I believe it was a Washington Post article that reached our Florida newspaper. It was printed the weekend of 9/11. I believe it was titled someting like, "Fear terrorists? No. Fear drivers!" The odds of someone dying in a car accident in their lifetime was something like 1 in 60. And the odds of dying while crossing the road in their lifetime was something like 1 in 300. And the odds of getting struck by lightning was well over 1 in many million. And the odds of dying because the earth was hit by a meteor was astronomical. And the odds of a person actually dying in a terrorist attack (assuming a mall was bombed every weekend) was even less than getting hit by lightning. Why do people panic so severely over something that is almost a mathematical impossibility?
2006-09-19 03:23:25 · 6 answers · asked by cannonball 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Wanna buy a lottery ticket?
2006-09-19 03:27:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
That article is so typical of op-eds in today's media.
So what's the writer's point? We should turn a blind eye to the terrorists like most of Europe does because of mathematical odds?
How about this title for an op-ed?
A good portion of the money we expend on our police departments is foolishness since the odds of some psycho killing you is "almost a mathematical impossibility?"
FACT: The world will be a much more secure and nicer place when the odds of dying from a terrorist attack are reduced to ZERO - as it should be.
2006-09-19 03:58:47 · answer #2 · answered by LeAnne 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, giant asteroids are flying randomly through space, and we usually only find them after they barely missed us.
One big hit at 50 miles per second from a 10 mile rock, and it is all over. But you are right, the odds are, pardon the pun, astronomical. But scientists say, it is not a matter of IF a large asteroid will hit, it is a matter of when.
Car wrecks, what, are you going to stop driving?
2006-09-19 03:28:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You just don't understand the concept. The main point is not the deaths of the individual, it is the effect on the society. It is called terrorism because the main purpose is to terrorize. You don't seem to be able to comprehend the idea of not wanting your fellow citizens killed. This isn't just about and individual thing. Terror attacks are not just an attack on the people that are killed they are attacks on the entire society. It's a little bit different than a lightning strike.
2006-09-19 03:30:51 · answer #4 · answered by PraTrp 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because car accidents happen on a smaller scale. a person could die in a car accident, but the accident will probably only involve 2 or 3 people. the next terrorist attack will likely kill thousands of people at one time.
2006-09-19 03:29:20 · answer #5 · answered by Niecy 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If the government, or the president, wants to unite its/his people the favorite trick is creating a common enemy. If you post the message cunningly enough people stop calculating.
2006-09-19 03:27:45 · answer #6 · answered by Dick V 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