Don't Respond to Terrorists

Security consultant Bruce Schneier answers some questions about terrorist attacks:

What should people be thinking about in the aftermath of an attack like this?

They should refuse to be terrorized. Terrorism is a crime against the mind. What happened in Boston, horrific as it is, is theater to make you scared. That’s the point. The message of terrorist attacks is you’re not safe, and the government can’t protect you — that the existing power structure can’t protect you. I tell people if it’s in the news, don’t worry about it. By definition, news is something that almost never happens. The brain fools you into thinking the news is what’s important. Our brains overreact to this stuff. Terrorism just pegs the fear button. . . .  If you are scared, they win. If you refuse to be scared, they lose, no matter how much carnage they commit.

What should policymakers do in the aftermath of this kind of event?

Nothing.