If you believe the news, we’re a nation transfixed on the BP blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, I propose that we’re a nation obsessed with ascribing blame and demanding an immediate fix, and the story we’re told fits within those constraints.
There’s no question that this situation is an ugly one. There’s no question that more than one player bears responsibility for what happened a mile under the ocean. And there’s no question the president, either of this country [or BP for that matter], can fix this disaster. It’s a job for the experts, people who’ve trained for years in their field, but given our want-it-now attitudes, we’re upset they haven’t shot the silver bullet into the oil well.
We Want Heroes
In a perfect world, the people put in positions of immense authority (i.e. presidents of countries and companies) would be able to solve every problem that crosses their paths immediately. After all, they do have power. The reality is much murkier and more complicated than we like to acknowledge.
Contrary to popular opinion, President Obama can’t do much more than he’s doing at the moment. He isn’t an oil engineer, a deep-sea diver, or a scientist. Take him to task for not better managing the agencies he oversees, but stop following the crazy logic that he has magical powers he’s choosing not to use to cap the well. Does anyone believe he wouldn’t rather focus his time and attention on the million other things a president has to face?
BP Pays a Price
As I’ve listened to the commentators go on and on about BP’s failure to cap the well, I’ve heard little about the price it’s paying. [Yes, I'm aware it doesn't compare to the livelihoods lost by individuals.] BP may be a big company, but you’ve heard of dying by a thousand cuts. Lawsuits will last years, BP is literally bleeding as its product spews into the ocean, and off-shore drilling will be forever changed by this event.
BP and its contractors will be fined, heavily one suspects, and they’ve completely lost whatever ground they gained when they rebranded themselves as “beyond petroleum.” Be angry at BP for not being better prepared, for not asking more questions about fail safes. But keep in mind that BP wishes like everyone else that this had never happened. BP’s main goal is not to upset the entire ecosystem of the Gulf. It’s to make money. So when you’re yelling, “Why can’t BP fix the problem?” know they’re probably yelling the same question at each other.
Why Presidents Can’t Fix Disasters
If you believe that the guys on the ground aren’t giving it their all to fix this problem, I question your rationale. The only people who have anything to gain are proponents of alternative energy, and even they must cringe at the thought of benefiting openly from an oil spill.
In our 24/7 world we believe the solutions to problems should be immediate. We believe that all worse-case scenarios should have perfected reactions. And we believe that the man or woman who holds the highest office should be able to fix our problems. This argument isn’t political, but logistical. To assume that the guy or gal in charge is the road block to solving the problems we face gives him or her too much power.
You may have resources others do not as a president or leader, but those resources don’t necessarily work any better for you because they’re still manned by humans. You know, that imperfect creature you see in the mirror every day.
Challenge the systems that aren’t working. Challenge the people in charge to push for more information, for more answers. But don’t fall into the trap of believing one person can fix a disaster. I’d like to believe that if that was the case, said person would rise to the challenge, but we don’t elect or hire Superman or Wonder Woman. We hire real people, people like us who don’t always have the answers. If they’re incompetent, they need to be fired. If they fail to ask questions, they need to be fired. But if they’re doing everything that’s possible, we’re fools to set expectations that no one can live up to.
