--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite…" description: "\"The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for worry - some quite plausible, but most inspired by remote what-if fantasies. A society bingein..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/william-greider-14089_agendas_the-trauma-of-9-11-stimulated-infinite-p_829847.jpg" --- # The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for… ![“The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for worry - some quite plausible, but most inspired by remote what-if fantasies. A society bingeing on fear makes itself vulnerable to far more profound forms of destruction than terror attacks. The "terrorism war", like a nostalgic echo of the…” quote by William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/william-greider-14089_agendas_the-trauma-of-9-11-stimulated-infinite-p_829847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/william-greider-14089_agendas_the-trauma-of-9-11-stimulated-infinite-p_829847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/william-greider-14089_agendas_the-trauma-of-9-11-stimulated-infinite-p_829847.jpg) > “The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for worry - some quite plausible, but most inspired by remote what-if fantasies. A society bingeing on fear makes itself vulnerable to far more profound forms of destruction than terror attacks. The "terrorism war", like a nostalgic echo of the cold war, is using these popular fears to advance a different agenda - the re-engineering of American life through permanent mobilization.” [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Post‑9/11 fear fuels endless speculation, which a society to be vulnerable to deeper threats and allows political agendas to exploit anxiety. **In simple terms:** Fear after 9/11 creates vulnerability and manipulation. Key Takeaway Recognize fear‑driven narratives and seek factual grounding. Themes fear politics media societal vulnerability agenda setting Mood concerned analytical inquisitive Type analysis caution social commentary When to use this quote - public discourse - media consumption - policy making - community resilience Key Concepts risk perception mass hysteria policy manipulation Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape your view of security? - What steps can reduce fear‑based decision making? A Different Perspective Fear can be weaponized, obscuring real solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agendas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agendas/) [American life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-life/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Infinite possibilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite-possibilities/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Mobilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobilization/) [Nostalgic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgic/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Terror attacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror-attacks/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [The level of destruction and terror and violence carried out by the powerful states far exceeds anything that can imaginably can be done by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-level-of-destruction-and-terror-and-violence-carried-out-by-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Misery, mutilation, destruction, terror, starvation and death characterize the process of war and form a principal part of the product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/misery-mutilation-destruction-terror-starvation-and-death/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Americans are at war with radical Islamic terrorism. 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Terrorism is taking the lives of innocent people to gain your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/it-s-a-nonsense-assumption-that-you-can-get-rid-of-terrorism-with-war/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [When you have terrorism, you have a war. When you have a war, you always have innocent lives that could be the victim of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/when-you-have-terrorism-you-have-a-war-when-you-have-a-war-you-always/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I've made it clear, Madam President, that the war against terrorism is not a war against Muslims, nor is it a war against Arabs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-ve-made-it-clear-madam-president-that-the-war-against-terrorism-is/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Wanton killing of innocent civilians is terrorism, not a war against terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/wanton-killing-of-innocent-civilians-is-terrorism-not-a-war-against/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The war against terrorism is a war against those who engage in torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-markey/the-war-against-terrorism-is-a-war-against-those-who-engage-in-torture/) [Ed Markey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-markey/) > [War is a lie. War is a racket. War is hell. War is waste. War is a crime. War is terrorism. War is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleen-rowley/war-is-a-lie-war-is-a-racket-war-is-hell-war-is-waste-war-is-a-crime/) Coleen Rowley > [Beyond the futility of armed force, and ultimately more important, is the fact that war in our time inevitably results in the indiscriminate killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/beyond-the-futility-of-armed-force-and-ultimately-more-important-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [It is time we admitted that we are not at war with “terrorism.” We are at war with Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/it-is-time-we-admitted-that-we-are-not-at-war-with-terrorism-we-are/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/how-can-you-have-a-war-on-terrorism-when-war-itself-is-terrorism/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [If it is terrorism, if it is war on terror, then the Afghan people will join you on terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/if-it-is-terrorism-if-it-is-war-on-terror-then-the-afghan-people-will/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) ## More by William Greider > [If you think about it, Washington's overwhelming power in the world is founded on death, the awesome arsenal for killing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-you-think-about-it-washington-s-overwhelming-power-in-the-world-is/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [The threat to globalization is not the wasted American dollars but Washington's readiness to mix US commercial interests with its self-appointed role as global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-threat-to-globalization-is-not-the-wasted-american-dollars-but/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [If US per capita income continues to grow at a rate of 1.5 percent a year, the country will have plenty of money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-us-per-capita-income-continues-to-grow-at-a-rate-of-1-5-percent-a/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [The burnt odor in Washington is from the disintegrating authority of the governing classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-burnt-odor-in-washington-is-from-the-disintegrating-authority-of/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [If one benefits tangibly from the exploitation of others who are weak, is one morally implicated in their predicament? 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