Since the recent attacks in Paris, terrorism seems to be about the only topic of conversation that the internet has left. I’ve certainly shared a number of news articles, blog posts etc. on social media but I had not planned to write my own post. I thought that everything there is to say, has been said.
What changed, you ask?
I was at a party with friends, and as so often happens when I’m around – one of the topics of conversation that came up was travel. This is my favourite topic to talk about (would you have guessed!?), and so I enjoyed the majority of the discussion.
As I was leaving though, somebody said something along the lines of:
“There’s no way I’d get on a plane anymore – I’m too scared. Travel is too dangerous, with everybody wanting to blow everybody up”
This is a really worrying comment for me – it means the terrorists are winning. The more people who are scared, the more people who change their lives because of that fear – the more power the terrorists have.
Terrorism, war and politics are long and complicated topics that I’m not going to get into here. But, no matter what your political beliefs are… If you change the way you live due to things like terrorism, you’re letting “them” win. You’re letting fear win. The whole point of terrorism is terror. Hence the name! If we refuse to show our terror, then their tactics are useless.
I for one, am not going to live in fear. I’m not going to stop travelling. I’m not going to let terror win.
I’m obviously not going to be rushing to Syria, Somalia etc. These are dangerous war zones and I’m not suicidal – But yes, I’d go to Paris. Yes I’d go to Jordan, Iran, Russia, Philippines, Guatemala… I am not saying you should go to war zones where thousands of people are being killed. I’m saying that if you’d planned to go somewhere before the Paris attack, or before the Sydney siege, or before the Malaysian airlines plane was shot down – still go.
The actual threat is much much lower than the media make out. And besides which, I don’t know about you – but I’d prefer to live my life, to enjoy my life than to hide away in fear and never experience anything.
You’re more likely to be hurt or killed in a car accident on the way to work tomorrow than you are to be shot down in a plane or killed in a terrorist attack.
A blog post by Bemused Backpacker called If You Stop Travelling, The Terrorists Win sums it up well.
Do you agree? Disagree?
Have you considered changing plans due to the perceived risks of terrorism?
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments sections below, or on Facebook or Twitter.