25 things that weren’t a thing when terrorists attacked America on 9/11
Ten years after the worst terrorist attack on American soil, then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg attempted to put 9/11 in perspective.
September 11, 2001, began as a picturesque day in Manhattan. It ended with nearly 3,000 dead after terrorists plowed hijacked planes into both towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The death toll would have been higher if not for the heroes on United Airlines Flight 93 who overpowered the terrorists and caused that aircraft to plunge into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
On 9/11, America mourned and came together.
“Since then, we’ve lived in sunshine and in shadow, and although we can never unsee what happened here, we can also see that children who lost their parents have grown into young adults, grandchildren have been born, and good works and public service have taken root to honor those we loved and lost,” Bloomberg observed at Ground Zero in 2011.
It is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since 9/11. Since then, America has changed in myriad ways. Here are 25 things that became a big deal after 9/11.
Department of Homeland Security
In hindsight, the enormity of how unprepared America was for a terrorist attack came fully into view. The following year, the Homeland Security Act created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which consists of 22 federal agencies (including the Coast Guard). Most of those entities existed before 9/11, but DHS was created to provide a more coordinated response to any terrorist threats.
TV Streaming
Cutting the cord wasn’t even a thing before 9/11. Now it is challenging to find anyone under 30 who actually pays for a cable subscription. Netflix. Amazon Prime Video. Apple TV. HBO Max. It’s their world, and we’re just living in it.
To Infinity and Beyond
America’s space interests used to be the sole purview of NASA. Now there is Elon Musk and SpaceX, along with Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin. There is also United Launch Alliance, among others. The race to space is on, and it has been for some time.
The Emergence of Taylor Swift
Tay-Tay was three months shy of her 12th birthday when the World Trade Center towers fell. She released her self-titled first album five years later, and American pop culture hasn’t recovered since. Among her legion of fans, Swift can do no wrong. In the first quarter of the 21st century, Swift went from a complete unknown to arguably America’s most popular entertainer with an estimated worth of more than $2 billion.
Tap to Pay
For the most part, Americans stopped writing checks a while ago. While contactless credit cards debuted in the United States in 2004, they became much more prevalent once the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. By their nature, paying with credit cards is convenient. Tapping to pay is even more convenient. Speaking of which…,
Once upon a time, Americans subscribed to newspapers, some magazines, and cable television. We call that period of history the Dark Ages. It’s not that subscriptions have become obsolete. Quite the opposite. Now, they’re everywhere. CNET, a digital media website, estimates that U.S. adults spend $250 annually in subscriptions they don’t even use. Imagine how much they dish out for the ones they do.
All Hail the Smartphone
Whether you are Team iPhone or Team Android, it doesn’t matter. Your phone is essential to your life. Folks rely on smartphones to take pictures, get them from Point A to Point B, and compile lists. They also use them to go online, send text messages, watch videos, and play games. And oh, yeah, they sometimes even make calls.
Here’s Harry Potter
Two months after 9/11 occurred, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” hit movie theaters. Over the next decade, seven more “Harry Potter” movies thrilled audiences worldwide. Author J.K. Rowling’s popular boy wizard provided a bit of escapism from real life for a whole generation.
More Ways to Lose Weight
Pre-9/11, if you were overweight, you basically had Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and going to the gym. Since then, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig went through bankruptcy, and now weight-loss drugs are becoming more popular. The nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation cited data last year that 12% of American adults are on GLP-1s such as Wegovy, Ozempic, or Mounjaro. That number is likely only to increase.
Security at Airports
Just like DHS, the Transportation Security Administration came about as a reaction to 9/11. For those of a certain age, we remember when we never had to take off our shoes or belt before heading to the gate. (Or have our bags scanned.) Not that we are complaining: Improved security is a good thing.
Major Sports in Las Vegas
Before the turn of the century, high-profile athletic events in Sin City basically amounted to championship boxing matches. Major sports leagues didn’t want anything to do with Vegas because of gambling. Now the NFL’s Raiders play there. The NHL gave Las Vegas the Golden Knights, and Major League Baseball’s Athletics are scheduled to start play there in 2028. Can the NBA be far behind?
