In the week after September 11, 2001, I wrote the following piece for the TEN newsletter. Hearing about today’s bombings in London, I feel compelled to re-publish.
Last week’s horrific acts in New York and Washington took the lives of thousands, cost untold billions for reconstruction and reportedly were committed by a network of middle-eastern extremists. The Oklahoma City bombing took more than a hundred lives, cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and was committed by a fringe American. In Japan, members of the Aum Shinrikyo sect repeatedly attempted to poison large numbers of their fellow citizens before their “successful” sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway system that killed twelve and injured thousands. And these are just some of the terroristic acts that are committed regularly all over the world.
What is it that drives these people to kill innocent individuals, injure families, paralyze companies, and destroy cities? As the examples show clearly, terrorism has nothing to do with religion, ethnic background, or even social status.
As a Silicon Valley entrepreneur whose very life is centered around building things, not destroying them, I watch in utter disbelief and complete incomprehension. How can anyone’s goal be total destruction? How can any of them believe anything will come out of these acts, except for more destruction? What sick world view is that?
There is a clear line. There are those who build, and those who destroy. Those who construct, and those who destruct. Deep down, I feel there is little middle ground. You are either with us pushing forward for positive, constructive change, or against us, killing and burning. There cannot be a compromise.
Many asked the question last week: “what can I do, how can I help?” My answer is simple: “Keep building.” Whether you are in high-tech, building new companies, products and markets; or a street sweeper, helping to build a beautiful city; or a parent or teacher, building understanding and new lives; or wherever you are. We, the builders, can build more than they can ever destroy. We can build better and stronger. And we will. We, the builders, will prevail, and there is no doubt about that.