6 ms·

I know it's not about cardiology, but I remember the day after the attacks. As I'm an Australian, I had gone to bed early so I didn't see what happened till the

I know it's not about cardiology, but I remember the day after the attacks. As I'm an Australian, I had gone to bed early so I didn't see what happened till the next morning, when I turned on the television. There aren't too many events that you can say utterly changed your view of the world. I remember listening to Triple M that day, and listening as grown, gruff Australian men who listened to rock music called in to Andrew Denton, crying and in distress. I can only imagine what it must have been like for the doctors who had to do to identify bodies, and bits of bodies. The thing that hit me most was that they were doing their job, waiting for patients that never came. They were all dead. I can barely comprehend this. I will never forget September 11th as long as I live. I work with young guys now, mostly 21 to 24 years old. None of them truly understand what happened that day, they were all too young. I'm glad in many ways they don't, but they also don't understand how truly profound that day was. I hope they never do, nor never need to.

saiya-jin 8y ago
I am sorry if I will sound cold or not caring (which is not the case at all), but as an US outsider too, I don't get these strong emotions. I look at the cold, hard facts since pure emotions are a bad way to perceive... well anything in this world. 3000 people died, very sad. What were your emotions when 250,000 died in pretty horrible ways during 2004 tsunami? Rwanda genocide? Or any ongoing genocide in the middle east? Surely some NY-based bureaucrat isn't more valuable to you than any other human being, no? I presume you must have had mental breakdown for 6 months after every such event and carry every trauma with you forever. Damage to infrastructure was substantial, but nothing that city like NY can't absorb in couple of weeks, apart from directly affected companies that were in the buildings. It sure looked like whole US population froze in disbelief for quite some time, traumatization well supported by US media running 24/7 just about the attack. Now imagine how it is living in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen or other war-torn places where smaller-scale but similar situations happen almost daily (most of them as a direct result of US actions). Suddenly 9/11 is just a small blip on your radar, yet another horrible event in a long line of horrible events. Things changed (mostly) for the worse, but only because general population allowed it to be changed. To me, 9/11 is a prime example how easily human population can be manipulated, how easy is to scare them into accepting ridiculous things, and how whole society still works on sheeps/wolves principle on all levels. As always, as everywhere.
- maxxxxx 8y ago
  On the one hand your comment is callous but on the other hand it's true. 9/11 was very tough but I thought it would also cause the US (and the West) to have more sympathy with other countries who go through similar or bigger tragedies but that didn't happen.
  - breitling 8y ago
    > have more sympathy with other countries who go through similar or bigger tragedies Inflicted by us, no less
    - maxxxxx 8y ago
      Not only. There are tsunamis, earthquakes and other things. Not everything is the US's fault. But it would be nice if people recognized how much suffering there is in the world and be more willing to help.
      - chris_wot 8y ago
        There was a massive outpouring of support in the U.S. and worldwide for the victims of the 2004 Tsunami.
- madshiva 8y ago
  Same too. I was and still more chocked by Tsunami and Japan than this "attack" that could have been reduced or stop.
- boubiyeah 8y ago
  Very true. The US unleashed orders of magnitude more hell than that, abroad. Why should we be so biased?
- chapium 8y ago
  If you only look at the numbers perhaps, but there is much more to the issue than body counts. People aren’t hypocrites for feeling strongly about the events of 911 and less about the 2004 tsunami. Personally I remember both days pretty well and was shocked by both.

saiya-jin 8y ago

I am sorry if I will sound cold or not caring (which is not the case at all), but as an US outsider too, I don't get these strong emotions. I look at the cold, hard facts since pure emotions are a bad way to perceive... well anything in this world. 3000 people died, very sad. What were your emotions when 250,000 died in pretty horrible ways during 2004 tsunami? Rwanda genocide? Or any ongoing genocide in the middle east? Surely some NY-based bureaucrat isn't more valuable to you than any other human being, no? I presume you must have had mental breakdown for 6 months after every such event and carry every trauma with you forever. Damage to infrastructure was substantial, but nothing that city like NY can't absorb in couple of weeks, apart from directly affected companies that were in the buildings. It sure looked like whole US population froze in disbelief for quite some time, traumatization well supported by US media running 24/7 just about the attack. Now imagine how it is living in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen or other war-torn places where smaller-scale but similar situations happen almost daily (most of them as a direct result of US actions). Suddenly 9/11 is just a small blip on your radar, yet another horrible event in a long line of horrible events. Things changed (mostly) for the worse, but only because general population allowed it to be changed. To me, 9/11 is a prime example how easily human population can be manipulated, how easy is to scare them into accepting ridiculous things, and how whole society still works on sheeps/wolves principle on all levels. As always, as everywhere.

maxxxxx 8y ago
On the one hand your comment is callous but on the other hand it's true. 9/11 was very tough but I thought it would also cause the US (and the West) to have more sympathy with other countries who go through similar or bigger tragedies but that didn't happen.
- breitling 8y ago
  > have more sympathy with other countries who go through similar or bigger tragedies Inflicted by us, no less
  - maxxxxx 8y ago
    Not only. There are tsunamis, earthquakes and other things. Not everything is the US's fault. But it would be nice if people recognized how much suffering there is in the world and be more willing to help.
    - chris_wot 8y ago
      There was a massive outpouring of support in the U.S. and worldwide for the victims of the 2004 Tsunami.
madshiva 8y ago
Same too. I was and still more chocked by Tsunami and Japan than this "attack" that could have been reduced or stop.
boubiyeah 8y ago
Very true. The US unleashed orders of magnitude more hell than that, abroad. Why should we be so biased?
chapium 8y ago
If you only look at the numbers perhaps, but there is much more to the issue than body counts. People aren’t hypocrites for feeling strongly about the events of 911 and less about the 2004 tsunami. Personally I remember both days pretty well and was shocked by both.