Terrorist Act In Barcelona: When Evil Affects Good People

When injustice and adversity strike good people, life loses its rhythm and logic, just as when a terrorist attack took place in Barcelona. But what good-hearted people will never lose is hope. Even if evil lowers them, goodness will always lift them up again. There is a golden chain around us all that will sooner or later make us stronger and braver people.

It is said that terrorism has a weapon that goes beyond taking life and creating chaos, and that is to give rise to fear in people. That fear gives them power over their victims. It convinces them that the invisible threads of terror will change our way of life and merely our need to feel safe.

On August 17 , we once again experienced the same feeling after terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils in Spain. We mourned once again that lives had been wasted. Toddlers, mothers and fathers. Grandparents, friends and citizens from 18 countries who just enjoyed another afternoon on one of the world’s most beautiful streets.

Evil had come to visit once more. And even if it is not new or unique, even though there are many who die every day under the same circumstances around the world, it is about more than that.

How should we respond to these situations? Psychologists who specialize in terrorism have an idea. Jeff Greenberg, Sheldon Solomo and Tom Pyszczynski warn us that these things can affect us in a very special way…

In the days following this terrorist attack in Barcelona, ​​social media was filled with photos of cats. Why? A large proportion of all twitter users have agreed for a single purpose: to stop images of victims from spreading. Instead, they share pictures of their cats.

They also want to slow down the filtering of information that may be useful to terrorists, and this attack goes beyond that; people show solidarity, beautiful concern for their neighbor.

The people of Barcelona offered people who needed it a place to sleep, transport was free and companies also did their part. These situations help us to see something. Despite the chaos and tragedy, generosity is what ultimately gives us honor. Which shows us that our world contains more good people than we thought.

This is exactly what the experts say, including those mentioned above. Dr. Jeff Greenberg is a psychologist at the University of Arizona. He explains that after such a terrorist act, our survival mechanisms start.

There are very few occasions that make us as fragile and vulnerable as these events. Nothing is as devastating as the feeling that our security is threatened.

But in these contexts we do not feel revenge. Instead, something very interesting happens to people, they feel a greater sense of context. And most of all, people are looking for a way to rebuild stability – it’s about much more than just rebuilding a building that has collapsed.

What they are mainly looking for is to regain their emotional stability and faith in who we are. A society that still believes in peace and respect. People who, even when they have been hurt by a great evil, continue to believe in the goodness of mankind.

Psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in terrorism psychology suggest that in these situations we need to put two answers into practice.

Continue to find out who they are.

• Let us try to minimize the degree to which we are exposed to images of the attack, but not the information. Most of the media tried to control access to the worst images from this terrorist attack in Barcelona. But sooner or later we will see something that will have a big impact on us. So let’s avoid them. Let’s share photos of cats.
• We must also minimize our thoughts of hatred. It is also important to minimize the fear as much as possible. We can not let terror prevail over us.

• Let us try to maximize our support and our generosity.
• Our donations. Either through social media and messaging or by being there, by helping and offering sleeping places or donating blood.
• Positivity. We will stop being victims and instead encourage authentic support and solidarity.

Unfortunately, bad things affect good people. But there is a difference for people who understand that violence is a form of language and oppression. They understand that goodness will never give up. We will rise again to defend our values, and peace will be our flag.