In the Pits

The media coverage of the mine cave-in is a good example of how words make a difference as to how we feel and hope and grieve. I have been shocked but not surprised in listening to the on air media talk about the miners. In the beginning of this cave-in saga, there was a hopeful attitude and virtually all the reporters characterized the minors as “trapped” in the cave-in.

As time passed—agonizingly slowly—some began talking about the “victims” in the mine. Then, last night, I heard a switch to “missing” miners. We might well miss them personally. The rescuers first drilled shaft missed the mark, but the minors weren’t technically missing. We knew where they were. We don’t know how they are.

Late last night one reporter talked about the men who were “entombed” in the cave-in. That is a big shift in meaning and creates a different set of expectations than “trapped.” It may, in fact, be true. However, as of this writing, we don’t know.

I suspect that these shifts in usage are psychological and not planned out or focused to manage our expectations. Since the words do make a difference and are so impactfull, I wish that we all took more care in how we talk about and report this kind of highly emotional human story.