Why Care About Terrorism?

Henry Porter at the Guardian has a thoughtful article on terrorism, arguing that far too much in the way of effort, attention and resources compared to the likely threat to life.

I agree that more attention is paid to terrorism as compared with other issues relative to the actual threat to life, though the really clear examples where this is the case, aren't even the issues he cites like swine flu, but mundane issues like road safety. Presumably politicians could argue that the demand for these policies comes from the general public, and that they are only addressing their concerns. There is still a very interesting question to ask here about why it is that people worry much more about dying in a terrorist outrage than they do about crossing the road on the way to work.

Also really interesting in Porter's piece is his suggestion that downgrading this disproportionate attention would "deprive terrorists of the sense of unearthly self-importance that has done so much to and flatter their cause and encourage recruitment." I'm sure that something like this is true. It brings to mind the constant (and futile) pleas of pressure groups in America that coverage of schoolyard shootings should be as sober as possible.