How to fight terror

Many people today have expressed their helplessness against the terrorism. What can we do, as normal people with no political power, to fight it? Are we powerless against it?

I thought about it for a while. What do the terrorists stand for? They go by their name. They want to create terror.

They use one core mechanism that all human relations rely on.

Human emotions are contagious. Fear goes viral, as does pain and hatred. Sometimes, when people get heated up, you can almost feel the pressure in the air. To do something else, to feel something else, looks like betrayal.

Do you know that we are connected with everybody on Earth just by six handshakes? When something big happens in the world, either evil or good, the shock wave gets to us sooner or later.

War spread this way. Hatred does. We are primed to sense danger and react to it. This is only natural. But to a certain degree we can fight it and counteract it.

See, this blade has two ends.

Networks between people work both ways. Good spreads just like evil spreads. It seems weak, because it works quietly. It needs more deeds done. But in the end, this is what makes a civilization thrive. This what causes that we did not all kill each other yet.

So fight terrorism.

Fight evil with good.

Fight fear with laughter.

Spend time with your child. Forgive someone. Make good art. Make love. That old neighbor of yours? Help her shopping. Read a book. Donate blood. Donate to charity.

If you feel that my proposition is too Pollyanna-ish or feel-good, if you feel anger, use the anger. Go more radical.

Volunteer to charity. Subscribe for bone marrow donation. Pay for a full treatment of a rescue cat. Commit to helping financially that old neighbor of yours. Do something that is a serious financial, or personal effort to you and brings good to your community at the same time.

Shouting and protesting, even in a cause you believe in, doesn’t count. It won’t have the same effect.

This is serious, people.

This is the only way.

The only way to fight death is by living.