That’s Entertainment Maxim: Ceremonial Security (a.k.a. “Security Theater”) will usually be confused with Real Security; even when it is not, it will be favored over Real Security.

Comment: Thus, after September 11, airport screeners confiscated passengers’ fingernail clippers, apparently under the theory that a hijacker might threaten the pilot with a bad manicure. At the same time, there was no significant screening of the cargo and luggage loaded onto passenger airplanes.

Compiled by Roger G. Johnston, Ph.D., CPP, Argonne National Laboratory