Before and after 9/11: how the event changed the world

[Ho-Oh]

How much has 9/11 changed the world?

A large portion of the user base here were pretty young when 9/11 occurred; for some, half of our lives ago. Most of us have grown up in a world where terrorism is always a concern, airport security is heightened and fear is generally much higher than it was before the event.

Do you think it is fair to say that it is a different world after 9/11 than it was before?
...or do you think that while fear has increased, the world is still the same?
...or maybe your view of the world has changed?

Are there enough security measures in place to prevent future terrorism attacks of this scale?
...or do you think there is too much security than is actually needed?
...and that fear has played on all of our minds too much?

Do you think future generations will be at an advantage or disadvantage growing up in the world like it is now?
You could say they're at an advantage because now as a society we're more wary of things; however ignorance can be bliss. With the constant fear of something happening, is that really the way to live?

These questions are just guidelines in which you can respond to, however you're free to interpret the original question however you'd like.

 

[Ivysaur]

The world has changed in the sense that the US spent so many time, money, energy and prestige in the Afghanistan and Irak wars that they left the Chinese grow and expand their economy practically unchallenged. The world focus is rapidly moving from the West to the East, and the USA wasted their headstart in those wars. Had they stuck to Afghanistan instead of attacking Irak for no discernable reason, they could have been a bit more successful, but that's another story.

Otherwise, we have always had Muslim attacks, since the Middle Ages. Nothing that spectacular and definitely not outside of Europe, but that hasn't really changed that much. And Al Quaeda is weaker than ever before and their dream of starting a world war between Muslim and "Christian" countries to create a religious dictatorship... well, just look at several Muslim countries trying to start Western-inspired democracies. You can see how successful those plans ultimately were.

There is too much security. Granted, you can never be completely safe, but not allowing anybody to enter a plane with a bottle of water is a bit maybe too much. Fear is the cause of most of the newly-created measures (fun fact: the EU issued ILLEGAL regulations about plane security, and it took four years until they took them down- that's insane), and just regular metal security checks should be enough in most cases. Plus most checks are just a waste of time and money, since are only created after a suspect has been detained after smuggling dangerous items through a loophole- so new terrorists wouldn't try to do the same once it has been "patched" and instead look for new ways.

And finally, living on fear of everything is completely pointless. One thing is being careful and another one is believeing any abandoned bag has a time bomb inside. But seeing how the terrorist groups are weaker than before, and how they haven't caused any serious trouble after the 7/7 London bombings 6 years ago, people shouldn't be paranoid anymore. The rise of the Eastern world should be a more impending topic right now.

 

[Shining Raichu]

I don't think there's a person alive today in the Western world that doesn't remember where they were when they found out that the Twin Towers had fallen. I had just woken up for school and it was 7:10am, I walked down the hall into the living room to find my mother watching TV and she told me what had happened. I had never heard of The World Trade Centers before that day. Come to that, there were a lot of things I'd never heard of until that day.

There was hysteria even here in Australia, where we were all safe and sound. Everybody thought this was the beginning of World War 3, and we feared that we would be brought into it one way or another. Mum kept me home from school that day, telling me she thought I should watch this as it was history unfolding. I knew the real reason was because she was afraid of what would happen.

My point is, something that made shockwaves big enough for things to happen like that all the way across the world is something that will change the world forever. The fear, I think, is largely gone. The main men responsible for the attacks are dead, it's been ten years, security has been stepped up and everybody has moved on - but there will always be enduring marks of what happened.

As far as whether the world is advantaged or disadvantaged now, I'd say a bit of both. There are evil people in this world, and we are at an advantage now for being reminded of that in a way that is so relatable to us - in a way that affects the people that are just like us. It prepares us and guards us for any future attempts. But at the same time, we are also at a severe disadvantage for having lost our innocence. There is no-one who wasn't scared out of their minds that day (whether they lived in America or not), and in the weeks and months that followed. The new children that were born since are being raised in a world that is just that much more cautious and that much less trusting.

 

[Xyrin]

I don't remember it Andy. I was a few years old. Like 2.

The earliest I remember was me about 4. It was 9/11 and my dad was watching these guys sing about 9/11 and I asked my dad why they were doing it. He explained to me what happened and I was quite sad.

Yesterday on CNN student news, we watch it every day in SS, the main anchor talked about what it was like in the CNN HQ that day. It made me extremely sad. It's horrible what people can do.

I would love to go see the memorial they built.

:< I was going to make this thread. Figured some Aussie would beat me. Is it 9/11 there yet?

