Why I Won't Be Scared

I'm going to London tomorrow. Enjoying a super long weekend with my sister. We're going to search out some little museums and poke around in little nooks of the city.

In the wake of the awful attacks on Paris recently, several colleagues have questioned why I'm still going. Won't I feel unsafe? Aren't I scared that something bad will happen?

To which my answer is no. I won't. For the following reasons.

1. What are the chances?

By all means, the threat of a terrorist attack on London is high. But it is a threat only. And if something does happen, how likely is it that I personally will be involved? There's several million people in London at any one time. The chances of any single person being caught up in a terrorist attack is very low. The figures I can find are for folks from the US, but basically I'm many hundreds of times more likely to be killed in a car crash than I am in an act of terrorism. Yeah.

2. I am careful

I'm not a suspicious person, but I'm not stupid enough that I wouldn't know a dangerous situation if I saw it. I'm much more concerned about general crime (pickpocketing and the like) than I am about terrorists in London.

3. I will not be scared

The whole point of terrorism is to instill terror in people. To make them feel unsafe in their own territory. To turn them against their fellow citizens (and refugees, but that's for another day). I refuse to be scared by these people. It would feel like giving in. That's what they want and I refuse.

So yes, I am going to London tomorrow. I will be my usual careful self and have to suppress anxiety on the Tube, but I will enjoy myself and I will make the most of my time off.

The terrorists can go fuck themselves.