# A nerd figures out what 9/11 was really about
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 29, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431 "2019-08-29T19:57:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/1 "2019-08-29T19:57:42Z")
It wasn’t about religion. It wasn’t about oil. It was about me.
People say I’m self-centered but I’m really pretty sure about this.
In April 2001, I visited New York with some family members. We got to the World Trade Center and I was at the base of it, craning my neck up to look all the way up. It was tremendously impressive. I wanted to go to the top to see the view. I wanted to see if if I could start to ever so slightly see the curvature of the earth from up there. But I got vetoed; “Next time”, my father told me.
Well, it wasn’t to be, was it? And whose fault was that?!
That’s the really upsetting part of 9/11.
I’ll never know what the view is like from the top of the WTC now. Sure, I could go to the top of the Freedom Finger but it’s not really the same, is it? Because of that motherfucker Bin Laden. Why did he have to be a jerk like that? What did I do to him? I just wanted to see the view, that’s all. Is there something wrong with that? Couldn’t he have at least waited? Why do through all that just to spite me?
Pettiness like that calls for revenge.
But I didn’t get to do that either! Some Navy SEAL bro got to do it. I would have gladly done it. All they had to do was call me and give me an opportunity to right that wrong myself.
I could have done it so much better too. I would have kicked the door down and said: “Mr. Bin Laden, before I double tap you in the head, I want us all in this room to take a moment to reflect on how much of an ASSHOLE you were for denying me the opportunity to see the view from the top of the World Trade Center.”
…
…
…
“Alright. 72 virgins, comin’ up” BANG! BANG!
See? I think it would’ve been pretty cool.
But no, I didn’t get to see the view from the top of the World Trade Center. And I didn’t get to double tap Bin Laden in the head after saying a quip that shows off how clever I am. Instead, I’m just a guy having these thoughts on my morning walk.
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### Author:  [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/2 "2019-08-29T20:01:02Z")
Too soon. I’m not joking. Your thread is horrible. There are people on this board who saw the planes hit, there are people on this board who lost loved ones. You should probably apologize and beg a mod to close it.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/3 "2019-08-29T20:32:29Z")
Concur.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/4 "2019-08-29T20:50:20Z")
Nope.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/5 "2019-08-29T21:02:10Z")
The really upsetting part of 9/11 was that you didn’t get to go to the top of one of the towers? Dude, this story isn’t even mildly amusing. Over 2700 people and their families had an even worse day.
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### Author:  [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/6 "2019-08-29T21:18:10Z")
> [@cochrane](#):
>
> The really upsetting part of 9/11 was that you didn’t get to go to the top of one of the towers? Dude, this story isn’t even mildly amusing. Over 2700 people and their families had an even worse day.
Well no, not really. I’m poking fun at self-centeredness.
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### Author:  [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/7 "2019-08-29T21:55:37Z")
I’m not sure the joke landed.
Just like the planes! Hurk hurk hurk!
Oh god, what is wrong with me?
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### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/8 "2019-08-29T22:00:05Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#):
>
> Well no, not really. I’m poking fun at self-centeredness.
You don’t get to back out of saying something dumb by claiming it was a joke all along.
And if it was a joke, it wasn’t a funny or tasteful one.
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### Author:  [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/9 "2019-08-29T22:10:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#):
>
> You don’t get to back out of saying something dumb by claiming it was a joke all along.
>
> And if it was a joke, it wasn’t a funny or tasteful one.
You think that a post that’s apparently extremely self-centered and contains “People say I’m self-centered but I’m really pretty sure about this.” and “Pettiness like that calls for revenge.” is serious? I guess I won’t be able to convince you otherwise.
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### Author:  [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/10 "2019-08-29T22:12:09Z")
This may not be the best time to double down.
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### Author:  [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/11 "2019-08-29T23:00:03Z")
I did laugh about the Dad saying “next time”.
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### Author:  [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/12 "2019-08-29T23:15:24Z")
I had no doubt that the OP was a joke.
I don’t think it’s especially funny.
Neither do I think it’s excessively tasteless, or “too soon”\*.
What I’m wondering now is whether the people expressing outrage are joking.
\*My first reaction was that the OP was a zombie thread.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/13 "2019-08-29T23:22:41Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#):
>
> I had no doubt that the OP was a joke.
>
> I don’t think it’s especially funny.
>
> Neither do I think it’s excessively tasteless, or “too soon”\*.
>
> What I’m wondering now is whether the people expressing outrage are joking.
>
> \*My first reaction was that the OP was a zombie thread.
I’m not outraged, just shaking my head at the tone-deafness of the post. The OP completely misjudged the audience.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nerd-figures-out-what-9-11-was-really-about/839431/14 "2019-08-29T23:55:10Z")
**Moderator Action**
Since the OP is more offensive than it is anything else, I am closing this.