Baudrillard

Critiques
The Catastrophe Fix.......................................2 Catastrophe Fix 2NC Overview......................5 Catastrophe Fix 2NR Overview......................6 Disaster Porn..................................................7 Disaster Porn Overview..................................9 Commodifi ation of !"fferin#........................$% &e !ear h for 'ma#es..................................$2 N" (ear )*perrea(it*.....................................$+ N" (ear )*perrea(it* 2NC Overview.............$7 N" (ear )*perrea(it* 2NR Overview.............$, Pro(iferation !tops &ar.................................$9 Pro(iferation !tops &ar Overview.................2% '(("sion of &ar...............................................2$ '(("sion of &ar Overview...............................2+ -iosphere 2..................................................2. -iosphere 2/NC0 Overview...........................26 -iosphere 2/NR0 Overview...........................27 1a(efi ent 2 o(o#*........................................2, 1a(efi ent 2 o(o#* 2NC Overview................+$ 1a(efi ent 2 o(o#* 2NR Overview................+2 1a(efi ent v. Deep 2 o(o#* $3R..................++ !entimenta(it* to 3nima(s.............................+. !entimenta(it* to 3nima(s Overview..............+. 4(o5a( v. 6niversa(.......................................+6 4(o5a( v. 6niversa( 2NC Overview................+, 4(o5a( v. 6niversa( 2NR Overview.................% 4(o5a(i7ation of 8io(en e...............................$ 4(o5a(i7ation of 8io(en e Overview...............5 !pirit of Terrorism..........................................6 !pirit of Terrorism Overview.........................., 'nfe tion of Demo ra *..................................9 C"(t"re Crash...............................................5$ C"(t"re Crash Overview................................5+ !hadow9-oxin# the !*stem..........................5. !hadow9-oxin# Overview.............................55 !trate#i Passivit*........................................56 !trate#i Passivit* Overview........................57 'nfinite Remainder........................................5, Feminist P(asti !"r#er*...............................6% Feminist P(asti !"r#er* Overview...............6+ 'mp(osion of the !tate...................................6. 'mperia(ism as 3nti9'mperia(ism....................66 8ira( Comm"nism.........................................6, Power :ashin# O"t.......................................7% Power :ash O"t Overview............................7$ The De5t.......................................................72 De5t Overview..............................................7. !im"(ation of Po(iti s.....................................75 1edia 'nformation !" ;s..............................77 -anishin# the Ri#ht.......................................7, -anishin# the Ri#ht Overview.......................,$ Disne* &or(d................................................,2 ....................................................................,+ Radi a( Tho"#ht 3(ternative..........................,. O"r Framewor;.............................................,6 Framewor; Overview....................................,, 3ff Doesn<t 4et to Pi ; Framewor;...............,9 32= Perm.......................................................9% 32= Postmodernism is -ad...........................9+ 32= &e !ti(( !o(ve>........................................9. 32= Need a Text"a( 3(ternative.....................95 32= Disaster Porn.........................................96 1"st 2n#a#e !*stem....................................97 3(ternative Fai(s............................................9,

Jean Baudrillard is a professor of philosophy of culture and media criticism at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.

