A new economy of fear.

• Author: Rundles, Jeff
• Position: Effects of terrorism on business and society - Brief Article - Editorial

I WAS LISTENING TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE radio programs the other day, "Weekend Edition Sunday" on NPR, and my favorite segment, the puzzle, with Will Shortz of The New York Times, when I got a little puzzled myself.

For years and years Weekend Edition has ended this segment by offering a brainteaser that people figure out (I can't do them) and then mail in their answers to NPR. On this Sunday the host said the show was accepting only email responses -- without further comment.

It was clear, however, that the program, based in Washington D.C., was reacting to the anthrax scare and its connection to the U.S. mail.

A few days later I noticed a small newspaper story, buried well back in the local paper, about the volume of mail being down about 5 percent in both Colorado and the nation as a whole -- also, the article indicated, a result of the anthrax scare.

I read another newspaper article about some companies embracing the notion of decentralized workplaces, as opposed to big headquarters operations.

Many people have been arguing for this business strategy in the last 10 years because technology now really allows for it. But the resurgence of late is, once again, a reaction to the national crisis. A decentralized company -- one with many workplaces, or employees working from home or both -- is safer from the threat of terrorism.

These reported phenomena might end up being short-lived once the threat passes. However, something very fundamental is going on here, a bold change in American life that has been discussed for years and is only being accelerated by the events of this fall.

Up to now, we have only given lip service to the idea of a New Economy, yet it is happening before our I eyes...