A Quick Buck

I was just going over some Titanic things on the Internet and got to thinking. Many company's are using Titanic for a quick buck. They don't realize or care that Titanic was a real disaster that affected real people. It just angers me to see people putting out books and products, that have no real substance, recently I bought a Titanic book and as I read it, it seemed as if it had been put together in a couple of days, there were so many factual errors, and it just seemed to me the author had written this book to catch the "Titanic Craze" sweeping the world, with the movie Titanic. Another example is the idea of a Titanic II, in my opinion they just want to make it to reek the benefits, they don't care about the actual ship, it would never be THE Titanic, and the romance that went along with the Titanic I think would be lost. I am also against RMS. Titanic Inc. I truly do believe they are just in it for the money. Titanic is hollowed grounds in my eye and should be brought up. I know I am only 15 and my opinion may not matter that much. But I just wanted to get this off my chest. I haven't posted in a while and am looking forward to talking to many of you, you guys are my mentors on the Titanic and I would just like to thank you for all the information you guys have given me. the "Titanic Craze" sweeping the world, with the movie Titanic. Another example is the idea of a Titanic II, in my opinion they just want to make it to reek the benifts, they dont care about the actual ship, it would never be THE Titanic, and the romance that went along with the Titanic I think would be lost. I am also against RMS Titanic Inc. I truly do beleive they are just in it for the money. Titanic is hollowed grounds in my eye and should be brought up. I know I am only 15 and my opinion may not matter that much. But I just wanted to get this off my chest. I havent posted in a while and am looking forward to talking to many of you, you guys are my mentors on the Titanic and I would just like to thank you for all the information you guys have given me.
 
Hi Trent

Everyones opinion matters and this is a delicate subject.
We have all been subjected to much of the tat produced by companies looking to make a quick buck from the disaster, even companies which were involved with the Titanic have found the passage of time enough to release related product to the market (remember the "authentic" Titanic officers whistle?).Not very nice.

Personally, I like the idea of "Titanic II".
To see first hand a ship in any way resembling the original Titanic would be wonderful and I for one would love to travel on her.

As for the artifacts recovered from the seabed, I would much rather feel the haunted uneasiness which makes me empathise with the tragedy at first hand than read or view accounts of the disaster which make me feel detached and almost "cosy" about the disaster.

I have never had the Titanic enthusiasts feeling of "I'd love to have been there" after seeing these exhibits, but I do after reading A Night To Remember.

I agree wholeheartedly that relatives views should be considered, especially where blatant commercialism is concerned, but I also feel that the enormity of the tragedy is easier to imagine and ponder with poignant artifacts from the wreck on view to us all.

Finally, I had a wonderful meal with my girlfriend tonight. She arrived at 11.30pm and left at 2.45am and I didnt even notice the time pass. Of course, this is the anniversary of the sinking. Isn't it incredible that such a short, fleeting period of time has the potential to have such a devestating effect on us all.

God rest their souls.

Regards

Sam
 
A delicate and emotional subject to say the least. Personally, I have no problem with anyone trying to make money. Lord knows we all have to earn a living, and where would we be now if people didn't write books to keep the memory of the ship alive as well as inspire thought? I don't mind coffee cups, model kits, or postcards and T-shirts with a darkly humorous twist either.

However, I do have a problem with bad taste run amok. That proposed Titanic themed hotel/casino proposed for Las Vegas is one example of something which I think goes way too far, as does this so called "ride" I heard about in Sydney owned by Fox (What a surprise) which trys to make a simulation of the disaster into a funny amusement.

There was nothing amusing about the real event. You had around 1500 people, plus or minus a few, who either drowned or froze to death when an operational error caused the ship to plunge to the bottom of the North Atlantic, and the 705 survivors would be haunted by the horror of the event for the rest of their lives. To see the whole thing reduced to the level of a gambling house or theme park sideshow is something I personally find offensive.

