We're Doomed

When I was 10, I watched the movie Final Destination for the first time. Held against her will by straps and machinery, she fought to break free. She knew the beeping wasn’t right. This laser eye surgery was supposed to cure her poor vision. But instead, the laser burned and pierced through her eye, blinding her. Finally, she broke free. She then stumbled around in pain and hysteria, falling through the window to her death. Although this movie may have exposed me to graphic and cruel scenes my mother wish I had not seen, it taught me one life lesson: life is full of mystery and odd occurrences. A real-life mystery resembling this idea is the mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance. Earhart sought to be the first person to circumnavigate the world. However, on July 2, 1937, Amelia disappeared in the midst of completing her journey along with her navigator Fred. Running out of gas mid-flight and dying from impact, becoming a castaway on Gardner Island, now called Nikumaroro, or perhaps becoming a spy captured by Japanese soldiers all happen to be theories attempting to explain the mystery of her disappearance. Yes, I’m aware Final Destination is only a movie, but as we watch the unlucky individuals die following a sequence of unusual incidents, we can see how this drama emulates the unsolved mystery and fate of Amelia Earhart.

Though the mystery of what actually happened to Amelia Earhart 82 years ago is still yet to be solved, investigators are still making efforts to find answers. But why after all this time are people still trying to get to the bottom of this? Is it because mysteries are just so intriguing? In Hayan Jouni’s “Solving a Mystery . . . 8 Years Later”, he examines “an interesting case of Erdheim-Chester disease, a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis with multisystem involvement and insidious symptoms, that was eventually diagnosed 8 years after symptoms initially started” (Jouni 1). Expanding upon the longevity of some mysteries, answers to medical mysteries like this are hard to come by. It is only through conducting a thorough investigation that truth may be revealed. However, as time elapses, the side effects continue to manifest, increasing the urgency to find answers. Knowing these symptoms come at a cost and will not subside without treatment, medical professionals are encouraged to be proactive in finding a solution. “Because of worsening proptosis, he was evaluated 2 years later...a diagnosis of orbital pseudotumors was made...The patient eventually underwent radiation therapy that markedly relieved his proptosis” (Jouni 1). Multiple attempts are often necessary to unveil something; it is a process. This process may explain why mysteries are so intriguing; the chase of finding them is thrilling and there’s always some type of reward at the end, may it be the answer, the sense of achievement, or recognition. As a young child, I often found myself caught up in this chase. Watching Scooby Doo, Snapped, and Forensic Files, I too was trying to pursue answers in the realm of mystery solving. Perhaps it was the experience that these shows provided, leading me through this process as if I were solving the mysteries myself. Despite my rationale, one thing all of these shows had in common was there always being an answer at the end of the episode. However, in reality, a lot of mysteries go unsolved.

With there being so many unsolved mysteries, it makes me wonder how the ones that were solved were solved and if the methodology differed. In the course of investigating, multifarious tools and procedures are executed, including the application of forensic science. Field Editor Stephen Metz discusses in his article, “Forensics: Solving Mysteries With Science”, how “Forensic science is both an important part of our criminal justice system and also an avenue…” (Metz 6). The utilization of forensic science plays a major role in the attempt to find answers. However, since there sometimes may be a lack of forensic evidence, we cannot solely rely on it. Nonetheless, the tools it equips us with while practicing are essential. He writes, “A forensics student learns to analyze and interpret data; use mathematics and computational thinking; obtain, evaluate, and communicate information; construct explanations; and engage in argument from evidence ” (Metz 6). Evidently, the implementation of forensics is pretty systematic and doesn’t change case to case. Given an answer is found, I assume the proceeding priority is what we do with our findings.

