What terror is this?

Well, this entry has been a couple of weeks in the coming. I sat down to finally get it into words yesterday and was somewhat pissed to find that there had been more explosions, albeit on a smaller scale.
I find that most people are very susceptive to "breaking news" - it's like a form of voyeuristic marketing, that gets us on the edge of our seats, inhaling the rumours and exhaling slightly embellished versions to those who come in late. Sick but true. On the 7th of July I finally finished at university, and in a break between final meetings, slipped into the bar for a caffeine boost, to see the hallowed big screen, used normally only to display sports matches, showing Sky news in all its glory. From the hype coming from the reporters, the ticker across the bottom flashing up at least a dozen different place names, I thought London had been obliterated. The events of that day were horrendous, but the press mauling of it more so. It finally struck me what terrorism is, it's not just the senseless violent acts, but the hysteria that whips up around it like the winds round the eye of the storm. With commentators telling Londoners to "get to a train station and leave the capital as soon as possible" you would expect chaos. But those London types have shown they are tenacious, and hysteria is not something that has really raised it's head.
I have to admit to being heartily annoyed with those who wore their "close escapes" like some kind of press pass, giving them access to sympathy and fame for five minutes. Now, I hate to bring reality back into the equation here, but as close scrapes go, leaving the City the day before after staying in a hotel on the same road as Kings Cross station is good fortune, but not worthy of phoning everyone you know about it. And still getting mileage out of the story a fortnight on is frankly disgusting, not to mention boring.
I happen to talk on the internet with the guy who took the camera phone pictures of people being evacuated at Aldgate station. He's not still recounting his close escape, he expressed his thankfulness at being so lucky, and moved on.
And I think that's my point. We can't live in a "what if?" society. I am awful for going "oh but what if?" but I try to keep myself in check. Uncertainty breeds doubt and panic. So be strong, be proud, be thankful for your lot, be honest with the people that matter and never be afraid to say sorry. And don't ever give in to people who play on your insecurities, because that is just rolling over and letting them win.