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Attention Quote by Andrew Bacevich

“Why do terrorist attacks that kill a handful of Europeans command infinitely more American attention than do terrorist attacks that kill far larger numbers of Arabs? A terrorist attack that kills citizens of France or Belgium elicits from the United States heartfelt expressions of sympathy and…” quote by Andrew Bacevich
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“Why do terrorist attacks that kill a handful of Europeans command infinitely more American attention than do terrorist attacks that kill far larger numbers of Arabs? A terrorist attack that kills citizens of France or Belgium elicits from the United States heartfelt expressions of sympathy and solidarity. A terrorist attack that kills Egyptians or Iraqis elicits shrugs. Why the difference? To what extent does race provide the answer to that question?”

Andrew Bacevich

About This Quote

Source Article: The Atlantic, “The Double Standard of Terrorism”, 2015

Media and public focus on terrorism is skewed by cultural proximity and perceived victim identity, leading to unequal empathy.

In simple terms: People care more about victims similar to them.

Key Takeaway

Recognize bias in reactions to global events.

Themes

media bias empathy race politics

Mood

critical concerned

Type

analytical commentary

When to use this quote

  • policy analysis
  • public discourse
  • humanitarian aid
  • education campaigns

Key Concepts

in-group favoritism othering human rights

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does media framing shape public empathy?
  • What steps can reduce unequal attention?
A Different Perspective

Bias can be reinforced by political narratives and media framing.

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