Q: What makes a person become a terrorist? What sort of person could perform the terrible act of flying a plane full of people into the World Trade Centre in New York?
A: This question was one that several people asked me the day of the World Trade Centre disaster.
Some people can remain detached from these horrors, but having spent time working in an emergency department and having dealt with accidents, although admittedly on a much smaller scale, I can relate to the reality of it all. This was exacerbated by the fact that a daughter of my best friend, who is a lawyer in Manhattan, just managed to escape death. She was on the subway on her way to the World Trade Centre to deliver a file when the train stopped. She had to walk home amidst the smoke and rubble. She lives just six blocks from the centre.
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In a book called Under the influence, author John D. Goldhammer describes the characteristics of a destructive group.
There is authoritarian hierarchical control characterized by “black and white” thinking. Members of such groups may have a history of childhood abuse and neglect. They may fit the personality profile of psychopaths with paranoid ideas, but may also be simply extremely idealistic, brainwashed individuals.
Information within the group is highly controlled by the leaders, with criticism of the group, system or leaders discouraged and considered threatening. There is extensive use of propaganda and plural pronouns such as we, us, and them. Groups tend to repeat simplistic clichés and slogans that are used as simple explanations for complex situations. There are strict dress codes where everyone is made to look alike.
Shunning or ridicule is used to condemn any non-group ideas.
These are a few of the characteristics of terrorist organizations, but similar dynamics occur in street youth gangs and other cults.
Q: How can a person feel safe and calm again after the
terrorist events of Sept. 11?
A: People have been shocked and numbed by the experience, and may later experience grief and anger.
Everyone needs to talk about the tragedy as a way of coming to terms with it. I wouldn’t blame anyone for being anxious about air travel. If you have to fly in the near future, I suggest taking a tranquilizer just before the flight, such as half a milligram of Clonazepam. Do not drink as well or you will get into trouble.
It should be safer to travel in the short term, as security measures are extremely high, and terrorists need the element of surprise on their side.
