what is terrorism?

i've often heard terrorism called a tactic, sometimes a method, once or twice a strategy.

it's none of them, but it uses them.

it's more a type of psychological warfare, or—even better—a genre of political theatre.

its true target is not its victims but its audience.

it doesn't mean to bring us to our knees. quite the opposite: the objective is overreaction.

terrorism aims to terrify enough folk into demanding governmental protection—at the cost of some of their freedom—to move the political status quo away from an open society and toward authoritarianism or totalitarianism, which will alienate folk from the state and thus lead to its destabilization and ultimate destruction.

that's the strategic goal.

simple, huh?