Global terrorism is extreme both in its lack of realistic goals and in its cynical exploitation of the vulnerability of complex systems.
Jurgen HabermasRead
The scenarios of biological or chemical warfare painted in detail by the American media during the months after September 11 only betray the inability of the government to determine the magnitude of the danger.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the media's portrayal of danger after September 11, highlighting a failure in government assessment.
Jurgen Habermas points out that the exaggerated scenarios of biological and chemical warfare presented by American media in the aftermath of September 11 reflect a deeper failure within the government to accurately gauge the true extent of the threat. This suggests a disconnect between public perception and official understanding, raising questions about responsibility and the influence of media in shaping narratives around security.
Themes
MediaDangerGovernmentBiological WarfareChemical WarfareThreatSeptember 11
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion on media responsibility in crisis reporting.
More from Jurgen Habermas
All quotes →I cannot imagine a context that would some day, in some manner, make the monstrous crime of September 11 an understandable or comprehensible political act
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If the September 11 terror attack is supposed to constitute a caesura in world history, it must be able to stand comparison to other events of world historical impact.
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Perhaps September 11 could be called the first historic world event in the strictest sense: the impact, the explosion, the slow collapse - a gruesome reality literally took place in front of a global public.
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The difference between political terror and ordinary crime becomes clear during the change of regimes, in which former terrorists become well-regarded representatives of their country.
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Today's Islamic fundamentalism is also a cover for political motifs. We should not overlook the political motifs we encounter in forms of religious fanaticism
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