Terrorism is.... well, I think you all know what it is. You all probably know some of the popular group names, like, for example, Al Qaeda will be known among many households. What prompted me to think regarding them was not their motive. Their funding.. Well... That would be like a chase down a gopher hole. No... Its much more than that. It is to see what their fuel is. It is actually ATTENTION. Let me elucidate.
The attack on United States twin towers on 11th September is without doubt one of the most violent acts of terrorism. But just think how long the media kept the issue alive. In my opinion, the issue is constantly kept reminded in the minds of the public. Though it is true that disasters have to be reported as soon as possible to warn the public of those names. But lets take a step back and look at the issue objectively. What did they expect when they brought down those towers? They obviously want everyone to know about it and that they were the group responsible for it. They want everyone to curl in fear thinking of the chaos that they are capable of unleashing. And for that, it requires our sanction – the public’s sanction.
“An act of evil requires the moral sanction of the victim” – Ayn Rand
Terrorists are counting on our capacity to feel fear and let it suspend our rational thinking processes of the mind. They do not wish to live and they are ready to bring down others with them, others who desire to live. The fuel that lets them survive comes precisely from our desire to live.
Now, having recognised that we are, in some monstrous form, their fuel to live, the best way to cut down terrorism is to cut down its fuel. That does not mean we have to die. No, not at all. What I am suggesting is we have to unleash the most powerful weapon to counter terrorism – INDIFFERENCE. Let me clearly explain what I mean by that word.
It does not mean we should stop retaliating using military prowess of the country under attack. No, by all means that is necessary to stop them. Violence has to be used to counter violence. But, there is another thing that we can do, one which is in our control – in the control of every human. Let us take up an example. For the same 11th September attacks, though it has to be conveyed to everyone, that news need not necessarily be the headlines in news channels and newspapers. The headlines can be something about the mysteries of a natural wildlife reserve while the disastrous issue can be moved to the inner pages. By doing so, we become indifferent to the acts of evil.
As of today, the battle is not fought between terrorism and the public. It is fought between different terrorist groups – a battle to see who captures the headlines for the longest time – and by extension, who haunts the minds of the public the longest. And in this meaningless and senseless game, the public becomes the pawn. If we remove their actions from the front pages, we are saying that they are not the most important. This will definitely be hard for the victims’ families. But, I think they will understand that if the victims’ families insist on their loved ones’ agony capturing the public attention by taking the headlines of the media, then they are siding with the terrorists.
The capacity to feel fear for irrational whims of mad men should not be the primary concern for a household. The primary concern for every household should be their survival and well-being. This article is just one of my thoughts to convey that it is the suspension of rational thinking for fear that drives terrorism. Please do not take part in terrorism and focus on living your life.
