As usual, politicians dismissed their responsibility; local administrators and the government blamed previous administrations rather than assuming responsibility for the event. Furthermore, they even accused nature, as though they had extensive knowledge on the sacred order of the universe, divine cohesion and ecological balance; they declared global warming guilty because of their reliance on superficial information. Some, on the other hand, argued that it is the people who should be blamed, as if they had no responsibility as the holders of official positions. This is a political tactic that has been used in recent times. If the government is unable to deal with a problem, it puts all the blame on the state as if it was the one who was victimized by the incident. In such cases, it acts like an opposition party, seeking the problem in the system rather than its faults and flaws, but it never takes action to transform the system as well. Now two culprits are added to this list: the people and nature.As far as our human condition is concerned, it is obvious that nature is under extensive threat. The wild growth of capitalism is pushing it to its limits. Sustainable development is impossible; it is impossible because this is actually a clichéd slogan that conceals the flaws of the global system; it actually suggests capitalist growth. Nature is unable to bear this material and social burden any longer. The chaos in our spirit is now conveyed to our social life and various venues of a material nature. Tragically, a conservative political administration acts like a normal capitalist actor and puts greater emphasis on economic growth; this is actually a denial of its original roots. Yes, nature is issuing punishment but nature does not have an inherent power or will; this is a divine punishment, and we are suffering from the consequences of this punishment under the supervision and administration of pious people who observe their religious duties.
Our social situation is even more pathetic.
1- Cities submitting to global capitalism are developing contrary to the original nature of the spirit and of human nature. This is a hormonal growth; it makes the residents of the city modern nomads; it forces them to become wilder and merciless vis-à-vis nature. The Milli Görüş (National View) movement, which has been holding power in local administrations since 1994, is now suffering; the basic parameters of its approach have proved to be useless. The parties that have won elections by making reference to the horizons of a new civilization did nothing but add new distortions and deformities to the existing ones. They could not develop a new vision of civilization nor did they ease the lives of ordinary people.
2- The death of seven female workers in a van in which only animals could be carried was dramatic and tragic because the incident proved that the rights of workers and the value of their labor was not significant at all for this administration. The current state of the political administration, which leaves the whole of discretion in the management of the economy to global capitalism, is simply pathetic. Globalization dislikes unions and workers' rights. İstanbul has become a city where all demands that would cause discomfort for global capitalism are repressed.
3- Those who viewed the flood as an opportunity for looting and those who rented a car in Zonguldak to participate in the looting prove that we are suffering from an immense moral problem. Our moral values are in a state of collapse.
4- The Büyükçekmece Bridge, built by the great Ottoman architect Sinan in 1567 is still standing and strong because he took into account the conditions at the site during its construction; however, the D-100 bridge, blocking the flow of water to the sea, and the Silivri courtroom built three months ago were devastated by the flood. This gives some insight into the strength and precision of our modern calculations and the materials used in the construction of modern buildings.
5- Five days before the floods, a boat sank in Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. The minister assumed responsibility and resigned shortly after. However, no political actors made such noble gestures in our country.
6- İstanbul is neither a city of our civilization nor a modern Western city. It is a giant collection of slum houses suited to a third-world country. The historical peninsula within the walls tries to preserve its place in memory like a naïve story. It is slowly disappearing within the postmodern slums under this administration.
7- A life or civilization challenging the rules of God, the order of nature and divine standards. Conservative politics is only a mask or makeup. Heavy rain wipes off this makeup and reveals the actual face underneath.
