OceanGate Implosion
Titanic. When we think of that word, most of us might picture a sunken ship resting at the bottom of the great ocean, pristine walls and a golden-clad staircase, or maybe Leonardo Di Caprio screaming “I’m the king of the world!” and proceeding to not make it at the end of the movie because Rose couldn’t scoot over on the broken door (spoiler, I know).
But in the past year, the Titanic became part of a story that happened near its hull, which saw the deaths of multi-billionaires and a company’s founder—all for the lower price of $250,000.
The OceanGate controversy happened in 2023. A submersible vessel known as “Titan” embarked on a watery grave in hopes of seeing the Titanic. The five who ventured down, including its founder, Stockton Rush, were tragically killed as the pressure inside the vessel caused it to implode as it reached lower and lower.
You would think such a tragedy would lead to an outcry for reasons why it happened or a mourning for those lost. However, a firestorm of backlash against the company, the ironic nature of the overall trip, and it being the death of multi-billionaires when the economy is at such a tumultuous point, all lead to memes and jokes about OceanGate.
The ultimate hubris was from Stockton Rush who decided to go with the Titan and ignore all warnings. This was seen in the memes, with people calling him a clown and posting clips of him controlling the Titan with the video game controller and clicking the wrong button. Furthermore, the risk-taking done by the elite to go on this trip given the absence of major safety protocols allowed people to think the privileged individuals were pushing past boundaries due to their rich lifestyle without taking into account the risks at hand. In a time when it seems economic turmoil is always at the forefront of global speculation (especially with inflation rising and the generational wealth gap that has formed)
Are we so disdained by financial issues that we celebrate a billionaire's death without thinking of the person as a whole? Some would say yes, others might not agree, but either way, the situation was one that was brewing for catastrophe. In interviews with Stockton Rush and his past projects, he speaks on taking risks and not making safety a top priority.
“At some point, safety is just pure waste.” - Stockton Rush, circa 2022 (a year before his death)
The reasons for the disdain and widespread mockery surrounding the deaths of these billionaires are rooted in global economic concerns and the desensitizing nature of social media. Poverty is at an all-time high, the middle class appears to be vanishing, inflation is rising, and wealth disparity only grows. So, when a few elites embark on a voyage that spells impending disaster only to meet that very fate, it inevitably breeds controversy and backlash. Many of us, having grown up with or frequently using social media, are desensitized to tragedies like this after being exposed to harsh realities and other distressing events online.
However, in the end, this was a loss of life that went away in the blink of an eye. The implosion was so quick the crew wouldn’t have even noticed it was happening, or when it ended. The use of social media as a form of dark humor amid the tragedy can be attributed to the crew members' financial state and the overall laxed nature of Stockton Rush’s attitude towards the submersible. One can only hope that future expeditions towards the Titanic won’t lead to another tragedy like OceanGate.
10/28/24, c.pyle