#altheide

I have a pretty cynical view on the events of 9/11 even before reading the article by David L. Altheide entitled, Consuming Terrorism.

In my opinion, and I know that many will disagree with me, we the US as a country went a tad overboard in our reaction to the events of 9/11. Yes I believe it was a tragedy and yes I’m so for the families and those who lost their lives. But, in the grand scheme of things this was a singular event that changed the course of a nations actions, and 10 years later has found our nation in debt and likely no better off after all of these changes.

Altheide uses this article to “suggest that powerful new definitions and meanings of context can be consequential if they are pervasive, constant, and above all, not contradicted by systematic discussion and debate. […] The mass media and popular culture have altered how most Americans learn about the world and how the world is run.” What he continues to describe in this article is how the media played up this event, with the help of other governmental influence of course, to cause the American people to feel passionately and a certain way about the events. What was played up was the endangerment of a value freedom or some other pseudo-right to get the public to respond in  a certain way. He points out several examples including the rush of bills for increased military spending through Congress without any hesitance. Though may I point out that the bill had already been brought before Congress and debated heavily prior to these events. Also he makes it a point to note how the Amrican people were urged to spend to show their support of their country, instead of saving and being frugal that historically was the outcome of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The media and pop culture definitely had an influence on how people reacted, just like we talked in class about the red scare and mass public fear.

All  in all I believe that many Americans live in a very tiny world. We are outraged when a large number rich, white, American businessmen are killed, but can’t seemed to be bothered with the news that hundreds of people are murdered everyday in civil wars of undeveloped countries. The media has turn this specific situation and the word terrorism an all encompassing general worldview.