Atomic Euphoria (10/22)

It is interesting how the perception of atomic principles, radiation, and nuclear power changed throughout the 20th century. During wartime and production, the atomic bomb was seen as unleashing uncontrollable energy that would have detrimental effects on everything around it. After World War II and later into the Cold War era, debates over the great consequences that nuclear energy harbored gradually went away. These were replaced by views of the atom as helping, not hurting, civilization.

The atom was characterized as “obedient” and “friendly.” These images were not warlike at all. Honestly, it sounds like Americans began to think of anything nuclear as just as harmless and their dog. The atom was just as obedient and friendly as a dog, man’s new best friend. Ironically, in relation to my analogy, a National Geographic image shows a moveable Geiger Counter called “Fido.” As we have studied with the meltdowns of Chernobyl and Three-Mile Island, nuclear power and energy is anything but safe and controllable.

Companies and the government wanted to portray nuclear power as aiding Americans lives, instead of only potentially destroying them. In Project Plowshare, the government tried to show that atomic bombs could be used for farming to blow up fields cheaper than conventional techniques. This great cheap source of destructive power could be used for good and helping industry. Peaceful uses such as radiation treating cancer patients were made well-known. We still use such methods in medicine today. One thing that I found really funny but also odd was the fact that in all pictures the writers made a point to say that the handlers were well protected. You can even see the safety gear on or around them. However, the person or animal being treated had nothing protecting them from the radiation. So, while a doctor was well protected against gamma rays, his patient was not. How safe is that?

I learned so many interesting facts from the readings and class. General Electric actually contracted and built nuclear reactors. Even living in the “hometown” of GE, I never had a clue they were involved in that type of energy. I also learned how much public opinion influences what technology makes it. In these pictures, food is shown to be preserved by radiation. In today’s society, we would never do that. Public perception is that it is harmful and weird. This response is a little peculiar when I begin to think about how the public doesn’t even ask questions about including preservatives and trans fats in our foods to keep up their shelf life, even though these methods also have very hazardous health effects.

What is most interesting to take away from these articles is that the atom was for once seen as something peaceful. It could cure cancer, preserve food, supply energy, and employ people. In that day, the atom was thought to be limitless. It could extend into all realms of life, as we have seen. However, we now know in hindsight that nuclear applications could not be a panacea for all the problems in society. While its power might be used to solve some problems, the ills it also causes cannot be forgotten.