More possible terrorism-Brussels Airport

Also an explosion at a metro station.
Eyewitnesses also talking of gunshots and the terrorists yelling in Arab.

 

Not to take this to the D&D or downplay the gravity of the situation, but do you guys think that we are desensitized by these events? I have seen that within the environment I'm in that peopl will see the news, maybe talk about how crazy these people are and/or how tragic it is, then move on and don't give it another thought the next day.

In that regard, wouldn't it mean that these "terrorists" have failed in their mission, which by definition means to cause terror in people's hearts?

 

Well, I will admit to being a bit de-sensitized by it. It no longer seems like such a huge event anymore since it has happened so often. But to your last point/question, I think you could flip that around as well. If we are getting desensitized to it, that probably makes it even easier for the terrorists to plan their next attack because people get complacent.

 

We're absolutely desensitized.

And in this case, it's a good thing. Terrorism is all about the terror. If we don't care, it loses it's punch.

 

I disagree. We need to make sure we don't lose the will to fight it.

 

We might be desensitized given its "over there" and not here domestically. The latest domestic one - the one in LA - got the media and public attention it generally deserved. Generally... it's hard to argue that the news/public cycle doesn't seem to move on a tad quicker these days - it does.

That said, I think there's like 26 dead from these Brussels attacks... you can be sure that those impacted more directly are not desensitized.

In a similar vein, consider the other random senseless violence that occurs globally - killings in Africa, etc. - that is largely ignored here. Desensitized... or just a selective choosing of what to pay attention to and for how long?

Seemingly... logically... as long as large groups of people don't want to be randomly blown up or otherwise killed, this type of terrorism will still be effective...

 

I hate to open up and avenue to D&D, but some people say "don't give them what they want"

 

I think they'll just find more extreme ways to grab attention.

 

RIP to the innocents.

Burn in HELL to the attackers.

 

for a second, I thought you guys were talking about the D&D. "Hate to open up discussion there, and give them what they want." Followed by Poloshirtbandit's comment

 

Killing innocent people for one's twisted beliefs. I can't begin to comprehend how someone could do such a thing.

RIP innocent dead
Burn in hell for all of eternity the ahole terrorists

 

It's easy to be desensitized when these things happen across the Atlantic.

I don't think many Europeans are desensitized.

 

Egggzactly

 

Except for the novelty of a particular attack, there's not much to add to the same discussion we've had so many times before.

I admit this makes me a bit more anxious for my trip to France this June with the family.

 

I have been very close to ground zero of some attacks (one claimed to be related to ISIS), like within a few miles, but in the same business district. People were interested because it happened right around the corner. Hell when it was happening, I was within 1-2 miles. We saw it in the news, made a few calls to make sure people we know around that area were not affected. Then the news kept on talking about it for at least 3 more days, but people stopped caring after like the second day. No extra security measures were taken by authorities after that week either.

It was weird. Like one bad episode of Fresh Prince when things got serious and Will and Uncle Phil cried. Then the very next episode we forgot about it and they were back to doing the silly things that they do and people laughing again. Is it desensitization (took a while to spell, damn)? Or people are just too busy to care? I dunno.

 

Am talking to a couple of students who have opportunities to go there this summer too.

Not to move this in a D&D direction, but if you actually go through the statistical risks, even with the current rate of terror attacks in Europe, you are safer, day to day, in Europe, than you would be here. And you're still pretty damned safe, obviously, here. (More safe if you don't spend a lot of time in a car.)

Cheers.

Would like to echo the prayers to the victims and all hell's worst punishments to the coward attackers.

 

yes, but if you took st louis, detroit, baltimore, and d.c. out of the equation?

 

Thanks for sharing this. Did this happen in Indonesia or Brussels? Being brown could be the result of the media not covering it as much as it is now. It's sad either way.

 

The bomb squad was able to safely detonate a bomb close to my office this afternoon.
It was a car bomb that was really close to the university. Thank god they found it.

Really hits home as well knowing that I have a flight on Thursday and have/would have to go through that exact same departures hall (and that I've been through there a dozen times).

Apparently a total of 8 attacks were planned today and "fortunately" only 2 capitalised.

Really a revolting feeling which (again) creates a debate and asks "how can we make sure this stuff doesn't happen anymore?". Answer is very complicated.

Was a real feeling of "desensitization" going on in my office though - quite disturbing. More so than during the Paris attacks yet this happened only a few km away.