Fifteen years since terror entered…

Today, on September 11th 2016 world commemorates the 15th anniversary of the attacks on the US, that opened the 21st century. It is believed that on this day terrorism entered our lives – we started to be more aware of some of the negative side effects of globalization.

Michael Foran [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Since that time, we are trying to fight against terrorism and radicalism but radicalism is actually part of us. Everything evolves from the people and the human nature, each leader has innate desire for power and each nation tries to survive and expand its territory. It is like this since the beginning of the human society, otherwise it would not survive in the form it exists today. Christians in the Middle Ages organized crusades to liberate the Holy Land and today some Islamic groups still are still faithful to their traditions although we in Europe consider this ideology medieval.

We make progress thanks to the development of thinking and technology. Each progress however carries many externalities – side effects – and sometimes they outscore the positives. Often they show up only later. Current threat of terrorism in Europe is a side effect of the politics of former colonists, invasions to Afghanistan and Iraq (Tony Blair is blamed in the British press for joining Bush to Iraq), splintering of Europe over critical questions, such as migration or financial help to the poorer countries. All of this results in insecurity and fear and one of the aims of terrorism is to spread fear and uncertainty.

Former mayor of New York City Rudolph Giuliani says that 9/11 was just an intro into the 21st century of terror and modern warfare. Security that we obtained via technological advancement was replaced by uncertainty caused by the abuse of technologies. History remembers many people who did not have problems to use unfair means and under a threat or promise convince the others to join.

People living in poverty are not capable to think about the consequences of their actions. Personally, I would also try to improve my situation by all available means. Nevertheless, I would never attach a bomb to my body because I am blocked by me consciousness and social feeling. For some people, these notions are marginalized or completely alien. A 13-year-old Afghan boy who has not eaten properly for weeks has no idea. How can he thing about the needs and values of the others if his basic needs are constantly neglected?

Similar generation is growing up also in the civilized world, due to negative stereotypes and lack of family education. Several people, including bank managers and investors, confirmed that today too much money is invested in industrial sectors and humanitarian ones are underfunded. It is proved by the global problems of education and health care. Sick and undereducated society cannot produce sane ideas.

My Syrian friend who lives in Istanbul told me that an extremist group wanted to fight a random Chinese guy. They fought a Korean girl. Whether they belonged to some Islamic group does not matter. Similar attacks happen everywhere. It confirms the idea that radicalism isn’t not delimitated politically but socially.

Therefore apart from the anti-terrorist measures we should also forge changes into all spheres of life.