I would really welcome anyones' opinions on this.

I was having a conversation with a friend, when he told me that an aquaintance of his became very polarized after 9/11....he was a little right of center, but became far right after the event.(and somewhat revengeful)

For me, 9/11 gave me a push into the "Whatever" mindset. It became painfully obvious to me, that everything I held dear could be gone in a NY minute....and there is nothing I can do about that.
I started smoking again....whatever
Life is a short stint in the scheme of things, and does anything I do really matter?
Does anything anybody else does, matter to me?
I do not feel I am more cynical, however I am definitely more fatalistic.
I have more compassion.
I have learned how awesome our nation is in a crisis.
I have learned how patriotic I am.
I have lost tolerance for complainers

But mostly, I have learned to accept that life is really painful...and NO ONE comes out of this unscathed.