Karmic Knowledge

Wired News is not necessarily the first place you think of looking for words of wisdom regarding the state of the world, but on August 24th they published an editorial titled, Refuse to be Terrorized, that should be read by every American concerned about the growing violence in the world. Author Bruce Schneier has written a stunning piece that turns the oft repeated maxim “When you [do X, insert action statement here] the terrorists win,” on its head.

Schneier states:

The real targets of terrorism are the rest of us: the billions of us who are not killed but are terrorized because of the killing. The real point of terrorism is not the act itself, but our reaction to the act.

And we’re doing exactly what the terrorists want.

Schneier believes that the only way to fight terror is with anti-terror. In other words, calm. Peace. Inner peace. Outer peace.

Schneier goes on to say:

…Imagine for a moment that the British government arrested the 23 suspects without fanfare. Imagine that the TSA and its European counterparts didn’t engage in pointless airline-security measures like banning liquids. And imagine that the press didn’t write about it endlessly, and that the politicians didn’t use the event to remind us all how scared we should be. If we’d reacted that way, then the terrorists would have truly failed.

I found Schneier’s argument so sensible and wise that I wish I could quote you his entire article. I suggest you read it, from beginning to end. Wisdom like this is priceless in these times. Savor it. Pass it on. Live it.