Some sea- and earthquake-ravaged communities in Japan fell victim not just to a natural disaster; they also fell victim to a short memory. Stone tablets, some over 600 years old, warned inhabitants to build on higher ground and to beware of tsunamis in the aftermath of earthquakes.
"It takes about three generations for people to forget. Those that experience the disaster themselves pass it to their children and their grandchildren, but then the memory fades," he said.
How long does it take for individuals to forget their own best wisdom? Never mind tsunamis and other in-your-face disasters ... just the best wisdom they have amassed through time and experience. They have paid the price to gather that wisdom and then, somehow, they forget and put their foot into the bear trap anew.
Maybe the mind is like television shows: Come summer, the best it can offer is reruns.
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