Introduction. Last week, the Oroville dam in California was weakened by flooding and 200,000 were evacuated. The main concern was its "structural integrity" (SI). The things that weakened the structure were not anticipated when it was being built and a "catastrophic failure" (CF) nearly occurred. If it had, an estimated 30-foot wall of water could have destroyed the town. Now the SI of many dams is being assessed to see if they too are under any threat of CF. A look at the definition of SI on the internet reveals that many CFs have occurred in our history. Bridges and buildings have collapsed and killed multitudes because girders, rivets, welds, concrete or rebar could not withstand an unanticipated force and the structure failed as a result.
Human Structural Integrity and Catastrophic Failures. Just as there CFs in physical structures, they also exist in human relationships. Some relationships are meant to be bound together for life. To hold marriages and business partnerships together, we have binding contracts, marriage vows, oaths in court, or a pledge of allegiance to the nation. These were all created so we could have SI in our homes, places of employment, courts and nation. Divorce, embezzlement, perjury and treason are among the worst of CFs in human relationships. Examples abound of the anarchy and rebellion such things can bring to a culture
Human Structural Integrity and Catastrophic Failures. Just as there CFs in physical structures, they also exist in human relationships. Some relationships are meant to be bound together for life. To hold marriages and business partnerships together, we have binding contracts, marriage vows, oaths in court, or a pledge of allegiance to the nation. These were all created so we could have SI in our homes, places of employment, courts and nation. Divorce, embezzlement, perjury and treason are among the worst of CFs in human relationships. Examples abound of the anarchy and rebellion such things can bring to a culture