Had an interesting thought yesterday about why terror attacks are not terrifying to me

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

It could just be me, and understand I am in no way trying to say these things are not terrible. Of course they are, no one likes to think of hundreds or thousands of people killed and the symbolic effect it had on our national psyche.


But I grew up in a city/town that was presumed to be a Ground Zero for a nuclear attack, with alarm sirens being tested every Friday afternoon like clockwork. And knowing my Dad was working in a very safe place but a huge target none the less. I had to face that growin up, with the seeming likelihood of a war that would kill not thousands but millions, so the idea of a much smaller attack just doesn't have the same psychological impact for me.

So yes 9/11 was a big terrible thing, but it's real impact was minimal compared to what I grew up expecting to happen on some level.  The Cold War, with the massive military build up, the amazing defense budgets, the nuclear arsenals, makes the War on Terror pale in comparison.  Again not to minimize the actions of those fighting that war, in all of the many places.  But it doesn't have the same feel.  It doesn't feel like my way of life is truly threatened.  And to be honest, the opponent just isn't that impressive in the grand scheme of things.   

All of this probably explains why I (and many others of my generation) are less fazed by all of this doom and gloom talk when talking about terror threats.  It just doesn't feel like the end of the world talk we grew up with.