Living life in paranoia is a mindset that leaves one constantly fearing everything and everyone. Life in and of itself is dangerous. Everyone wants to feel safe no matter where they are. Due to the threat of terrorist attacks, the general public has a heightened concern for their personal safety, especially when traveling by plane.
Airports have taken personal safety on with fervent passion. I for one, would definitely like to fly the friendly skies and appreciate most of what is done to keep the skies secure. However, the recent faces and interactions that I have seen at the airport before takeoff would not predict a smooth flight.
The standard rules that safety requires nowadays in the airport appear to be multiplying faster than two frisky white rabbits. These new rules will have most passengers arriving four hours before a domestic flight simply to make sure they can actually board the flight on time.
It all began with having to take off our shoes in security. Now we almost have to travel naked because that will be the only way they can insure the little old grannies they stop when going through security are not carrying bombs in their tiny handbags.
The water bottle bomb scare during the summer had an entire new set of safety rules put in place. At first, there were no carry-ons allowed period. Now, liquids are strictly forbidden. Airports harshly enforce not bringing on water and shampoo, thus sending people back to check-in lines because they forgot about the tiny bottle in their carry-ons. What puzzles me is that through all the frenzy and attempts to strongly enforce rules, people still make it through security with liquids.
My mother was traveling back from New York five days after the water bottle bomb scare. She happened to leave a bottle of water in a bag of clothing she had purchased when she went through security check. After all the hype they had made about the new rules, they said nothing to her about the bottle and she went to board the plane, oblivious to the fact it was there.
There is security and then there is stupidity. The ridiculousness of the entire process makes both passengers and airport personnel frustrated with one another.
The lines are longer. There is more confusion. The process costs more money and time. In short, airline companies are only making the situation more difficult for themselves. I want them to take precautions, but let’s make them reasonable. Might I add that water is a necessity of life. Sadly enough, it only takes one person to screw everyone else over.
I want to feel safe, but let’s face it, you are in danger every day of your life simply by living in this world. Most of you reading would laugh at the previous statement because we normally don’t think about all the little horrible things that could happen to us in a day.
You don’t think as you walk across the street in between those safe white lines that you are going to be hit by a bus, so you walk. There is a possibility, though slight as it might be, that a bus or car could come speeding around the curb and flatten you to the road in seconds.
Most people would agree with me that thinking about events such as this would drive the average person crazy, insane, even. They would argue you cannot live your life that way. This is true.
Yet, this fearful state of mind is the process we are forced to go through every time we go to board an airplane. These safety rules force us to be paranoid.
The bottom line is, no matter what, people will find a way around the rules. Flying with caution in a safe environment is desirable, but you can never be 100 percent safe.
There does come at some point a line between being safe and being overly paranoid. Finding a happy medium to avoid turbulence before you are even sitting in your seat on the plane is being left further and further behind.
Jenna McDaniel is a junior art education major