The Prevalence of AI
The impact of artificial intelligence on our lives is growing, and that won’t change anytime soon despite privacy concerns. There are also other issues, including incorrect information and control. Those are legitimate points, but AI already has invaded our homes and workplaces. Siri, anyone?
Global War on Terrorism
A direct result from 9/11, the U.S. took the lead in the Global War on Terrorism. It began with the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001. It continued with the Iraq War in 2003. For most of the past 25 years, American service members were involved in one or both conflicts. Slightly more than 7,000 military members died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more than 53,000 were wounded.
The tragedy of 9/11 happened before everyone seemingly was addicted to their socials. Our nation increasingly has become one where a person’s self-worth is tied to their number of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. This is not to say that social media doesn’t have some positive qualities. But as a whopping $17.1 billion judgment against Meta showed, guardrails aren’t absolutely necessary.
The Patriots’ Dynasty
On 9/11, Drew Bledsoe was still the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback, with Tom Brady still holding a clipboard as his understudy. Two weeks later, Bledsoe sustained an injury that gave Brady a chance to play. The former sixth-round draft pick led New England to its first Super Bowl championship in February 2002. Since then, the Patriots added five more Lombardi Trophies to their collection.
The Power of Uncrustables
The concept is simple: Take a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and cut off the bread’s crust. But it took two fathers in Minnesota to listen to their wives for that concept to ultimately become an American marketing sensation. We can have a discussion about which flavor of Uncrustable is better? (We vote for chocolate hazelnut.) But there can be no debate that Uncrustables rule.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 is listed as the cause of death for more than a million Americans. It shut down schools, disrupted the seasons for several sports leagues, and canceled major events. If 9/11 packed one devastatingly powerful punch, the COVID-19 pandemic was a series of body blows that wore down Americans’ resolve.
The Return of ‘Maverick’
The original “Top Gun” first introduced us to cocky fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in 1986. Two decades after 9/11, “Maverick” finally graced the big screen again in 2022 and, boy, were audiences ready. “Top Gun: Maverick” grossed nearly $719 million domestically and about $1.5 billion worldwide. No wonder “Top Gun 3” is in development.
You don’t need us to tell you that it hasn’t been all unicorns and rainbows for America since 9/11. One stark example is the opioid crisis. Fentanyl, prescription painkillers such as Oxycodone, and heroin wreaked havoc on American communities. While the number of overdose deaths is on the decline, they remain a scourge on our way of life.
LeBron James
James made his NBA debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers amid stratospheric expectations. Somehow he managed to meet all of them. NBA champion? Check (four times over). The league’s MVP? Check. (Also four times over.) The league’s all-time leading scorer? Check. James might not be Michael Jordan, but what he is, is something special.
Software engineer Josh Wardle wanted to give his girlfriend something fun to do during the pandemic. So he came up with Wordle (a play on his last name), and the rest is, cha-ching, history. Five letters. Six guesses. Anyone can play. How great is that?
Hooray for Artemis II
In our politically polarized times, isn’t it wonderful when an event brings us together as Americans? That’s what the Artemis II crew did in April when it flew around the far side of the moon. Thus it became the first manned mission to do so since Apollo 17 in December 1972. And we all cheered as one.
So Much Exceptional Military Entertainment
“Black Hawk Down.” “Band of Brothers.” “Saving Private Ryan.” “Generation Kill.” “Masters of the Air.” “Dunkirk.” “American Sniper.” That’s just a short list of the amazing movies and miniseries that were released in the past 25 years. We humbly apologize if we left any of your favorites out.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 35% of Americans either worked partly or fully from their homes. That number began to rise during the pandemic and hasn’t gone down. While remote work has its disadvantages, the convenience that working at home affords some of us is priceless.
Nolan has become this generation’s Steven Spielberg. Whenever one of the London native’s movies hits the theater, Americans can’t buy tickets fast enough to see it. He resurrected the Batman franchise with “Batman Begins” in 2005. Nolan followed that with two more movies about the Dark Knight and eventually followed up such hits as “Dunkirk,” ”Oppenheimer,” and “The Odyssey.” What will Nolan bring us next?
Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty
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