Японското крайбрежие е пометено от цунами, екипите трескаво се борят да предотвратят ядрена катастрофа. Инженерите възстанових магистрала за една седмица. В Либия се води гражданска война с международно участие, санкционирана с одобрението на Съвета за сигурност на ООН. В Кот д"Ивоар, демократично избраната опозиция обсажда столицата, защото загубилият президент не иска да отстъпи властта. На всякъде умират хора. Интересуваме ли се от това? Ние от нашата гледна точка, защитена от сигурността на разстоянието, интересуваме ли се, че далече от нас масови трагедии се случват?
Ето какво казва "бащата на икономиката" Адам Смит в неговата теория за моралните чувства:

"Let us suppose that the great empire of China, with all its myriads of inhabitants, was suddenly swallowed up by an earthquake, and let us consider how a man of humanity in Europe, who had no sort of connection with that part of the world, would be affected upon receiving intelligence of this dreadful calamity. He would, I imagine, first of all, express very strongly his sorrow for the misfortune of that unhappy people, he would make many melancholy reflections upon the precariousness of human life, and the vanity of all the labours of man, which could thus be annihilated in a moment. He would too, perhaps, if he was a man of speculation, enter into many reasonings concerning the effects which this disaster might produce upon the commerce of Europe, and the trade and business of the world in general. And when all this fine philosophy was over, when all these humane sentiments had been once fairly expressed, he would pursue his business or his pleasure, take his repose or his diversion, with the same ease and tranquility as if no such accident had happened. The most frivolous disaster which could befall himself would occasion a more real disturbance. If he was to lose his little finger tomorrow, he would not sleep tonight; but, provided he never saw them, he will snore with the most profound security over the ruin of a hundred millions of his brethren, and the destruction of that immense multitude seems plainly an object less interesting to him, than this paltry misfortune of his own."

 

--Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

 

Adam Smith