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The Catastrophe Fix

The images of catastrophe and destruction they present are like a drug, used by the first world nations to feed off the suffering of the rest of the world. Their efforts to solve these problems are coproductive with the disasters themselves, and this constant search for new spectacle will lead to the destruction of the human species as the ultimate reality TV show. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. 66-71]
We have long denoun ed the apitalisti , e ono!i e"ploitation of the pove#t$ of the %othe# half of the &o#ld% [[%aut#e !onde]. We !ust toda$ denoun e the !o#al and senti!ental exploitation of that pove#t$ - ha#it$ anni'alis! 'eing worse than opp#essive violen e. The e"t#a tion and hu!anita#ian #ep#o essing of a destitution &hi h has 'e o!e the e(uivalent of oil deposits and gold !ines. The e"to#tion of the spe ta le of pove#t$ and, at the sa!e ti!e, of ou# ha#ita'le ondes ension) a &o#ld&ide app#e iated su#plus of fine senti!ents and 'ad ons ien e. We should, in fa t, see this not as the e"t#a tion of #a& !ate#ials, 'ut as a &aste-#ep#o essing ente#p#ise. Thei# destitution and ou# 'ad ons ien e a#e, in effe t, all pa#t of the &aste-p#odu ts of histo#$- the !ain thing is to #e $ le the! to p#odu e a ne& ene#g$ sou# e. We have he#e an es alation in the ps$ hologi al 'alan e of te##o#. Wo#ld apitalist opp#ession is no& !e#el$ the vehi le and ali'i fo# this othe#, !u h !o#e fe#o ious, fo#! of !o#al p#edation. *ne !ight al!ost sa$, ont#a#$ to the +a#"ist anal$sis, that !ate#ial e"ploitation is onl$ the#e to e"t#a t that spi#itual #a& !ate#ial that is the !ise#$ of peoples, &hi h se#ves as ps$ hologi al nou#ish!ent fo# the #i h ount#ies and !edia nou#ish!ent fo# ou# dail$ lives. The %,ou#th Wo#ld% -&e a#e no longe# dealing &ith a %developing% Thi#d Wo#ld. is on e again 'eleague#ed, this ti!e as a atast#ophe-'ea#ing st#atu!. The West is &hite&ashed in the #ep#o essing of the #est of the &o#ld as &aste and #esidue. /nd the &hite &o#ld #epents and see0s a'solution - it, too, the &aste-p#odu t of its o&n histo#$. The 1outh is a natu#al p#odu e# of #a& !ate#ials, the latest of &hi h is atast#ophe. The 2o#th, fo# its pa#t, spe iali3es in the #ep#o essing of #a& !ate#ials and hen e also in the #ep#o essing of atast#ophe. 4loodsu 0ing p#ote tion, hu!anita#ian inte#fe#en e, +ede ins sans f#ontie#es, inte#national solida#it$, et . The last phase of olonialis!) the 2e& 1enti!ental *#de# is !e#el$ the latest fo#! of the 2e& Wo#ld *#de#. *the# people%s destitution 'e o!es ou# adventu#e playground. Thus, the hu!anita#ian offensive ai!ed at the 5u#ds - a sho& of #epentan e on the pa#t of the Weste#n po&e#s afte# allo&ing 1adda! 6ussein to #ush the! - is in #ealit$ !e#el$ the se ond phase of the &a#, a phase in &hi h ha#ita'le inte#vention finishes off the &o#0 of e"te#!ination. We a#e the onsu!e#s of the eve# delightful spe ta le of pove#t$ and atast#ophe, and of the !oving spe ta le of ou# o&n effo#ts to alleviate it -&hi h, in fa t, !e#el$ fun tion to se u#e the onditions of reproduction of the atast#ophe !a#0et.7 the#e, at least, in the o#de# of !o#al p#ofits, the +a#"ist anal$sis is &holl$ appli a'le) &e see to it that e"t#e!e pove#t$ is #ep#odu ed as a s$!'oli deposit, as a fuel essential to the !o#al and senti!ental e(uili'#iu! of the West. In ou# defen e, it !ight 'e said that this e"t#e!e pove#t$ &as la#gel$ of ou# o&n !a0ing and it is the#efo#e no#!al that &e should p#ofit '$ it.
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The#e an 'e no fine# p#oof that the dist#ess of the #est of the &o#ld is at the #oot of Weste#n po&e# and that the spe ta le of that dist#ess is its #o&ning glo#$ than the inaugu#ation, on the #oof of the