 

[Oryx]

I don't remember it Andy. I was a few years old. Like 2.

I really don't think Andy meant "if you were too young to remember, you'd remember anyway". Sounds like you're taking him literally specifically so you can say that he's wrong. :x

Anyway, I remember the fear that my family had, for example my elementary school. It was named after the first lady at the time, Laura Bush. My mom was tempted to pull me out of school entirely because she was afraid that something would happen to me, because of 9/11. We lived in Texas, completely far away from it all.

It's hard to say whether the security upgrade from 9/11 has done anything, or not. You can't measure very easily how many terrorists you stop; if you take away someone's water bottle, you don't know if it was just water or an explosive. But then there are people that get through security (either accidentally or on purpose) with things that are more threatening than 4 ounces of water. For example, Adam Savage going through the full-body scanner and bringing his foot-long razorblades onto a flight.

 

[Mario The World Champion]

Unlike many people here who were too young to remember 9/11, I was 20 years old when it happened. And to this day, I still remember where I was when 9/11 happened. But to the questions:

Do you think it is fair to say that it is a different world after 9/11 than it was before?
Of course! More people hate us than ever before (mainly the middle east), even though we finally killed bin Laden. The world is always on edge and more paranoid about when another wacko will blow something up and take many people with it.

As for my view on how the world has changed... let's just say that some parts of the world and a few aspects need to be purged for good.

Are there enough security measures in place to prevent future terrorism attacks of this scale?
I really can't say. I haven't left this country at all since 9/11. So I have no idea how the new security measures will affect me. However, I do think that the wackos will somehow find that one loophole to discover that will allow them to attack people again.

Do you think future generations will be at an advantage or disadvantage growing up in the world like it is now?
I bet you that within 20 years, the world will end up as one big police state with no rights and everybody being tracked with microchips and spy cameras in an effort to prevent the next 9/11. At that point, bin Laden will be laughing at us from the depths of hell with Saddam Hussein.

 

[deoxys121]

I remember when the terrorist attacks occurred on 9/11, I was in 5th grade. I lived, and still do live, in Michigan. My mom picked up my older brother and I from school on that day, as were almost all parents. We were all very shocked to say the least. And also very scared for what could happen in the future.

Do you think it is fair to say that it is a different world after 9/11 than it was before?
We definitely live in a different world now. People are much more vigilant of terrorism and the potential for terrorist attacks. People realize that we are very vulnerable to terrorism. And, sadly, there are a lot of people out there who are now very prejudiced towards Muslims and Arabs, and who do not realize that the terrorists who are Muslim are the "bad apples out of the bunch."

Are there enough security measures in place to prevent future terrorism attacks of this scale?
While the security measures being taken to prevent terrorist attacks are definitely much more strict and secure than before, there's just one problem: we're using the same exact measures for years on end. If terrorists figure out ways around these measures, then they could easily attack again.

Do you think future generations will be at an advantage or disadvantage growing up in the world like it is now?
There is an advantage growing up now: you are more vigilant and aware that there is always the potential for terrorist attacks and we always have to be prepared. But, there is also a disadvantage with the same situation: quite simply living in fear.

 

[Rogue planet]

Do you think it is fair to say that it is a different world after 9/11 than it was before?
The world is certainly different. Whether that's a result of 9/11 or not, it is difficult to say. Change is inevitable after all.

Are there enough security measures in place to prevent future terrorism attacks of this scale?
Security is something I strongly encourage. The world is not a nice place, nobody can be blamed for being overtly cautious. I have been stopped numerous times at airports and other places of high security, and I have no problem with it. I am a strong believer of the saying only wrong-doers need to be worried.

Do you think future generations will be at an advantage or disadvantage growing up in the world like it is now?
The event will just go down in history. Nobody can really pin down the course of the future on a single event, no matter how significant. 9/11, when compared to other historic events, is rather minor.


The real thing that struck my mind here, is how this event showed us how the USA really is the ruling country on this planet. Every year, an incredibly large amount of people mourn those lost in the 9/11 attacks. Who ever mourns the countless civilians killed in the subsequent Iraq war? Apart from those in the country itself, I doubt many do. And also, the way this event is commemorated, even 10 years on. Just because it was an attack on Manhattan. I very rarely hear people speak of the attacks on London, I wonder how many people remember it? Or the attacks made in Spain, or Russia?

Seemingly the American military isn't competent enough to defend their own homeland, given the mistakes made on that awful day.
And yet after a single attack on American soil, they can bring an entire country to it's knees.

