# When will 9/11 become "just another date?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 10, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292 "2010-09-10T14:43:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/61 "2010-09-12T02:32:42Z")
I think the answer to this really depends on what direction future society takes. If society were to stay just like it is now I’d say it would take a generation for the memory to fade. But odds are things aren’t going to stay static. We can’t necessarily assume that America and American culture will always have the dominance in the world stage that it presently does or what American society will look like decades from now. It is conceivable to me that 30 years from now China or India will be regarded as more important culturally and economically than America, and that 9/11 will be viewed as being as insignificant to most people then as the average American currently perceives big events in Chinese/Indian history as being. With all the immigration debate going on, it’s also unclear what kind of social makeup America will have in a few decades. I’m not sure but I would guess that people with roots in Latin America probably don’t regard 9/11 as being as big of a deal as those who were living here at the time do. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/62 "2010-09-12T04:36:01Z")
Pearl Harbor? The Alamo? Shit, Jews are still pissed about the Temple of Jerusalem getting sacked in 70 AD. Personally, I can’t even think about the Fall of Troy (ca. 1200 BCE) without getting all weepy-eyed. ---
**Author:** ![ramel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb8c5e/32.png) [@ramel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ramel)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/63 "2010-09-12T08:52:30Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > > [@ramel](#): > > > > I mean, there are a lot of people who couldn’t say why the 3rd of September 1939 is important, and that had much greater impact than September 11th 2001. > > If you’re talking about the start of World War II in Europe, that was on September 1st, 1939. Although the Western Allies apparently did declare war on Germany on the 3rd. A war between two countries is hardly a world war. Perhaps you mean because the war between Poland and Germany later became part of the world war? Then perhaps the 7th of July 1937 would be a more accurate date? But yes, the 1st of September is important, I’m not going to deny that, but so is the 3rd of September, 9th of April and 10th of May 1940 and 22nd of June and 7th of December 1941. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/64 "2010-09-12T08:57:28Z")
Probably around the same time people forget when Cinco de Mayo is. Making the name of the incident the date sort of hinders any progress on this front. Though I suppose in 20+ years it will become enough of a footnote that saying “today is 9/11” won’t immediately bring to mind images of 9/11/01 in a large block of the populace. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/65 "2010-09-12T09:18:58Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > > [@ramel](#): > > > > The 16 people who voted never, need to read more history books. There are plenty of historic events people thought at the time would be remembered forever, which today only a few history buffs know about. > > > > I mean, there are a lot of people who couldn’t say why the 3rd of September 1939 is important, and that had much greater impact than September 11th 2001. > > I hear ya, how many people know why veterans’ day is on 11/11? I still call it Armistice Day, even though the US hasn’t called it that in my lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/66 "2010-09-12T12:59:29Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > If we ever catch OBL that will shorten the period. Winning WWII put a lot of closure on Peal Harbor. So when we win the war on terror, and it stops being a political talking point, then we can move on with our lives. We can’t “win the war on terror”; terror is a tactic, not something you can shoot. And the “war on terror” itself has never been anything but a political catch phrase anyway; there’s no “war” to win. As for catching OBL, I bet that would actually increase how long 9/11 would be remembered because there would be a political and legal spectacle to further burn the entire affair into everyone’s minds. > [@matt\_mcl](#): > > It will never become “just another date” as long as we remember it chiefly _by_ the date. > > I don’t remember the date of the bombing of Hiroshima, because we call it “the bombing of Hiroshima,” not _checks_ “the August 6th incident.” Good point. It’ll probably be remembered for a long time then. Probably a lot longer than most people actually care about it. Although it’s possible that it’ll be shoved in a memory hole along with the war in Iraq if we collectively decide to pretend that embarrassment never happened. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/67 "2010-09-13T15:38:34Z")
> [@Chessic Sense](#): > > So that settles it. It’s an obvious-answer riddle. But then pravnik says “nobody” and I’m confused again. > [@Hello\_Again](#): > > > [@CWN](#): > > > > Don’t be confused, Hiram Ulysses Grant (AKA Ulysses Simpson Grant) is buried in Grants Tomb. > > actually, Grant and his wife. Grant was very explicit that his wife should be entombed with him, and she was. > > The joke about “nobody” being **buried** in Grant’s tomb, is that it’s above ground. Yes, this. Grant and his wife aren’t buried in Grant’s tomb - they’re entombed there. Old joke, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Hold\_Fast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Hold\_Fast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hold_Fast)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/68 "2010-09-13T23:32:32Z")
When the generation that lived through it begins to die out. That doesn’t mean our kids will be a bunch of insensitive jerks, but that they just won’t be able to relate to it the way we can; just like we can’t relate to pearl harbor the way 80 year olds can. All of us(unless theres some nine year olds on here) went through the horrible time of watching it on TV the day it happened. The coming generations won’t be able to reproduce such a lasting reaction to an event they weren’t alive to experience. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/69 "2010-09-14T04:57:06Z")
God, I hope soon. Sick and tired of “not forgetting” seemingly requiring forwarding shitty chain e-mails and “posting this as your status.” Last year some kid got on the NEWS complaining they didn’t take time out of the school day for a 9/11 assembly. Eight years later. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/70 "2010-09-14T13:33:45Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Probably around the same time people forget when Cinco de Mayo is. Making the name of the incident the date sort of hinders any progress on this front.. Well, I know that Cinco de Mayo is on May 5th, but I’m not 100% sure what it commemorates. Something to do with Mexican Independence I think, or maybe a major battle in their war for independence? Its not forgetting that the date is significant, it’s forgetting _why_. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/71 "2010-09-14T14:50:11Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > The boyfriend says eventually they’ll rename it, and I called bullshit but he reminded me about Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day and, god help us, Presidents Day, which is true. It’ll probably be Freedom Day or some such bullshit. Of course, my mom still says Armistice Day and my grandmother made some offhand comment a few years ago about Decoration Day. I thought Patriot Day was the designated name? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292/72 "2010-09-14T14:58:22Z")
I think people who were alive and witnessing the events on TV will never forget and 9/11 will never be “just another date” to them. Very similar to the day JFK was killed, anyone can tell you exactly what they were doing that day and how deeply it affected them. I think until all the living witnesses are gone, it will be a significant day. So it will take a generation before it becomes simply a historical event like Pearl Harbor is today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-9-11-become-just-another-date/553292.md?page=3)