With most major companies
announcing layoffs and cutbacks in technology related spending,
techies in the US are worried about the impact the recent
terrorist attack will have on the already sagging economy,
writes Mohan Babu
It was
about seven thirty in the morning when I was getting ready
for work, listening to the morning news, that, I heard a news-flash
saying that the famous World Trade Center was being attacked
by hijacked passenger airplanes. I tuned in my TV and remained
glued to the screen before heading for work, listening to
the news all the time. In the office people were huddled together
and a manager brought a small TV set along with him. Needless
to say, many of us spent a considerable amount of time on
and off catching up with the tragedy unfolding.
As I write,
details are emerging, but the fact remains incidents like
these have a way of shaking the fabric of the economy, society
and life. Even as dust settled after the worst attack ever
on US soil, the US officials were saying that “freedom itself
was attacked”.
Techies
working in the US are not immune to incidents like these taking
place around us. Just as we are an integral part of economic
activities and business development, we are a part of incidents
affecting life and society here. Dastardly terrorist activities
leave the very fabric of our existence shaken.
Throughout
the day, my co-workers in the office were highly disturbed,
especially with fresh news about developments emerging every
few minutes. websites of most big news agencies like the CNN,
NBC, CBS and BBC were jammed with requests and down for most
of the morning. It was interesting to see the reaction of
my American colleagues, who were reacting to the trauma, especially
since the terrorists had hit the most venerable of their institutions
- the financial hub, World Trade Center and the seat of military
power, Pentagon. The general reaction was that America needed
to retaliate, and do it swiftly. Every time someone would
be interviewed and the person expressed their anger and shock,
the room would reverberate with the sentiment. For a terrorist
attack to take place in their own home using their own planes
was hard for most Americans to digest and feelings were running
high.
Many offices
across the country decided to evacuate their employees and
even we were given an option to leave if we didn’t want to
work. Of course, yours truly decided to stay back. I watched
the drama unfold from my desk, taking part in the occasional
gossip and catching up with the news.
Most people
here are also worried about the impact this terrorist attack
will have on the already sagging economy with most major companies
announcing layoffs and cutbacks in technology related spending.
In the
days to come, the death toll will mount and we will get a
clearer picture of the bombing of the World Trade Center,
but for now, we are content to console ourselves that in a
violent world, we live to see another day.
