The Submersible Incident and Greek Migrant Shipwreck: An Examination of Our Response to Tragedy

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The demise of the five inhabitants of a submersible vehicle, following its implosion, has been a topic of significant media attention.

However, the sinking of a migrant ship off the coast of Greece, which resulted in a minimum of 80 deaths and around 500 missing persons, failed to achieve a similar level of global scrutiny in real time.

The submersible incident commanded constant and focused attention, while the migrant shipwreck was treated as a commonplace news item, sorrowful yet expected.

These two maritime incidents illuminate the disparate responses to tragedy. When juxtaposed, what do they reveal about our collective reaction to distressing news? And why did the submersible ordeal garner such prominence?

UNKNOWN OUTCOME AND PERCEIVED TIME PRESSURE

When the news of the Greek shipwreck broke, the disaster had already occurred, with its effects largely known and the aftermath the only remaining aspect.

Contrastingly, the submersible incident was perceived as unfolding in real-time, with a perceived deadline attached. Like any narrative, a ticking clock intensifies both tension and engagement.

The inability to communicate with the submersible or gain insight into the situation of its occupants only amplified the public interest.

A HISTORIC TRAGEDY REVISITED IN THE NEWS

The submersible was already linked to a tragedy of high public interest – the sinking of the Titanic, a symbol of modern catastrophes, before the famous 1997 James Cameron film. Thus, interest was inherently tied to the incident, irrespective of the submersible itself.

Cameron’s reaction to the submersible tragedy heightened this association. He expressed his intuitive belief that the submersible was lost upon learning of its lost contact with the surface during its voyage to the sunken ocean liner in the Atlantic Ocean. He characterized the media’s ensuing focus on the submersible’s 96-hour oxygen supply and the reports of audible knocks as a “prolonged and nightmarish charade.”

CLASS AND RACE INFLUENCES

The week’s reactions and online commentary often hinted at the stark contrast between the participants of the two incidents: wealthy individuals using the sea for recreation versus impoverished migrants facing recurring misfortune.

Apryl Alexander, a public health professor at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, commented that the African migrants didn’t seem to generate the same level of public interest as the affluent Titanic explorers.

Alexander related this discrepancy to the skewed representation of crime in the United States media, which tends to prioritize crimes against affluent, white victims over victims of color living in poverty.

THE MEDIA’S FOCUS ON A SELECT GROUP

According to Tim Recuber, an assistant professor of sociology at Smith College, the media is more likely to empathize with stories involving smaller groups. This allows the audience to connect with the suffering of individuals more intimately.

“We are able to learn who the people on the sub are because of who they are. They’re wealthy and they have access to the press. Divisions of race and national identity matter in terms of who gets empathized with,” Recuber added.

THE PUBLIC’S ATTRACTION TO RISK-TAKING

Daryl Van Tongeren, a psychology professor at Hope College in Michigan, suggests that the public is intrigued by individuals who deliberately court danger. Through these individuals, readers and viewers can vicariously experience thrilling risks and death-defying actions.

DISASTER FATIGUE CONTRIBUTES

The continual onslaught of grim news such as the pandemic, mass shootings, economic instability, war, and climate change might lead to desensitization, Alexander suggested. She advocated for equal societal attention to all human tragedies, regardless of race, religion, demographics, or other factors.

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This report was a collaboration between Big Big News journalists David Sharp and Cara Rubinsky.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Public reaction to tragedies

More about Public reaction to tragedies

• Impact of Class and Race on Media Coverage
• Disaster Fatigue and Public Desensitization
• Public’s Fascination with Risk-Taking
• Media’s Influence on Public Empathy
• James Cameron’s Titanic