The bad thing about free enterprise is that people can attempt ventures that are in excruciatingly poor taste. The good thing about it is that the consumer can vote with his wallet. My vote is "no" to a lot of this.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
 
Quote: "The bad thing about free enterprise is that people can attempt ventures that are in excruciatingly poor taste. The good thing about it is that the consumer can vote with his wallet. My vote is "no" to a lot of this."

Agreed. However, the sad thing is that so many consumers do vote "yes." If they didn't, there'd be no point in anyone commercialising the disaster with amusement rides and the like.

Regards,
Paul.
 
It is a sad thing that so many consumers vote "yes." Frankly, I don't think we are very aware anymore of how badly we've been socialized into commercialism, and lack the capability to say "no" anymore. David Packard used to write books in the 1960s about how consumer psychology was used to gain control of the public's mind. Such issues don't bother people anymore, they take it for granted. Further, free enterprise is now resorted to as "the solution." In California, our electric bills are going through the roof, because somebody came up with the bright idea to deregulate the utilities. Another idea is to have public schools become commercial enterprises --so that we can have excellent schools that compete with the Japanese. Unfortunately, the downside is that if a private company runs the schools all you will learn there is how to go about making money-- and how someone can make money off of your kid. Today, for some reason individualism is frowned upon. Being part of the group, teamwork --that's what matters, because that's what is required to make lots of money. But what good is having lots of money when you're just a pawn for a big company? Commercialism is becoming an end for society when, at best, it should only be a means to an end. Further, the quality of life suffers when content is circumscribed by whatever supports making a profit.
 
Jan wrote:
Another idea is to have public schools become commercial enterprises --so that we can have excellent schools that compete with the Japanese. Unfortunately, the downside is that if a private company runs the schools all you will learn there is how to go about making money-- and how someone can make money off of your kid.

This is quite frightening. I'm not a mom, but I will be an Aunt soon and this scares me. You have to wonder where all of THIS will end. At what point will it be TOO MUCH?
 
A little food for thought: private schools have been around for a very long time in any number of nations. Some are church owned perochial schools, some are not. Bottom line is that they have an excellent record of academic acheivment to show for themselves whereas public schools have been becoming progressively worse.

Beyond that, a fair caveat to all concerned; we are starting to slide into expressions of political/sociological ideology on this thread. When you realise that you'll ruffle the feathers of something like half the people around here no matter what side you take, and likely provoke the flames to match, you might want to ask yourselves if you really want to go there.

Some debates are more trouble then they're worth.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
 
All a kid needs is a teacher who fires the imagination. Education can't teach you how to earn money.
How many entrepreneurs have listened to all their teachers teach?

I'm self employed and self made. If I had listened to my teachers I wouldn't be where I am now. "Those who can do , those who can't teach" is an overused cliche but it does ring true on occasion.

But not always.

May I immortalize (heavy, but he may do a keyword search someday!) my primary 5 teacher Dermot McLean who introduced me to the Titanic (by way of fantastic exaggeration) when I was nine years old old and who, by way of a 30 minute talk 18 years ago, is still opening my mind to such an amazing world.

My Oscar speech ends here!!

Regards

Sam
 
Wanna talk 'quick buck'? I have a horrible a and very cruel story i read in a magazine many years ago, surrounding the Titanic and her victims.
The story is as follows in my memory:

A man went to the the White Star Line Office, five days after the disaster and demanded to speak to the boss. Upon getting his request he told a harrowing story of how he had paid a rather large sum for his wife and seven very small children to cross over from Belguim in third class. He claimed he met his wife on a business trip to Belguim, and after marrying her, they had four sons and three daughters all under ten. He had moved back to Iowa five months before and had a newly built farm for his family. He claimed that another women had told him that she had personaly seen his family on Titanic and that they had drowned. She was lucky to get in to a lifeboat. The man demanded his money back for the tickets as well as a very large insurance fee for him wife, seven children, baggage and a reported 900 dollars she has with her.

The story had a followed up that reported the man was a drunkard and a poor man from Illinois, who has never been married, nor have any children. He didi'nt get a cent, but he did get time in jail and a fine.

The places people will go.....how cruel.
 
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