I’ve said it before. Others have said it. Now another clear publication cries it out: Terrorism feeds from being feared. The more terrorism manage to make it’s way to the headlines the more people loose sight of the real proportions of the threat represented by terrorism (“the number of Americans killed by international terrorism since the late 1960s is about the same as the number of Americans killed over the same period by lightning, accident-causing deer, or severe allergic reaction to peanuts”) and they nourish new acts of terrorism with their fear. Terror is just like any other fashion filling up the existential void of people without sufficient worldly pursuits. The temptation of your absurd act of insanity actually being noticed or even highlighted again and again by news channels desperate to create ‘news’ is seemingly to great to even well educated and integrated citizen.
It has almost become trivial to point out how our media is to blame for the disproportionate fear and ridiculous amounts of money spend to prevent terrorist attacks by opportunistic (or simply genuinely irrational) politicians. Terrorism’s aim is to create fear and paralysis, and the mass media are more than happy to help out if it means more viewers. As usual the medias are not ethically geared up to their power.
I cannot harness the optimism to believe the mass media will change being mindless wheels of market economy chasing the spectacular. However, you and I can choose to ignore the freighting campaign. The best weapon against terrorism is after all not expensive intelligence systems but simple neglect. Then we can use our freed mental powers on real issues as the over-urgent need for sustainable ways of inhabiting this planet.
. It amazing how rare decent cafes featuring both proper wifi, good coffee, a no smoke environment and a calm atmosphere are. 