A Media Meltdown (The China Syndrome)

 Objective Review:

There are several pivotal scenes in the 1979 film The China Syndrome. This review will be contained to five key scenes that relate to the analysis below. The first important scene happens when reporter Kimberly Wells is visibly fearful or uncomfortable while holding the simulated Uranium capsule inside the Ventana nuclear power plant. This is a subtle introduction to the ubiquitous fear of nuclear energy; indeed, many of the reasons that cause consternation about the safety of nuclear energy are stated in the remainder of this scene by camera man Richard as he mocks the plant employee for providing only a rosy description of nuclear energy. A second influential scene happens in the plant’s control room following the event; here the viewer sees humans actively interpreting information from technology and making decisions based on that data. Third, happens within the news studio when Mr. Jacovich stops the hot story of the accident at the nuclear power plant from airing, stating it would be “totally irresponsible to put in on air before knowing what it’s all about” (Bridges, 1979). It is one of many scenes that demonstrate human input into a technology system. Fourth is the explanation by Jack Godell, a lead character and supervisor of the plant, talking to reporter Kimberly in the bar. He speaks to her about nuclear plants being designed for accidents, mentioning that nuclear plants have backup systems, and that those systems worked as they should during the accident. Fifth, are the multiple scenes that demonstrate the characters’ connections to their employment organizations giving context for individual behaviors.

Reaction:

First, I didn’t expect such a good movie. Minus the overt sexism throughout the film, there is an interesting story nested within a clever and suspenseful plot. I’ve lived close to multiple nuclear power plants and spent a summer working at the Hanford site in Washington; despite understanding the benefits and being generally supportive of nuclear energy, there is still a kernel of lingering fear I hold on to about nuclear plants. This film had me confronting those feelings. Though given Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima have all occurred in my lifetime, it’s not fully an irrational fear. This movie validated that socially we question the technology’s safety. Additionally, considering the film is close to 50 years old, I have two final reactions. First, I think it’s interesting that we still struggle in our feelings towards nuclear energy despite the growing concern also with other forms of energy (e.g. coal). Second, I’m wondering if others also related the premise of the film to our current fears and uncertainties of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Interpretation:

Through the lens of social-technical theory we can look at specific intersections of social and technological systems (Abbas & Michael, 2023). The film highlights an accident involving the technologies of a nuclear power plant and television news, and how the interconnected with social systems impact decision making and behavior. Take for instance the society’s knowledge of nuclear energy; it stems from weapons and outcome of the atomic bombs in Japan. With this experience, it is no surprise that radioactive waste, the output of nuclear energy, is a source of concern for many people. We see this in the film relevant to the protests and unease. Additionally, public news broadcasting is a subsystem that highlights the technology of television and its impact on public opinion and power. Media is the primary mechanism that can alert the public of a safety concern and influence the pending approval of further nuclear power plants.

Quoting the synopsis of Perrow’s theory, “there will always be unforeseen complications and unexpected contingencies” (Perrow, Charles - Normal Accident Theory, 2008), highlights that how accidents unfold is dependent on system structures. In the scene with Jack Godell describing how nuclear plants are designed for accidents, he provides valuable insight into the accident at Ventana; and he states it, the backup systems worked as they were designed to do (Bridges, 1979). He describes the layers of tests and procedures necessary to contain accidents. What becomes interesting is his experience in identifying the problems and associate resolutions.

In contrast to the redundant structures at the nuclear plant, the news broadcasting agency is fast paced and includes very few layers of verification and approvals. Using the concept of slack as highlighted by M.B. Lawson (2001), additional resources, including time, provide flexibility. Slack is difficult to assess with news media given the balance needed to be both flexible and efficient, while also mitigating potential risks. Mr. Jacovich stopping the news story from airing demonstrated the existence of slack within the station. Lawson also directly connects slack to nuclear accidents of Three Mile Island and Takaimura, where organizations did not give time for trainings that would have impacted prevention and response of those accidents (Lawson, 2001). Similar to in the film, the Takaimura incident resulted from outside pressures to avoid money loses. Evidence would suggest that slack is a necessary component to reducing tense situations.

The film demonstrates also how a culture of fear and power dynamics within an organization impacts the complex relationship of systems in an accident. While technology is integral to the output of a system, human input largely affects the system. Public fear and self-preservation are dynamic factors influencing the situations in the film. Particularly interesting in the film is the tension of individuals challenging the actions of their organization. This can be seen through Jack’s standoff and Richard Adam’s actions to steal the film and secretly seek academic interpretations of the footage. Using Perrow’s DEPOSE as a mechanism to analyze the intersection of human and technology in a disaster, we can highlight key attributes of complex systems that set the stage for failure (Abbas & Michael, 2023). Take the pin being stuck coupled with operator error, Jack’s observation and experience allowed the equipment failure to be recognized and influenced subsequent actions. Additionally, the welding imperfection is also a technology problem that social systems complicate. Reputation and money compromised a straightforward resolution.

References

Abbas, R., & Michael, K. (2023). Socio-Technical Theory: A review. In S. Papagiannidis (Ed.), TheoryHub. Retrieved from https://open.ncl.ac.uk / ISBN:

Bridges, J. (Director). (1979). The China Syndrome [Motion Picture].

Lawson, M. (. (2001). In Praise of Slack: Time Is of the Essence. The Academy of Management Prospectives, 15(3), 125-135.

Perrow, Charles - Normal Accident Theory. (2008, December 15). Retrieved from Wikidot: http://paei.wikidot.com/perrow-charles-normal-accident-theory