Shipbuilders' Magazine

A friend and I went to see the Titanic Artifact Exhibit today at the Centre Eaton. It's a fascinating experience for the modern mind. Staring into the eyes of Titanic victims. Looking at artifacts plucked from the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean. Marvelling at the opulence of another time. Discovering that there were automatic flush toilets in 1914 (because many immigrants had never used a toilet before and wouldn't know when to flush). Finding the squash courts on the ship blueprints.

It all seemed so long ago - and yet so familiar. Especially the similarities between the tragedy of the Titanic and our current economic mess.

Allow me to explain.

1. Icebergs. The White Star Line was so eager to launch the Titanic - considered to be the summum of the shipbuilding art - that they cut corners in order to more quickly start generating profits. Binoculars for the watchmen were misplaced, not enough lifeboats on board, warnings were ignored, etc. The Titanic was primed for disaster from the beginning. Fast forward to 2008. Banks and corporations were in such a rush to generate more profits - especially with that cash-cow war in Iraq - they continued to amass more debt and eventually fell into the liquidity trap. They ignored the warnings and OOOH! is that an iceberg!? Once again, some refuse to learn from history, and we are all doomed to repeat it.
2. Shipbuilders' Magazine. As the White Star Line was building the Titanic in 1911, Shipbuilders' Magazine labelled this mammoth of the sea as "practically unsinkable". Isn't it interesting to think that there was a magazine about shipbuilding in the early 20th century? Shipbuilding was a huge industry in that era and the magazine is a testament to how important it was. Was. The shipbuilding industry has shrunk since then, having been replaced by aeronautics, etc. So isn't this fact of history also a testament to the human ability to adapt? As we read about the bailouts for the Big Three, can we not find some comfort in the fact that even if car manufacturing is eclipsed - like shipbuilding was - that we will continue to find new opportunities to explore? As long as human ingenuity persists, we will develop new skills, new industries, new ways of making life more comfortable.

Before you go, watch this cool animation of how the Titanic sunk. James Cameron narrates. And don't worry - Leonardo DiCaprio is never mentioned. Thankfully.