As we all remember that horrific day on September 11, 2001, I look back at what I was doing at those exact moments. And I remember, crystal clear, that I was on my car, around 7 am, driving to work, to AGEA, a startup I helped start. AGEA was a startup in Austin and we had a great mobile platform. At that time, we were in the process of going through the final acquisition discussions with BEA (today part of Oracle).
When the first plane hit, I was driving; I was listening to the radio, and the news came up. It all was very confusing. An airplane had hit the WTC. The first thing that came to my mind was that airplane during the 1940s or so that hit the Empire State building by accident. But the tone and descriptions from the radio announcer were all very confusing and disturbing – was it an accident? Was it intentional?
As I got to the office, we turned on the TV. And as we talked, the second airplane hit — some scream in disbelieve, others in anger, then total silence. It was confusing. We couldn’t believe it. What is going on?
As things evolved, and we continue watching those images coming from the TV, it was clear that we were under attack, we all realized the severity of what was happening — we knew we were entering new times.
What a morning. We couldn’t work, we all left the office, we all went to one of the co-workers home nearby. And we continued watching TV news throughout the date, the President speak, the theories, the horrific images of the buildings, and of the people who were there. Then the buildings started to fall, one by one. I just wanted justice, I wanted vengeance. We all did. We knew things were going to be very different from now on; I could feel it in my bones, a bad feeling about the future.
And very different things became. The bubble had just happened in 2000. The attack made things worst. Businesses stopped buying. Mergers and acquisitions stopped, so our BEA discussions. A long-term war, that is still going on today, started that same day. It pushed everything back, including innovation. The rest is history.
Never forget…
ceo
The things you mention at the end (including the wars) didn’t have anything directly to do with the terrorist attacks. For instance the proponents of the war on Iraq were rather using this event as an excuse to start it. Also, I’m pretty sure the terrorists didn’t intend for the buildings to collapse. That was in part due to sloppy architecture, and impossible to predict. I try to avoid the conspiracy theories though.
I of course sympathize with the people that were affected by this tragedy, but it has gotten too much symbolic meaning and has controlled our lives and defended atrocities on USA’s part for a much too long time. I understand if you folks in the USA don’t see this, but it’s a sad fact.
Let’s move on.
Anders, what happened post 9/11 as I described and that directly affected me and others, were triggered by the attack. We have and are moving on, but that doesn’t mean to forget. Perhaps this wasn’t written for you, but for those affected by that terrible day.
ceo
I fully understand that, and I definitely sympathize.
One way to move on from an overall perspective might be to try to right the wrongs: Actively question the war efforts and politics, and also question the seemingly constant “red alert” state at airports etc that hinders the population more than any would-be terrorist.
In my experience, getting active doing positive and constructive stuff is a good way out of negative vibes. If it works in the small, it might work in the large.