this arresting drama played out in headlines and media coverage, hundreds of migrants on the other side of world also died while navigating the sea. These people, however, were not indulging in elitist tourism. Rather than seeking a privileged view of a historic tragedy, these migrants were simply pursuing opportunities not available to them in their countries of birth. 

The world witnessed the furious haste with which rescuers gathered to save 5 wealthy males, as hundreds of women, children and men met their end in far more hostile waters off the coast of Greece. The lack of attention or concern for these poor people, the stark contrast between the efforts to save 5 versus 500, has left me deeply saddened. How is that we live at a point in civilization when so few have so much, while so many have so very little?

As the rescue mission for the Titan 5 grew into an international effort, I wondered who would pay the expenses of such an exhaustive endeavor. Would the potentially saved explorers reimburse all the countries who had participated in their rescue to show their gratitude? And now that their fate is known, will their surviving family members be inclined to compensate those who attempted to save those lost? Or, better yet, to perhaps make substantial donations to organizations who assist migrants and refugees?

Billionaires losing their lives in folly are not more important than poverty stricken migrants. I don’t celebrate the death of anyone (until DJT finally goes, that is), but I certainly don’t believe there is a difference in the value of their lives. The excruciating contrast between how these two demographics met their ends has once again demonstrated that, ironically, the cost of living for the world’s poorest far exceeds that of its wealthiest. 

The loss of 5 privileged men is absolutely tragic, particularly to their loved ones, but the deaths of 500 people seeking better lives is most certainly more devastating. I’ll be directing my thoughts and sympathies to the families of the migrants who paid the ultimate price for daring to reach for a better future, instead of towards the ones who dove for the past. May they all rest in peace.