 

[Lalapizzame]

As my good companion Anti once said, we have lost to the terrorists when we have enforced such regulations and lived in constant thought of them. There is nothing to fear but fear itself, and this beast relies on fear for subsistence.



Do you think it is fair to say that it is a different world after 9/11 than it was before?

We have squandered the short period of American dominance in the 90's when the Soviet power vacuum meant no one dared or even had the capacity to oppose us, and turned public opinion from united for our mutual protection to deeply frustrated with our wars. Our country has imposed safety regulations which have never happened before, and we have walked out of 9/11 falling into the terrorist trap of turning Middle Eastern opinions against us.

My view of the world remains the same. I don't see the need to assume that a decade or two from now there will be a police state looking into every nook and cranny of our lives, although I am against what has happened recently.

Are there enough security measures in place to prevent future terrorism attacks of this scale?

There is too much security than is actually needed. Some among us may have no qualms with body searches and going through detectors as we currently do, but I do. Ten years ago, ladies and gentlemen, we did not enforce these measures. Now, we have done what the terrorists wanted us to do, cower in fear and a desire for safety, and desire to do even more.

There is always a need for caution, oh yes, but fear is a dangerous weapon in the hands of others. Impulsive politics and yearning for protection do indeed impede what would be considered beneficial in the long-term, in most cases. I understand this may seem like an exaggeration, but I would rather not forfeit my body to a body check from someone else. Leave your hands where they belong, on belongings and not on my person.

This body check and going through a detector violates a person's liberty over their physical state of affairs and costs far too much time and money, I'd imagine. The terrorists may launch one meaningful attack on our country, but does that mean it is worth a decade of overbearing regulation?

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Do you think future generations will be at an advantage or disadvantage growing up in the world like it is now?

Those who must live on fear inherited from their predecessors live a terrible and deprived life indeed, for man derives his pleasure from leisure and freedom rather than paranoia and constant worry. We're more wary of things that have existed long before the attack on 9/11, regulations enforced on an impulse.

I would rather live a life with occasional crises rather than a life squandered on preparing for one.

As for Vendak, you expect people to care for the affairs of foreigners. The United States, now, there's something different. This was an attack on a country confident of its capacity to contain the terrorist threat, and an especially fearful and disorderly response to it, a country which constituted the most powerful country in the world. Remind me, Vendak, which terrorist attack had a larger effect, the one in London, or the one on 9/11, in which one attack killed 3,000 people and saw a radical reorganization of security measures (which I do not necessarily support)? I'm sure the British remember the attack on London, or the Russians, but we in the United States hear about American news, which while it may dazzle the audience with a glimpse on foreign incidents, focuses on our domestic affairs. Your country is most likely no exception to this rule. Certainly, you will not deny that the affairs of one's own country, especially when they are relatively larger, are more important than the affairs of others. Our own desires and interests come first before others. Selfish no, sensible yes.

 

[countryemo]

I don't think there's a person alive today in the Western world that doesn't remember where they were when they found out that the Twin Towers had fallen.

Actually I don't, I know I was only 6,7 years old I think. My mom says she pulled me inside and all and told me but today, I don't remember that day. Had no idea about the group or bin laden? existed. Didn't really know much about 9/11 until my U.S History class watched this 9/11 doc made by the french doc makers with the firefighters. (and re-watching that movie now in my other class)

The world defiantly changed since then, it probably would have anyways. The added security and all is a good thing I believe, though wont be able to completely stop or prevent future attacks. Though I never been on a plain or anything that has security so I have no problem with it.

 

[aruchan]

The world is really different from how it was before 9/11. Everyone is perpetually jumpy, and air travel has become progressively more challenging and worse. I'm a frequent traveller, and all the extra security measures have made packing and flying pretty much hell. Osama bin Laden has imprinted his mark, if nothing else, on our quality of life.

I don't think future terrorist attacks will be stopped because for every countermeasure we install, they devise a new one. It's a game of ex post facto-we only create new measures after a new terrorist attack attempted to use a certain ploy. It has gotten somewhat harder to pull off an attack, but it is by no means impossible.

Future generations will think the US is super-neurotic, considering Europe lacks many of the dumb restrictions (aka taking off shoes).

 

[Rogue planet]

As for Vendak, you expect people to care for the affairs of foreigners.

No I don't expect anything from anyone.

The United States, now, there's something different. This was an attack on a country confident of its capacity to contain the terrorist threat, and an especially fearful and disorderly response to it, a country which constituted the most powerful country in the world.

That's my point.