Our findings are not only answers, but a means to serve justice to those deserving of. This justice may supply solutions to hardships, or offer reassurance and closure by limiting the uncertainty in our lives. Within exploring the transformative power justice can have, I found there to be universality upheld in its truth. Similarly to the uniformity of forensic science, the idea of justice proves to be consistent among different cultures. Sara Mayeux’s article “The Idea of ‘The Criminal Justice System’” examines “The idea of ‘the criminal justice system’ within the longer history of systems theories more generally, drawing on recent scholarship in intellectual history and the history of science...reflects upon the assumptions and premises that go along with thinking about any complex phenomenon as a ‘system’” (Mayeux 55). Breaking down the criminal justice system into a smaller unit such as systems alone can help one grasp the idea of the system and its function. “...structures and processes in order to collectively perform (or fail to perform) some function or set of functions in society and that we can therefore study, map, seek to understand, manipulate, and seek to improve in systemic ways” (Mayeux 56). There is a clear purpose behind justice that serves as the backbone of the idea of the criminal justice system.

Despite this widely accepted concept, there are still improvements demanded to be made within the system. In the article “The U.S. Criminal Justice System: A Role for Radical Social Work” Enid O. Cox and Johny Augustine “analyze the current criminal justice system relative to neoliberalism and ongoing reform efforts” (Cox 157). The Criminal Justice System intends to instill order within society. It conveys morals for what is right, wrong, just, and unjust. However, the system may vary among countries. “Characteristics of the current United States criminal justice system include mass incarceration at a rate higher than that of any other Western country, extraordinarily long sentences, rampant racial discrimination, and discrimination against all low-income persons” (Cox 157). The idea of justice is universal, however, the way it is carried out differs among cultures. This is where our ideas and actions begin to deviate. The difference the U.S. Criminal Justice System has from others demonstrates how we all have our own ideas of what is justice or how it should be served. Given we don’t all have the same beliefs, values, or practices, we may react in an ethnocentric way.

Aside from arguing if the way different cultures deliver justice is the right or ethical way, the most memorable event when two ideas of justice clashed were the 9/11 terrorist attacks. According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, “The Islamic terrorist group Al-Qaeda’s radical actions supported their own political and religious goals, hoping to promote fear and weaken America.” Al-Qaeda served America in a way they thought to be just. But how victims go about overcoming this injustice is significant. In the article “The Effects of Individual Characteristics on Perceptions of Security Levels and Civil Liberties: An Examination Over a Decade After 9/11” PJ Verrecchia and Nicole Hendrix “investigate the levels of trust in the government undergraduate college students have and how safe they feel over a decade after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001” (Verrecchia 4). The government and citizens have taken certain measures to recover from 9/11. “...‘from a minor concern to a ‘War on Terror.’ In an effort to prevent any aftershocks, on October 26, 2011, President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act into law” (Verrecchia 4). There have been changes made to adapt to new circumstances. The changes made since 9/11 in regards to people’s behavior and feelings express how powerful actions are. With this in mind, the way we go about justice should not be undermined.

After 9/11 transpiring, understandably, a lot of people feared flying. This snapshot moment stuck in people’s minds has altered their perception of how deadly flying in airplanes is. But in actuality, the chances of dying in a plane are far less than people think. The availability heuristic makes it appear like planes are more deadly than they are given how vivid 9/11 is and how fresh it is in people’s minds. Valerie S. Folkes’ article “The Availability Heuristic and Perceived Risk” examines “four studies using a variety of methodologies and products find that the availability heuristic (the ease with which one can bring to mind exemplars of an event) influences consumers' judgments about the likelihood of products failing” (Folkes 13). She writes, “Availability—the ease with which one can bring to mind exemplars of an event—affects estimates of how frequently the event occurs” (Folkes 13). I think it’s more than just being exposed to big events that increase the accessibility to one’s memory or recollection of easy examples to recall. How these events are stretched across social media platforms makes them seem more common than they are. This altered perception can change our behavior. As we have seen, 9/11 has influenced our airport routine with there being increased security and safety precautions. But imagine the damaging effects that are bigger than just going through airport security. There too are consequences that we may not see or all experience.

