The Rhetoric of Fear

As the tenth anniversary of 9-11 approaches, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the feelings caused by this tragic historic event and the relationship to similar feelings that affect us all ten years later.

I remember where I was and what I was doing ten years ago early one afternoon inLondon.

I was working in a recruitment capacity in Risk Audit’s early days in a splendid yet dated office by the Guildhall at the heart of the City. The first sign that not all was right with the world was being informed during a headhunt call to a prime candidate inNew York(you know who you are!)that he had just witnessed a plane flying into theWorldTradeCenter. At first I thought that he must have been using some exotic substance and was therefore unsuitable for the responsible position I had in mind for him. It rapidly became clear that I was very wrong and that in fact the world as we knew it was under attack.

The image of the twin towers collapsing, people jumping to certain death, the vibrant financial centre I knew very well and loved for its dynamism under siege will haunt me forever. These were images viewed in a silent Corney & Barrow just offColeman Streetwith my business partner, Mitchell.

I recall leaving the bar at 3.30pm. Rumours flew around the City that planes had been hijacked and were on their way to attack the village I loved, the City ofLondon. My sole desire was to get out of the way and be with my young children at home.

The stench of fear is a feeling, an emotion and a state of mind that will always haunt me.

I strongly believe that the mindset created by these terrorists has never truly disappeared.

That mindset causes me to fast forward to the times we live in today. Times of financial uncertainty and negativity if you live in theUnited Statesor “Old Europe”.

Are we going to allow the rhetoric of fear to contaminate the rest of our lives?

I am still learning what it means to be a human being. I am learning that life is a learning experience.

The key lesson I would like to share with Stop Press’ readers today is that as human beings we have choices.

The key choice I would like to reflect on today is whether or not we want to live the rest of lives in a climate of negativity and fear or whether we want to live in a climate of positivity and aspiration.

We are more likely to achieve our life aims if we choose the latter.

9-11 and today’s recessionary conditions cause me to focus on the impact that negative words have on our mindset. There are too many negative expressions around in our world. It is perhaps time to look for the positive spin.

Austerity – not drastic reduction in spending but a necessary budgetary adjustment allowing sustainable growth to resume.

 

Job Losses – an opportunity for a human being to reinvent themselves and discover how variety is truly a wonderful experience.

 

Security ­Measures – essential arrangements promoting confidence in our ability to travel, work and live safely moving towards a more prosperous and richer future.

Solvency – a sign of rock-solid stability allowing a financial institution to finance our futures with confidence.

Maybe this game feels artificial but positive words and expressions matter.

I would welcome your feedback – please send your comments to [email protected]