Malaysian airlines flight 370: Is it time to move on?
Today’s culture is not accustomed to the inexplicable. Humans have discovered the workings of everything from the human body right up to the solar system. Right now, few things pose any true, lasting mystery. This is why the world seems to be so troubled by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Where did it go? Things do not simply disappear. It is a simple fact; everything must leave a trace. However, the trouble is that it seems Flight 370 did not. On March 8, the flight completely disappeared from the grid.
Not only did it not land at its intended destination in Beijing, China, its flight tracking data also vanished before the flight was meant to land.
While there was some speculation early on that the flight’s disappearance could be the work of terrorists, this theory seems to have been altogether discarded by now. And it’s for good reason, I imagine, since terrorists typically seek to threaten and therefore like to lay claim upon their actions.
So, it looks like the most logical theory as of now is that the aircraft crashed into the ocean during flight. If this is the case, however, it begs the question of why debris linked to the plane has yet to be found. For over a month now, searches for wreckage have continued to no avail. Every day, articles are posted providing updates about the current search status. Everything from oil spots to high frequency sounds have been investigated, but despite many possible leads, nothing concrete has surfaced.
The entire situation is a weird one, to say the least. Though families of the 239 passengers on the flight have been told not to expect the return of their loved ones, searches for the missing plane continue. It can be assumed, then, that any continued searches are conducted more out of hope in solving the mystery of Flight 370 rather than out of any lingering hope for survivors.
As with any great mystery, several conspiracy theories have developed including everything from a pilot suicide to an alien abduction. It is unlikely that any of the many conspiracy theories floating about are true.
However, these attempts to shed light upon the bizarre are telling of our society. As I mentioned before, we have trouble accepting what we cannot explain. Our society thrives on knowledge and our ability to give and receive answers. We are accustomed to answers, and we want them fast. Most modern day members of society have access to the wonderful world of Google right at their fingertips.
If we are unsure of the answer, just give us two minutes. It only stands to reason that it is difficult for us to accept the disappearance of an entire plane and the 239 people on board with no explanation. It is for this reason that around $44 million collectively has been spent on the search so far.
While I support doing everything in our power to rescue passengers and ease the minds of the public, I believe it is also important to recognize when something is a lost cause. The simple fact is that the disappearance of Flight 370 will trouble us and exhaust our resources until the next thing comes along to baffle us, and when it does, we will enter into the same confused frenzy, disregarding the riddles of yesterday.
Perhaps it is time society accepts that not every question is accompanied by an immediate clear answer.
Sometimes, answers surface when we are not looking for them; years from now the truth of the plane’s disappearance may become evident. Now, however, may be the time to expend our time and energy elsewhere, while waiting for the next puzzle to arrive.