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What are you talking about? There have been plenty on bombings and shootings for hundreds of years.

• dpark 10y ago
  200 years ago there were "plenty" of bombings and mass shootings orchestrated by groups of 1 or 2 people that resulted in hundreds of lives lost? Can you provide a few examples of this?
  • flashdance 10y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot
    • dpark 10y ago
      Over a dozen involved, zero lives lost (excepting the conspirators).
  • Retric 10y ago
    That's a rather artificial limitations, few modern plots are from 1 or 2 people with hundreds killed. Historical examples are generally things like fires not bombings / mass shootings. As an example of the risks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_Meireki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_Meireki for example was extremely deadly, though estimates of ~100,000 dead where probably exaggerated. We have also forgotten a lot of this crap. EX: 40 to 81 people killed from a time bomb in 1875. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Keith,_Jr https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Keith,_Jr. Note, this was for insurance money not terrorists, but I don't think the dead care. Some historical examples where donations where probably accidental. The Delft Explosion of 1654 killed 100-200 people. In 1769 ~3000 people where killed when a depo @ Bastion of San Nazaro in Brescia was struck by lighting. A lighting also sparked another detonation in 1856 killing ~4,000.
    • joveian 10y ago
      Not to mention smallpox and other infectious diseases where one person could kill thousands easily, even if unintentionally (with some instances intentional).
    • dpark 10y ago
      > That's a rather artificial limitations, few modern plots are from 1 or 2 people with hundreds killed. I've heard small conspiracies called out to justify mass surveillance. You don't really need mass surveillance of your own citizens unless you are concerned about very small conspiracies. Bigger conspiracies can be uncovered with more traditional detective work. Freak fires are also not a great example. An arsonist cannot cause hurricane force winds to assist and push a fire through a city. This is effectively an act of God. The time bomb is a better example, though again I would ask for evidence that this was a fairly common event the way mass shootings and similar terrorist attacks have sadly become.
      • dragonwriter 10y ago
        > I've heard small conspiracies called out to justify mass surveillance. The fact that something is a convenient and effective narrative for propaganda purposes doesn't mean it is a significant and common threat.
      • Retric 10y ago
        200 years ago world population was 1/10th what it is today making most events more common now. Something like 5% of everyone ever born is alive right now. In terms of most kills by a single person one sniper is credited with ~700 kills and a mounted knight in plate was expedition to equal 100 peasants on average so 200+ in exceptional cases seems reasonable especially considering the Spanish conquest of South America where in the 1500's where ~300,000 vs 2000 and the 2000 won with minimal casualties. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_conquest_of_the_Inca_Empire https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_conquest_of_the_Inca...