Remind me, Vendak, which terrorist attack had a larger effect, the one in London, or the one on 9/11, in which one attack killed 3,000 people and saw a radical reorganization of security measures (which I do not necessarily support)? I'm sure the British remember the attack on London, or the Russians, but we in the United States hear about American news, which while it may dazzle the audience with a glimpse on foreign incidents, focuses on our domestic affairs. Your country is most likely no exception to this rule.

The BBC has almost no coverage of the London attacks any more. Yet there have been articles on 9/11 all week. The scale of the attack shouldn't make a difference on how they are remembered, in both situations innocents have died. Forever is Australian, yet she still made this thread.
And that still doesn't answer the point made about the dead Iraqi civilians. Just because we are not of the same nationality, that means we shouldn't care about fellow human beings? That's simply the modern world conditioning you to not give a **** about someone just because they don't live on the same bit of dirt as you.

Certainly, you will not deny that the affairs of one's own country, especially when they are relatively larger, are more important than the affairs of others. Our own desires and interests come first before others. Selfish no, sensible yes.

No, I don't agree. At all.

 

[Lalapizzame]

The scale of the attack shouldn't, in your opinion, make a difference, but it does. We remember things based on how large-scale it was, or in the opposite direction. Do we care about a battle of a few drunken soldiers, except if it starts a war? I do not care if five billion has been cut from the national budget, they are not noticeable changes.

Now, I have my limits, and war crimes and the like constitute a serious breach of this fine line. I will not care for every single Iraqi that died.

No. Vendak, it is not the modern world conditioning me to hold less concern for Iraqis than my own people. Why should we care about others, when we do not have the capacity to care for ourselves? What makes them equal to my countrymen? Human beings they are, but they do not deserve the same level of care I devote to my own people. They are not friend and allies, they are not my kind neighbor, they are not working for the same goal as I am. There is no reason to care for others if they do not care about us, and only view us as hostile enemies. A child who is not ours, and exhibits a strong resentment, need not have my empathy.

You don't agree, Vendak? Why? Then, Vendak, allow me to ask you, would you care about how your family is doing, or how your neighbor is doing? I do not know what you will say, but as for me, let my family live while theirs falls apart! Every moral action we conduct requires for us to be able to handle it first. Charity is dispensed when people have the wealth to afford it, or believe they will be rewarded for their morality later.

 

[Binary]

9/11? I was pretty young, but I still remember all the news reports that flashed up on our television screens that day, and the days that followed. I still remember how I stared at the television screen, though I wasn't really able to comprehend what was going on. I remember how everyone was caught up in its haze. But has the world really changed? If we take into consideration the rush of adrenaline and security mechanics, it's fair to give this question a straightforward yes. But have people really changed? Has it really changed the mechanics behind a person's mind and hostile relationships?

Aviation security has indeed gone through aggressive development. Fear is the cause of most of this. And this kind of reminds me of the poem "Where The Mind Is Without Fear", and I can't claim this to be irrelevant to the topic. But the birth of fear in peoples' minds is inevitable when the world experiences a shockwave of this magnitude. Terrorism can't be completely stopped, and no one can be completely safe. So taking security measures is a must, but, I feel that there may be more than adequate security in some sectors orbiting this issue.

Fear will only cause irrationality. I believe looking ahead is the only thing we people need to do. Being wary of historical events such as this one is important, but we should learn to appreciate it, appreciate the world, and not let things like this weigh us down. Constant fear will lead us to no where in the end; only to the dreary desert sand of dead habit.

 

[Captain Fabio]

Remind me, Vendak, which terrorist attack had a larger effect, the one in London, or the one on 9/11, in which one attack killed 3,000 people and saw a radical reorganization of security measures (which I do not necessarily support)?

You know, American people like you annoy me. You are ACTUALLY arguing the fact that your terrorist attack means more because it was larger. WHO CARES? Any loss of life, whether it is one old man dying due to old age, to the 9/11 attacks is a shame and a loss to that country.

Although I am on a bias stand with Vendak, he is right. I haven't seen one bit of remembrance or coverage over the London attacks, only NY. Now, I am not moaning about it, it is an inhumane thing to happen, but you say you expect people to care for the affairs of foreigners." We care about your attacks and your loss, so what makes you so 'high on your horse' not to care about the rest of the world? America might self proclame it to be the strongest and most richest nation in the world, but that isn't so.

