Petrov
Stanislav Petrov refused to push a little button, thus saving the world from a nuclear war.
"I imagined if I'd assume the responsibility for unleashing the third World War - and I said, no, I wouldn't."
The tension must have been overwhelming - did he really have the time to consider the global context of his actions?
"I always thought of it. Whenever I came on duty, I always refreshed it in my memory. At that moment, there was no time to think, I had to work, work, work."
The tension must have been overwhelming - did he really have the time to consider the global context of his actions?
"I always thought of it. Whenever I came on duty, I always refreshed it in my memory. At that moment, there was no time to think, I had to work, work, work."
although his decision would make an excellent case for Gladwell's Blink, the truth of the matter is that we all are living under a Damocles' sword, a second away from another glitch in the system triggering a horrendous possibility.
So, life goes on, Petrov has been recognized by the Association of World Citizens for his actions, and we continue to burn oil.
It is not the end of the world, is it?