The tragedy of 9-11 is best understood in light of our two major addictions: the TV and the automobile. Because much of the destruction was captured on live TV, the entire nation became firsthand witnesses to this crime. Yet the media went far beyond their charter to inform the public, and transformed the terror and trauma of this event into what it does best: entertainment. Those who naively hoped that this tragedy would encourage the networks into providing more substantial fare were soon disillusioned. Though somewhat chastened at first, after a week or so, all three rings of the modern bread and circus returned to the airwaves.

Again, connecting the dots as to what prompted this act of hatred spells out the word oil, and behind it, the automobile. The sudden spike in gasoline prices on 9-11 reflected this truth. Our addiction to oil is behind many of the perverse policies in the Middle East and elsewhere. Yet it appears that the events of 9-11 have taught us little. Instead of considering alternatives to our ever-increasing consumption of oil, we are encouraged to buy an even bigger SUV at 0 percent interest. We console and congratulate ourselves by taping an American flag to the windshield. (Not to subtract from the horror of 9-11, but consider that nearly 3,000 Americans die every month in automobile wrecks!)

To say that our country has now come together and that it has rediscovered its values since 9-11 makes for a nice political sermon, but the reality is far more mundane and disturbing. Sept. 11 was an unmitigated tragedy for this country, but it’s doubtful as to whether we have learned anything. Or perhaps we’ve drawn the wrong conclusions (i.e. the “war on terror”). For me, I’m going to watch less TV and avoid driving whenever possible.

Ray Finch, Lawrence