“For much of [American] history, residents of the United States have never had to seriously consider the possibility of conventional interstate warfare on [American] soil or the possibility that Non-state terrorists could easily reach us on [American] soil” (Aber). On September 11, 2001, a series of coordinated attacks by a terrorist group known as al-Qaeda devastated the United States in a multitude of ways that define my generation. After 9/11, members of Generation Y, including myself, gathered under the shadow of terrorism, united in fear. The September 11 attacks led to economic depression, increased security in public places, the adoption of helicopters, and the escalation of the war on terrorism, thus defining Generation Y as a generation of ingrained tragedies with a grain of paranoia in our daily lives. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were unique in American history and set my generation apart from others. “The events of 9/11 led to the largest loss of life on American soil caused by non-state foreign enemies of the United States” (Aber). These attacks for many members of my generation, myself included, represent the first time we can remember feeling completely helpless since most of us were only in elementary school. During the height of childhood development, the innocent vision of reality was crushed before our eyes, bringing to light the disaster of the world we live in; one that our ancestors never wanted us to experience. Developing in a world of constant change and paranoid instability is a big difference between my generation and the previous one. With the almost unfiltered graphic media of the 2000s, high definition television and constant news exposing people around the world to such… middle of paper… see. 2013.LeMoyne, Terri and Tom Buchanan. "Does 'hovering' matter? Helicopter parenting and its effect on well-being." Sociological Spectrum 31.4 (2011): 399-418. Premier of academic research. Network. November 19, 2013. Mijanovich, Tod and Beth C. Weitzman. “Disaster in Context: The Effects of 9/11 on Youth Far From the Attacks.” Community Journal of Mental Health 46.6 (2010): 601-611. Premier of academic research. Network. November 18, 2013. Silver, Roxane Cohen, et al. “Mental and Physical Health Effects of Acute Exposure to Media Images of September 11, 2001, the Attacks, and the Iraq War.” Psychological Science (Sage Publications Inc.) 24.9 (2013): 1623-1634. Premier of academic research. Network. November 12, 2013.Villemez, Jason and Mortada, Dalia. “From 9/11 to Now: The Ways We Have Changed.” PBS News Hour.MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, September 14, 2011. Web. November 11. 2013.