"Terrorism" or "Innocent People Suffering, Holy Balls"

Magus · 09-08-2013, 05:03 PM

Attacking mundane civilian targets and innocent civilians is more terrifying because it is unexpected. If terrorists solely attacked military installations they probably wouldn't be called terrorists but instead rebels, insurgents, freedom fighters (depending on your perspective), etc.

I mean The Dark Knight is 5 years old now but the Joker still summed it up pretty perfectly, "If I said, like, a gangbanger is going to get shot, or a truck full of soldiers is going to get blown up, nobody cares. Because it's all part of the plan. But I say I'm going to kill one little old mayor, and everybody loses their minds!"

But that is only for political terrorism, not necessarily just spree killings or what have you. I forget what the Oklahoma City Bomber's agenda was, I think it was political as well?

Spree killers, serial killers, and some terrorists are definitely dwelled upon in the media in a way that a lot of psychologists say leads directly to copy cats. I don't know if they are necessarily romanticized but they do become larger than life and that appeals to a subset of people who feel alienated from society or want that kind of press "immortality" put upon themselves.

09-08-2013, 05:03 PM	#1
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	Attacking mundane civilian targets and innocent civilians is more terrifying because it is unexpected. If terrorists solely attacked military installations they probably wouldn't be called terrorists but instead rebels, insurgents, freedom fighters (depending on your perspective), etc. I mean The Dark Knight is 5 years old now but the Joker still summed it up pretty perfectly, "If I said, like, a gangbanger is going to get shot, or a truck full of soldiers is going to get blown up, nobody cares. Because it's all part of the plan. But I say I'm going to kill one little old mayor, and everybody loses their minds!" But that is only for political terrorism, not necessarily just spree killings or what have you. I forget what the Oklahoma City Bomber's agenda was, I think it was political as well? Spree killers, serial killers, and some terrorists are definitely dwelled upon in the media in a way that a lot of psychologists say leads directly to copy cats. I don't know if they are necessarily romanticized but they do become larger than life and that appeals to a subset of people who feel alienated from society or want that kind of press "immortality" put upon themselves. Last edited by Magus; 09-08-2013 at 05:05 PM.