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/# he de la ?efense, &ith a su!ptuous 'uffet laid on '$ the ,ondation des ?#oits de l%ho!!e, of an e"hi'ition of the finest photos of &o#ld pove#t$. 1hould &e 'e su#p#ised that spa es a#e set aside in the /# he d% /llian e. fo# unive#sal suffe#ing hallo&ed '$ avia# and ha!pagne@ Just as the e ono!i #isis of the West &ill not 'e o!plete so long as it an still e"ploit the #esou# es of the #est of the &o#ld, so the s$!'oli #isis &ill 'e o!plete onl$ &hen it is no longe# a'le to feed on the othe# half%s hu!an and natu#al atast#ophes -Easte#n Eu#ope, the Aulf, the 5u#ds, 4angladesh, et ... We need this d#ug, &hi h se#ves us as an aph#odisia and hallu inogen. /nd the poo# ount#ies a#e the 'est supplie#s - as, indeed, the$ a#e of othe# d#ugs. We p#ovide the!, th#ough ou# !edia, &ith the !eans to e"ploit this pa#ado"i al #esou# e, Bust as &e give the! the !eans to e"haust thei# natu#al #esou# es &ith ou# te hnologies. *u# &hole ultu#e lives off this atast#ophi anni'alis!, #ela$ed in $ni al !ode '$ the ne&s !edia, and a##ied fo#&a#d in !o#al !ode '$ ou# hu!anita#ian aid, &hi h is a &a$ of en ou#aging it and ensu#ing its ontinuit$, Bust as e ono!i aid is a st#ateg$ fo# pe#petuating unde#-develop!ent. Cp to no&, the finan ial sa #ifi e has 'een o!pensated a hund#edfold '$ the !o#al gain. 4ut &hen the atast#ophe !a#0et itself #ea hes #isis point, in a o#dan e &ith the i!pla a'le logi of the !a#0et, &hen dist#ess 'e o!es s a# e o# the !a#ginal #etu#ns on it fall f#o! ove#e"ploitation, &hen &e #un out of disaste#s f#o! else&he#e o# &hen the$ an no longe# 'e t#aded li0e offee o# othe# o!!odities, the West &ill 'e fo# ed to p#odu e its o&n atast#ophe fo# itself, in o#de# to !eet its need fo# spe ta le and that voracious appetite fo# s$!'ols &hi h ha#a te#i3es it even !o#e than its vo#a ious appetite fo# food. It &ill #ea h the point &he#e it devou#s itself. When &e have finished su 0ing out the destin$ of othe#s, &e shall have to invent one fo# ou#selves. The A#eat D#ash, the s$!'oli #ash, &ill o!e in the end f#o! us Weste#ne#s, 'ut onl$ &hen &e a#e no longe# a'le to feed on the hallu inogeni !ise#$ &hi h o!es to us f#o! the othe# half of the &o#ld. Eet the$ do not see! 0een to give up thei# !onopol$. The +iddle East, 4angladesh, 'la 0 /f#i a and Fatin /!e#i a a#e #eall$ going flat out in the dist#ess and atast#ophe sta0es, and thus in p#oviding s$!'oli nou#ish!ent fo# the #i h &o#ld. The$ !ight 'e said to 'e ove#doing it) heaping ea#th(ua0es, floods, fa!ines and e ologi al disaste#s one upon anothe#, and finding the !eans to !assa #e ea h othe# !ost of the ti!e. The %disaste# sho&% goes on &ithout an$ let-up and ou# sa #ifi ial de't to the! fa# e" eeds thei# e ono!i de't. The !ise#$ &ith &hi h the$ gene#ousl$ ove#&hel! us is so!ething &e shall neve# 'e a'le to #epa$. The sa #ifi es &e offe# in #etu#n a#e laugha'le -a to#nado o# t&o, a fe& tin$ holo austs on the #oads, the odd finan ial sa #ifi e. and, !o#eove#, '$ so!e infe#nal logi , these &o#0 out as !u h g#eate# gains fo# us, &he#eas ou# 0indnesses have !e#el$ added to the natu#al atast#ophes anothe# one i!!easu#a'l$ &o#se) the de!og#aphi atast#ophe, a ve#ita'le epide!i &hi h &e deplo#e ea h da$ in pi tu#es. In sho#t, the#e is su h disto#tion 'et&een 2o#th and 1outh, to the s$!'oli advantage of the 1outh -a hund#ed thousand I#a(i dead against asualties nu!'e#ed in tens on ou# side) in eve#$ ase &e a#e the lose#s., that one da$ eve#$thing &ill '#ea0 do&n. *ne da$, the West &ill '#ea0 do&n if &e a#e not soon &ashed lean of this sha!e, if an inte#national ong#ess of the poo# ount#ies does not ve#$ (ui 0l$ de ide to sha#e out this s$!'oli
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p#ivilege of !ise#$ and atast#ophe. It is of ou#se no#!al, sin e &e #efuse to allo& the sp#ead of nu lea# &eapons, that the$ should #efuse to allo& the sp#ead of the atast#ophe &eapon. 4ut it is not #ight that the$ should e"e#t that !onopol$ indefinitel$. In an$ ase, the unde#-developed a#e onl$ so '$ o!pa#ison &ith the Weste#n s$ste! and its p#esu!ed su ess. In the light of its assu!ed failu#e, the$ a#e not unde#-developed at all. The$ a#e onl$ so in te#!s of a do!inant evolutionis! &hi h has al&a$s 'een the &o#st of olonial ideologies. The a#gu!ent he#e is that the#e is a line of o'Be tive p#og#ess and eve#$one is supposed to pass th#ough its va#ious stages -&e find the sa!e e$e&ash &ith #ega#d to the evolution of spe ies and in that evolutionis! &hi h unilate#all$ san tions the supe#io#it$ of the hu!an