Arguing over 'whos attack is more devastating than whos' is simply disgusting and Lalapizzame, with your first reply to Vendak, you have soiled this thread.​

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[Livewire]

May I remind you all to behave yourselves. This banter makes you all look asinine and it's incredibly disrespectful to the parties involved, whether it be the 9/11 attacks or the 7/7 attacks in England.

9/11 gets more press simply because it happened to the world's lone Superpower, hinting on Vendak's point. Just becuase the media covers it more than the others, doesn't mean they don't care, that's idiotic. Who's to say nobody else mourns the 7/7 attacks, or the bombings? What ignorance on your part.

 

[Sheep]

I remember it very well. I saw it outside my school window since I lived in Brooklyn at the time (about a 20 minute drive from the city). I was 10 years old and had no clue what was happening. The teachers refused to say anything and students kept being taken home one after the other. I'll definitely never forget.

The world's definitely different after 9/11. I believe everything happens for a reason and due to those terrorist attacks, airport and other security has been heightened tremendously so people can be safer for years to come. While it was a terrible event on its own, it did do something to help benefit the future. I believe everything happens for a reason.

I'm not sure if there's enough security to prevent something like this entirely but I really do think there's enough to at least catch it before anything major happens. We're definitely much better off now.

Future generations will definitely be at an advantage. We're at where we are right now thanks to the work of our ancestors and previous generations (same goes for any country), so anything that happens, good or bad, helps people be safer for the future. Just my two cents.

 

[Captain Fabio]

I do believe the world has changed due to these attacks. No attacks = no Iraq war = less dead soldiers in that time frame = no search for Bin Laden = no mass hysteria. Has it changed for the better? I am not sure. Obviously we are all more aware of the people around us, but it has made a lot of people paranoid.
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[Esper]

America has been weakened by what it did in the wake of 9/11. We let terrorists goad us into wars that weren't needed to stop them and that's made America less important in the world. It took only a few dozen specially trained soldiers to kill bin Laden and from everything I've read it's that kind of special operations that actually stops terrorists. Big wars? Not so much. We wasted untold amounts of money on them and thousands of lives. And who knows how many civilian deaths from Iraq and Afghanistan as well as civilian contractors.

I don't think we're any safer today than we were ten years ago. We have more surveillance and so on, but we've also made more people want to become terrorists thanks to everything we did in the name of the "war on terror": Abu Gharib, Guantanamo, Blackwater, and all the civilian deaths from bombings and so on.

I can't say if the world is different than it was before - what did I know of the world ten years ago? - but things always change one way or another when something happens so I'm sure we've been changed in some ways we don't realize.

I think it's going to be hard to be an American in the future, at least in comparison to how easy we had it before. Our economy isn't what it used to be and the world has less respect for us. I don't know how people will remember any of this, but I hope what they remember is the mistakes we made in letting our fears get the better of us.

 

[HackChu]

Do you think it is fair to say that it is a different world after 9/11 than it was before?
In a way, well for one, I wouldn't say the world changed, it only really infected Americans. Now, as to say rather or not if things changed, I have to say not much has, but at the same time, alot HAS changed as far as policies and other things within Government is. You have the illegal and treasonous "Patriot"(I use that term loosely) Act, in which it gave the Government the right to invade the privacy of Americans. It's more like a stealth act to be nosey and go through the loop hole of the Constituion to spy on us.

Are there enough security measures in place to prevent future terrorism attacks of this scale?
I actually believe in the saying "I wouldn't want to give up freedom for security". Government is using the 9/11 as a pretext and an excuse for these so called security measuers. I don't condone the TSA sticking their hands down kids or anyone elses pants. Or using microwave weapons(scanners that actually is able to view the Human body without the clothes on) on the people. Its total tyranny, and the old security measuers worked just fine. I don't believe in the underwear bomber, that to me was staged so that the Government has more reason to grope us and everything else. They've got this mass scare going around that Muslims are all bad and foul people when that's totally untrue and irrelovent. Now they're targeting SOME white Americans, labling them racists or nuts(the tea party) and saying they're the terrorist now to hide and exempt the real truth from exploding. If you study history, folks will be able to see the resemblence of today and yesterday. It's fairly easy once you do enough research.

Do you think future generations will be at an advantage or disadvantage growing up in the world like it is now?
I don't think it would inpact future generations, because like Pearl Harbor, this is something else that will fade into history. Sure there will be rememberance, but future kids wouldn't know what it was like for those who were there that suffered, and for some, still suffer today for respiratory illness. However, I'd like folks to get out and do some dedicated research on the actual truth of 9/11 and not believe the hyper dinosaur media and the government, because it's been shown that they all lie.

I'm done with my rant now.