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Essay On The Impact Of 9/11 On American Culture

1325 Words6 Pages

September 11th, 2001 is a date recognized by all Americans as one of the most horrific and traumatic days in the country’s history. That Tuesday, the nation had lost nearly 3,000 innocent American lives in the hands of an Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda. Economic effects started to take place as the economy declined, and less than a month after, President Bush declared a war on terrorism, leading the nation into the Afghan War. The impact of 9/11, nonetheless, extends far beyond political and economic damage; American citizens, their way of life, and their freedom came under attack after the event, impacting the culture of the United States completely. However, culture is not the only thing affected; many Americans have been emotionally afflicted and diagnosed with PTSD, the most common …show more content…

Due to this “Cold War mentality” that America developed, many people did not feel safe flying or going anywhere that could be attacked. 9/11 was a huge shock to the national consciousness because of the sense of immunity from terrorism in America. Up until September 10th, the United States was considered a country with infinite opportunity and thriving prosperity, although the illusion that the country is invulnerable was shattered that Tuesday. Charles B. Strozier, a psychoanalyst, recalls the day of the attacks and shares his opinion on how it has affected the mentality. In an interview led by Pythia Peay, an editor for Psychology Today, Strozier states how there is a rise of a troubling form of “new violence” in the modern era that traces back to America’s decision to use nuclear weapons to end World War II, and the existential crisis this has engendered in the American psyche. The effect of 9/11 undoubtedly affected the entire nation, not only the surrounding local areas. Although the terrorist attacks took place nearly 15 years ago, the physical and mental scarring it brought are still evident. Post

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