God's Image?

Looking at recent news stories I wondered whether they said anything about the value of human life. The above is a subjective ordering, but there could be an empirical and quantitative basis. 

Consider the following:

- On 18 October 2011 captured IDF tank gunner Gilad Shalit, captured by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas in 2006, was released in exchange for 1027 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

- The majority of victims on flight MH17 were Europeans. We can speculate that the response would've been faster and stronger if the majority of victims were American.

- Black Americans are 4 times more likely to be murdered than the national average. This situation is perennial and so therefore presumably tolerable. Some have speculated that, "if this situation existed in communities outside of the African American community, it would be declared a national emergency".

- It takes a major train, industrial or natural disaster on a major scale (e.g. 2004 Tsunami initial figures 4000 dead) to register on our evening news.

- Africa tops the list for infant mortality and death on a massive scale is a taken for granted given. Infant mortality is 26 times higher than in Europe. This year there have been 1145 African Ebola deaths. The recent headline "First European Ebola death" was telling and significant.

My New Trainers!

Have you experienced the ‘new trainers’ effect? Yeah, you know – when you buy that new pair of trainers, all gleaming and bright:  there’s no way you’re gonna mess them up. Mind out mate, don’t step on my trainers! Gotta avoid that puddle. And it’s not only trainers; it applies to anything new: cars, phone, furniture. Gotta keep that remote control in its plastic!

Then gradually, after a surprisingly short period of time wearing your trainers, you somehow don’t give a crap about them! Eventually you’re wearing some scruffy, dirty, smelly pair of trainers – until, of course, you get some new ones…