Was 9/11 a tragedy?

Foundations of Knowledge and Understanding I (Honors) | 9/15/03 | Dr. Ronald L. Hall

[PPHSFL]

On Monday, we had a discussion on whether the events of September 11 qualified as a national tragedy from the viewpoint of philosophy, and if it was, whether it was a tragedy from a Greek or a Shakespearian standpoint. Thanks for your responses in advance. I will link this discussion to the class discussion board for my classmates to view.

[Nitro]

From the Greek and Shakespearean point of view it was a tragedy, but not tragic.

[Nitro]

Or do I mean the other, I never got Shakespeare...

I had to work to get Melville!

[Hazzardgate]

Shakespeare would have nuked Medina.

[Erik Latranyi]

There are various types of tragedy (ex Comedic Tragedy)

Most tragedies stem from self-made circumstances.

Disasters stem from external forces.

9/11 was an attack. It was meant to cripple our economic (WTC), political (White House), and military structure (Pentagon). A classic military strategy to decapitate your enemy. Mostly used as a prelude to a larger invasion.

9/11 was an attack.

[PPHSFL]

This is the first time I posted an article here after more than two years of being a member of Free Republic. If I messed up on anything, would someone please freep-mail me and tell me how to do it correctly. Thanks!
For the subject at hand. I was surprised that anyone would even consider 9/11 to be anything other than a tragedy. I expressed my opinion of this by describing the Pentagon officer who barely survived the crash only to find out that his 11-year-old son was on board the plane. Maybe it is emotion but I just do not find any other way to describe what happened that day other than a national tragedy. Your thoughts on this subject are greatly appreciated.

[Lunatic Fringe]

tragedy - NOUN:
1. A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances.

No, it was not a tragedy, it was a catastrophic assault.

[AntiGuv]

Sophocles would've nuked Mecca....

[omega4412]

I thought the classic definition of a tragedy required the protagonist to fall as a result of a tragic (character) flaw.

If America had a tragic flaw leading to 9-11, it was tolerance. Tolerance of Islamofascists.

[facedown]

It was an act of war.

[.38sw]

I have serious difficulty thinking of 9/11 as a tragedy. As you said, it was an attack. When I think of Shakesperean tragedy, the tragedy occurs because of some action or failing of the main character of the play.

There are those who say that we brought 9/11 upon ourselves (I'm not one of them), in which case perhaps one could say that it was a tragedy, but I'm not buying that one.

It's been so long since I've read any Greek tragedies that I couldn't say what Greek tragedy was. I wasn't exactly paying rapt attention to such things when I was in high school. Which, as I mentioned, was quite some time ago...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Atrocity might be a better word.

[dinok]

This is a kind of topic that turns normal young adults in to elitist snobs.
What is tragic is that most college students today think their nation is wrong and have no clue of the importance of the United States in keeping the world from descending in to another dark age.

By the way...I'm Greek by birth, American by choice. We Greeks think the obsession with ancient Greece is moronic. It gives worthless college professors something to do at the expense of taxpayers.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Atrocity might be a better word.

[colorado tanker]

9/11 was an attack>

Yep. The people who call it a tragedy are trying to make it sould like some natural disaster.

If you want to put it in Shakespearan terms, this would be a history play. 9-11 was the opening act, the provocation, as in Henry V. The end will also be similar, with our enemies dead or swept before our forces, our "band of brothers."

[Normal4me]

It would have only been a tradgedy had algore been president. ;-)

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Sorry for the duplicate.

[RightWhale]

No, the atrocity was not a tragedy. To the individuals involved, it was a tragedy.

[Monty22]

Atrocity is absolutely THE word for it.

A tragedy typically has some sense of irony or black humor involved, where the victim usually has it coming in some way.

The response to tragedy is grief or sadness.

The response to atrocity is revenge.

[.38sw]

I was surprised that anyone would even consider 9/11 to be anything other than a tragedy

There are quite a lot of us who object to having it referred to as a tragedy, although the personal losses of family members suffered in the attack are certainly tragic. I also view it as an act of war. I've heard 9/11 referred to as a disaster. To me, a disaster is what happens when there is a massive earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, tornado or the like.