As a devÂasÂtatÂed Japan conÂtinÂues to strugÂgle with the damÂage to its nuclear facilÂiÂties, sevÂerÂal othÂer nations have begun reconÂsidÂerÂing their nuclear poliÂcies. GerÂmany, for examÂple, has temÂporarÂiÂly closed down sevÂen aging nuclear reacÂtors, and othÂer counÂtries (includÂing RusÂsia, ChiÂna, and the US) have announced checks of their own safeÂty stanÂdards.
CynÂics might sugÂgest that these announceÂments are calÂcuÂlatÂed less to make subÂstanÂtive changes than to calm a frightÂened pubÂlic, and attempts to manÂage perÂcepÂtions of the atomÂ’s volatile powÂers are nothÂing new. They began immeÂdiÂateÂly after the bombÂings of HiroshiÂma and NagasaÂki. The video above, proÂduced by GenÂerÂal ElecÂtric in 1952, was one of many AtomÂic EnerÂgy “PR films” designed to sway pubÂlic opinÂion in favor of this profÂitable and powÂerÂful new enerÂgy resource. (CoinÂciÂdenÂtalÂly, GE built the FukushiÂma reacÂtor that’s now in deep trouÂble.)
A is for Atom was a huge hit — it won sevÂerÂal honÂors, includÂing a speÂcial prize at the Venice Film FesÂtiÂval and a MerÂit Award from ScholasÂtic Teacher. In some ways those honÂors were deserved. The movie is a sprightÂly carÂtoon with cheerÂful narÂraÂtion and explaÂnaÂtions of some difÂfiÂcult physics, even as it avoids any engageÂment with the dark sides of nuclear enerÂgy. In fact, the whole mesÂsage boils down to a reasÂsurÂance that the atomÂ’s masÂsive potenÂtial is all “withÂin man’s comÂmand.”
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, VariÂety, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