Noting how influential people’s actions are, it makes me wonder what else determines our behavior. There may be things that we are not even aware of that shape our society, with internal factors such as our values and beliefs being just as powerful. Though we can take certain steps to gain more control, our free will stands inferior to fate. In the article “Economic values, beliefs and behaviors: a regional approach”, João Carlos Graca identifies “relationships between economic value orientations, beliefs, and behaviors of agents, on the one hand, and differences between levels of economic development, on the other” (Graca 74). He writes, “Values and beliefs are cognitive components essential in the framing of individuals’ relationships with the economy...” (Graca 75). Our patterns and habits in regards to interacting with the economy are one example of how our own beliefs can influence our actions. If one believes in and values saving, they will do just that. Whereas others may have a particular preference such as buying coffee every morning, affecting the economy in another way. Graca continues to say, “These results are important for the formulation of economic and social policies taking into consideration the regional dimension...given the significant geographical differences in economic values, beliefs, and behaviors” (Graca 101). Our varying values and behaviors all play out differently. Maybe they clash, or maybe they balance each other out. Nonetheless, we must act a way that complements our values. Our morals and beliefs direct us in a fitting lifestyle, but at the end of the day, they are only guidance. Ultimately, influences determine how we behave. However, our response to these unwanted influences can go far. Do we give outsiders too much power in allowing them to steer our habits? Why did Earhart afterall wish to circumnavigate the world? Perhaps she feared someone else would accomplish it before her and so she allowed that fear to drive her in attempting something so big.

Expanding upon the evolution of our values and how impactful they are, we can see all these ideas of mystery, justice, values, and our actions come full circle. From first learning to fly, to being recognized as the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean, then to traveling Mexico City to New York City with no stops, Amelia too was on an ambitious chase. But we’re all guilty of this to some degree. Life is deceiving, we are just seeking truth. We value the answers we find from mysteries because they’re something we didn’t have before. However, with clashing internal and external factors impacting our values and actions, it’s challenging to make our values align with our actions. We’re always competing to be better and surpass prior accomplishments. Perhaps Amelia was aiming for something unattainable, searching for something not meant to be found. We may not have answers, but are we okay with that? Our constant search for them proves that we are not. For this, we are doomed.

Works Cited

Enid O. Cox & Johny Augustine (2018) The U.S. Criminal Justice System: A Role for Radical Social Work, Journal of Progressive Human Services, 29:3, 157-184, DOI: 10.1080/10428232.2017.1399035

“FAQ about 9/11.” National September 11 Memorial & Museum, www.911memorial.org/faq-about-911.

Folkes, Valerie S. “The Availability Heuristic and Perceived Risk.” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 15, no. 1, 1988, p. 13., doi:10.1086/209141.

JOÃO CARLOS GRAÇA, et al. “Economic Values, Beliefs and Behaviors: A Regional Approach.” Análise Social, vol. 50, no. 214, 2015, p. 74. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.24327095&site=eds-live.

Jouni, Hayan, et al. “Solving a Mystery . . . 8 Years Later.” Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports, vol. 6, 2018, p. 232470961775296., doi:10.1177/2324709617752962.

Mayeux, Sara. “The Idea of ‘The Criminal Justice System.’” American Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 45, no. 1, Spring 2018, pp. 55–93. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=131192290&site=eds-live.

Metz, Steve. “Editors Corner: Forensics: Solving Mysteries With Science.” The Science Teacher, vol. 084, no. 08, 2017, doi:10.2505/4/tst17_084_08_6.

VERRECCHIA, P. J. 1.pverrecc@ycp.ed., and NICOLE2 HENDRIX. “The Effects of Individual Characteristics on Perceptions of Security Levels and Civil Liberties: An Examination Over a Decade After 9/11.” Virginia Social Science Journal, vol. 50, Mar. 2015, pp. 4–10. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=118955402&site=eds-live.