Reflections

Through this course, we have seen the many ways in which media influences the consumption of disaster by distant spectators. The ways outlined on these pages only begin to tackle the numerous forms of media. Ultimately, each form is unique and brings something special to the understanding that people seek.

Researching this particular disaster has helped me understand how complex disasters can really be. Prior to this course, I never took the time to dissect the layers and combinations of messages and feelings involved with such incidents. However, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki opened up a new understanding: the politics of war, the harsh realities of victim suffering, and the controversy that surrounds the intersection of these two factors.

In the end, we are still only left with a partial understanding. Despite how much I researched, I will never be able to understand how those affected by the bombings felt, and what they went through. We may be able to grasp the influences and perceptions of those removed from the situation, but the entire picture will always remain a mystery of sorts.