The world through the eyes of a post-9/11 generation

How the war on terror shaped Generation Z

Katherine Ely / Contributor / The USD Vista

Saturday, Sept. 11, marked the 20th anniversary of the tragic terrorist attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C in 2001. Since then, an entire generation has grown up never knowing what life would be independent of the consequences unique to a post-9/11 world. Because of this, most Millenials’ perception of the world is significantly different tha those who lived and remembered the tragedy that day. 

USD junior, Natalie Cerf, explained how she feels about growing up in a post-9/11 world.

“When you get to the 9th month of the year, you always remember that 9/11 is coming up,” Cerf said. “I think it’s crazy because I was born in 2001 and I’m 20. It’s weird to think that’s how long it’s been. It’s really interesting that my life lines up with such a life-changing moment for so many in history.” 

Cerf initially learned about 9/11 through her early education. Growing up outside of New York, Cerf studied 9/11 in a U.S. history class. She said it was a brief focus in class considering it was, at the time, still relatively recent history compared to other topics taught in the classroom setting. 

Cerf believes that geography may also be a contributing factor to not learning much about 9/11 in her schooling. “I do think it also had to do with the fact that we were in California. I went to high school in the Bay Area so it wasn’t in our backyard by any means, and I didn’t live in a big metropolitan area, so there wasn’t any special emphasis on it,” Cerf expressed.

Like Cerf, USD first-year, Kaylin Polk, had a similar experience of learning about 9/11 in elementary school. 

“It’s important not to forget history because we learn from the past so that we don’t repeat it,” Polk said. 

While she may not have been born when 9/11 occurred, Polk recognized that her perceptions of the world around her were impacted by that day. 

Polk optimistically pointed out in her observations that after a major tragedy, what often surfaces among humans is a feeling of togetherness.

“I think there is this sense of belonging, like some form of camaraderie that exists between people who were there in New York when it happened, or alive to frantically flip on the TV and witness this horrible event,” Polk said. “Just like our generation experiencing COVID and with babies being born this year just on the cusp of it. They will never know what it was like.”

Part of growing up in a post-9/11 generation is seeing what changed culturally and politically as a result of that day. Though the events of that day were horrific and inhumane, 9/11 brought to light the importance of national security, as well as being a wake up call for change within the nation. “It’s interesting to see how 9/11 affected our day-to-day interactions, like everytime we go to an airport, or now there’s a sector of the government specifically for international security,” Polk said. “Just reminding ourselves that those things were never there, and that there are people actively working to protect us from these things. I’m very appreciative.”

Additionally, Polk mentioned the rise of fear toward the Middle East and the Islamophobia that emerged in the wake of 9/11 that continues to be seen today.

“You hear comments, it’s hard not to,” Polk expressed. “But I also think it’s important for all of us, not just our leaders, to distinguish between a certain ethnic group or country and from terrorist organizations.”

When reflecting on the tragic events of 9/11, Cerf expresses the immediate sadness she feels, as well as her confusion for the inhumane nature of those behind the attacks. Cerf concluded, 

“In direct regards to 9/11 it makes me really upset to think about those American citizens that didn’t deserve that by any means,”Cerf remarked. “They didn’t deserve to go to work one day and die. And their family members didn’t deserve to deal with that trauma. And I think that is a wound that will probably never heal.” 

The events of 9/11 impacted not only those alive to witness it, but have forever changed the mindset of those growing up in a post-9/11 world. It is the Millenials’ responsibility to now learn about the tragedy of 9/11 to honor those who were lost so that we can go forward and create a better world for future generations.