How Do Young People Think About 9/11?

The 15th anniversary of 9/11 is tomorrow, and it's kind of hard to believe this tragedy occurred a decade and a half ago. On the one hand, many people out there remember that day with extreme clarity; on the other hand, it can be hard to recall what the world was like before the attacks. Those of us who were old enough at the time of the attacks can probably remember what life was like before 9/11 — for instance, TSA did not exist — but people born after 2001 obviously don't have that frame of reference. The people who grew up in the post-9/11 world have a unique perspective on the event's place in history. Reddit asked how young people think about 9/11, and their answers are insightful. They show that, even if you were not alive or old enough to remember what life was like before the attacks, 9/11 was a pivotal event in our country's history.

I was in fith grade on 9/11, so although I remember where I was that day, and I certainly have memories of my life pre-9/11, I wasn't old enough at the time to consider how the country — and the world — would change in its aftermath. A lot of responses in the Reddit thread touch on the world being more "carefree" before 9/11, and while I can agree with that sentiment, I can't say I was consciously aware of the shift. I, like other Redditors, just kind of took the changes for granted and accepted them as the new normal.

But regardless of your age at the time of the attacks or if you were even alive, recalling 9/11 produces strong responses. Here, some of the most thought-provoking answers from the thread.

It Was Perhaps A More Carefree Time

But That Doesn't Mean We Were Without Tragedy

"Never Forget" Holds True

It Can Feel Abstract

And We Just Accept The Way Things Are Now

It Didn't Just Change The Lives Of Americans

It Has A Significant Impact, Even For Those Who Don't Remember The Day

The Fear Had Lasting Effects

Perhaps The OP Put It Best

Image: Jake Ingle / Unsplash