Spirit in the Face of Disaster

Some uplifting snapshots of human resilience against the perils of nature have gone viral in recent weeks. They display an almost comical audacity, with a clear message : “I will not be afraid.” Hurricane Mathew has wreaked havoc on the Atlantic coast, from Haiti to the southeastern United States, but a particular man, captured in a viral video released October 7th, refuses to relent against raging winds and savage rains. Pronounced “Slayer”, he is seen gripping tight a large American flag while he and his banner are battered by gusts. Similarly, when super Typhoon Haima inundated Hong Kong with torrential rains and citywide flash flooding, one man, faced with precipitous flooding in a Starbucks cafe, was captured sitting calmly, reading his newspaper. He is affectionately dubbed, “Starbucks Uncle”.

The American people have faced a state of proclaimed “disaster” in the imminent presidential election, or at least this is the attitude propagated by wary Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Green Party members alike. Regardless of your position on the political spectrum, the election has been harrowing. However, is the defiance and resilience displayed in such people as “Slayer” and “Starbucks Uncle” a stance worth emulating?

See link for video content- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Leze-8l6E

The Slayer of Hurricane Matthew