They're not intended to overthrow a government, to defeat an army or to take over a country. The aim of terrorism is to inflict high-profile damage on soft targets in order to maximize fear, ostensibly to effect a change in public policy. The best way to enable terrorists is to overstate the effect and magnitude of their attacks — and to overreact to them.

Mass shooters often seek fame or infamy. They're looking for significance — to be remembered, even if for the worst reasons. It's why they often leave behind manifestos and political diatribes. We give them exactly what they want. It's probably not realistic to suggest that we stop covering mass shootings altogether. Or even that we refrain from mentioning the shooters' names. But we do much more than that. We obsess over them, elevate them and give them far more significance than they deserve.