Quote:
Originally Posted by Letum
For whom is it a greater tradgedy?
|
But that's never been the question, has it?
On the scale of the human race the greater tragedy would be the greater loss of life. It is impossible (an unwise) for any of us to reduce our perspective to that of the individuals affected, as it would clearly cloud our judgement.
For instance, to the widow the tragic pain of the loss of her husband has little to do with defining the circumstances leading to that loss.
The word "tragedy", and similar words, are completely based upon the context in which they are being used. When being used in the context of lives lost, the greater tragedy will be the one with the greater loss of life. You're attempting to assert that the word "tragedy" cannot be reconciled with a word describing magnitude, but the fact is that it can.
Language is used to describe and communicate concepts. If someone says that the loss of 2 million people is a greater tragedy than the loss of 2 thousand, that would be an accurate description.
That description has nothing to do with the impact to the individuals, mind you - it merely is based upon this forumla:
Loss of human life = Tragedy.
2 Million > 2 thousand
As such, the loss of 2 million human lives is a greater tragedy then the loss of 2 thousand.