Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Quinquennial

We're big on anniversaries, especially the first, and multiples of 5. So much so, that there's even a name for it. Yesterday was a quinquennial, and it was a big one at that. I'm not entirely sure what makes 1, 5 and 10 bigger than 2, 6 and 11 - they just are - and sometimes you just have to let things be what they are, no matter how odd. That applies to people, too.
You'd think that the good ones like weddings and birthdays would be important every year, and that the horrible ones like devistation and despair would be less so. Maybe there's some psychology to it, or maybe we just like the numbers.
I'm not sure how it got to be called 9-11, and not by a name, other than maybe CNN or some media outlet decided to shorten it for TV. It has a marketable ring, as if we needed to market it at all. Generally, my answers to questions like that are "TV" or "money", and they are usually correct. We don't call Pearl Harbor 12-7 or the Kennedy assassination 11-22. Maybe they're not as catchy, or maybe it's because we didn't have CNN in 1963.
There is some speculation that the reason the president made so much of the five-year anniversary of the attacks is because it is an off-year election, but I'm not so sure. Even our local evening newscasts were done from "Ground Zero, and the barrage of television shows (both documentary and docu-drama) were staggering, as to be almost overwhelming.
A couple of friends thought it was a bit much, and I suppose it is human nature to sort of turn your back on something that is so difficult to talk about. None of us can change the fact that it happened, and how each of us deals with it is up to us. Still, I suppose it is healthy to pause and reflect (even if it's only every five years) on events that changed our lives.
Shortly after the attacks, we were reminded who the real heroes were that day, and that the made-up heroes like athletes and performers were not worthy of such a title. For a little while, we remembered it, but now I see we're back to calling quarterbacks and actors heroes, just like we did on September 10, 2001.
We will gravitate back to whatever we are comfortable with, and it would seem that the day makes us uncomfortable. As it should.
So, now it's back to the nonsense.
Life goes on.

9 comments:

supergirlest said...

i somehow missed all of the media coverage and barrage of the rest... sounds like a nightmare, even for television. ratings whores.

having heroes has always been a touchy thing with me - it tends to lend itself to a dangerousness if left unchecked - i prefer people that i respect a whole lot. but i understand the need for them in a mythological sort of sense, in a culture. though, i've never understood the idea of them being actors or sports players - i mean, we are all just people after all. ever hear utah phillips/ani difranco's collaborations? utah'm mom made hero scrapbooks for the kids when they were young. they were full of bank robbers. lol!

i hear bush's speech last night was detestable. i can't even watch him anymore....

Anthony said...

I'm with you, I can't watch him, either. In fact, I turned off the TV when I saw him. Sad.

Apparently, the media blitz took place mostly during the day/morning TV hours, when most of us were working, so it's just as well.
By most accounts, it was a little over the top.

As far as heroes being athletes and performers, I don't know - I guess it's because it's something to which most people aspire. Instead of writers, thinkers, and doers, which is equally sad.

Kate Michele said...

Want to know one of my heros growing up? Still is really.....

Judy Blume......

I did watch the speech by ole Bushy...it was more like a speech that he would give two years after the attacks, not five.... It was lacking poetry and depth in my opinion....But really what can you expect?

Robert Rouse said...

I know exactly what you're saying. The closest I can think of would be July 4. Many people tend to use the date rather than calling it "Independence Day". And that date still annoys me a little. I always thought it should be called "Declaration of Independence Day", since we were not actually granted our independence until nearly five years later. We don't even celebrate Oct. 17 (the date Cornwallis surrendered).

I think as long as GWB is around, "9/11" will be "celebrated". We remember Dec. 7, but we don't spend hours every year honoring the dead.

I also wrote about 9/11, but my entire post was a critique of Dubya.

The one day I have a silent vigil for every year is Dec. 8. As a Beatles fan, I'm sure you understand the significance.

Kate Michele said...

I think he must of missed the point of the heroes part of your post.....

Anthony said...

Maybe, but honoring the day John Lennon was killed is worthy of some sort of memorial.

John can still be admired and, as tara said, "respected" for who he was and what he accomplished. Plus, it was certainly a dark day for us boomers.

Of course, it's also the day, in 2004 that guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott was murdered onstage by Nathan Gale at a Damageplan concert in Columbus, Ohio.

Pam said...

i hear bush's speech last night was detestable. i can't even watch him anymore....

me either. If I had watched him, I would not have been able to sleep.

I read your post early this morning and tried to think of something profound to add. But all the profound looks to be taken already (thanks kara ;-)!). Great post, as usual, Anthony.

John Lennon qualifies as a hero in my book. The US vs. John Lennon should be out soon!

kimmyk said...

I didn't watch tv yesterday and tried to avoid reading blogs because I knew all of them would have a tone to them and I just didn't want to deal with any of it. Denial? Maybe. Just tired and it makes me nervous so...

I don't recall ever thinking of anyone as a hero before. I do now.

Sad that life goes on...for some it never will. They just pretend. Sad. All of it..still.

Anthony said...

Pam: Thank you so much. The great thing about the blog is getting to share ideas and seeing how others react. It's been a great experience, both reading and writing.

Kimmyk: Exactly my point. How each of us deals with it is right for the individual. I chose to meet up with it, and watched some of the TV coverage, but when I felt overloaded, I turned away. Doing the tribute on Monday took a lot out of me.
It is sad.

Thank you all for helping me deal with this (again). Now, with your help, I'll get back to the regular nonsense! :)