Mick Broderick and Robert Jacobs’ Nuke York, New York was very interesting and reinforced an article I had read shortly after Sandy about how we love to destroy New York in popular media. I, originally, thought that New York was so often chosen as the sight for destruction because of its iconic skyline and the ability for anyone around the country to recognize it. However, Nuke York, New York also pointed out that it is useful to help describe the scale of an attack to the population and, more importantly, New York City could be viewed as the “financial and cultural heart” of the country. Essentially, destroying New York could cripple the entire country in a way that destroying another city, like Miami, would not. But it was also apparent that the idea of destroying New York City was/is terrifying and exciting at the same time.

I found it upsetting but unsurprising that the fear of destruction sprang up from the bombing of Hiroshima. I suppose it was something of Frankenstein’s Monster scenario. But to view ourselves as the victim of our own destruction is incredibly self-centered. It also works towards creating an “us vs. them” mentality, because “they” deserve it but we would be unjustly attack if it were the other way around.

This victim mentality after Hiroshima and especially after 9/11 have greatly influenced our international and national policy, often in unsavory ways. Any attack on the U.S. is called terrorism, while any attack we make on another country is defense. The images of New York being depicted in the media are so ingrained in the population, that it is a real and near danger to many. These images have instilled a paranoia in the U.S. that leads to the logic that if danger is real, it is only fair that the country prevents it. All the violence and injustices inflicted upon other countries and citizens of our own are justified because the U.S. is a force of good fighting against the forces of evil.