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#a e.. In the light of u##ent upheavals, &hi h put an end to an$ idea of histo#$ as a linea# p#o ess, the#e a#e no longe# eithe# developed o# unde#-developed peoples. Thus, to en ou#age hope of evolution - al'eit '$ #evolution - a!ong the poo# and to doo! the!, in 0eeping &ith the o'Be tive illusion of p#og#ess, to te hnologi al salvation is a #i!inal a'su#dit$. In a tual fa t, it is thei# good fo#tune to 'e a'le to es ape f#o! evolution Bust at the point &hen &e no longe# 0no& &he#e it is leading. In an$ ase, a !aBo#it$ of these peoples, in luding those of Easte#n Eu#ope, do not see! 0een to ente# this evolutionist !ode#nit$, and thei# &eight in the 'alan e is e#tainl$ no s!all fa to# in the West%s #epudiation of its o&n histo#$, of its o&n utopias and its o&n !ode#nit$. It !ight 'e said that the #outes of violen e, histo#i al o# othe#&ise, a#e 'eing tu#ned a#ound and that the vi#uses no& pass f#o! 1outh to 2o#th, the#e 'eing eve#$ han e that, five hund#ed $ea#s afte# /!e#i a &as on(ue#ed, 1::< and the end of the entu#$ &ill !a#0 the o!e'a 0 of the defeated and the sudden #eve#sal of that !ode#nit$. The sense of p#ide is no longe# on the side of &ealth 'ut of pove#t$, of those &ho - fo#tunatel$ fo# the! have nothing to #epent, and !a$ indeed glo#$ in 'eing p#ivileged in te#!s of atast#ophes. /d!ittedl$, this is a p#ivilege the$ ould ha#dl$ #enoun e, even if the$ &ished to, 'ut natu#al disaste#s !e#el$ #einfo# e the sense of guilt felt to&a#ds the! '$ the &ealth$ G '$ those &ho! Aod visi'l$ s o#ns sin e he no longe# even st#i0es the! do&n. *ne da$ it &ill 'e the Whites the!selves &ho &ill give up thei# &hiteness. It is a good 'et that #epentan e &ill #ea h its highest pit h &ith the five-hund#edth annive#sa#$ of the on(uest of the /!e#i as. We a#e going to have to lift the u#se of the defeated - 'ut s$!'oli all$ vi to#ious - peoples, &hi h is insinuating itself five hund#ed $ea#s late#, '$ &a$ of #epentan e, into the hea#t of the &hite #a e. 2o solution has 'een found to the d#a!ati situation of the unde#-developed, and none &ill 'e found sin e thei# d#a!a has no& 'een ove#ta0en '$ that of the ove#developed, of the #i h nations. The ps$ hod#a!a of ongestion, satu#ation, supe# a'undan e, neu#osis and the '#ea0ing of 'lood vessels &hi h haunts us - the d#a!a of the e" ess of !eans ove# ends G alls !o#e u#gentl$ fo# attention than that of penu#$, la 0 and pove#t$. That is &he#e the !ost i!!inent dange# of atast#ophe #esides, in the so ieties &hi h have #un out of e!ptiness. /#tifi ial atast#ophes, li0e the 'enefi ial aspe ts of ivili3ation, p#og#ess !u h !o#e (ui 0l$ than natu#al ones. The unde#developed a#e still at the p#i!a#$ stage of the natu#al, unfo#eseea'le atast#ophe. We a#e al#ead$ at the se ond stage, that of the !anufa tu#ed atast#ophe - i!!inent and fo#eseea'le - and &e shall soon 'e at that of the p#ep#og#a!!ed atast#ophe, the atast#ophe of the thi#d 0ind, deli'e#ate and e"pe#i!ental. /nd, pa#ado"i all$, it is ou# pu#suit of the !eans fo# ave#ting natu#al atast#ophe - the unp#edi ta'le fo#! of destin$ - &hi h &ill ta0e us the#e. 4e ause it is una'le to es ape it, hu!anit$ &ill p#etend to 'e the autho# of its destin$. 4e ause it annot a ept 'eing onf#onted &ith an end &hi h is un e#tain o# gove#ned '$ fate, it &ill p#efe# to stage its o&n death as a species.

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Catastrophe Fix #$C %verview

&hy is reality television so popular' (eople don)t like to exist in their own lives * the vicarious experience of other)s problems is one of the great +oys of the modern age. ,xtend our audrillard !" evidence. audrillard says that images of destruction, catastrophe and disaster are exaggerated by the media and used to give pleasure to those in the first world at the expense of everyone else. -s a society, we export death and import back its image, drawing satisfaction from the exploitation of other people and cultures and our efforts to solve the problems that we actually en+oy so much. The affirmative is a perfect example of this process * their harms detail disaster in the status quo which they provide a simulated solution to through fiat, all in an effort to make themselves feel powerful in this exchange of suffering. Their supposed solution is a part of this process * they will never actually fix all the problems they claim, because then they would be left without a source of en+oyment. ,ven if their solution does work, it will have the side effect of creating more suffering to continue the cycle. - perfect example of this is .raq * we get all worked up over what a terrible person /addam is and the damage he could cause, so we go remove him to improve the situation, but now there)s been an explosion of porn, drugs and violence in .raq after the invasion so we can continue to consume the images of disorder and trouble and +ustify even more interventions, which makes their harms are inevitable. -lso, this quest for more sources of suffering is a constantly expanding process. %nce we run fix some problems, we have to generate more to keep the images flowing, encouraging artificial tragedies to replace natural ones. This mindset ends in human extinction as the ultimate spectacle. .f you buy into this system of representation by giving them the ballot, you)re helping the cycle of catastrophe to continue. .nstead, strategic indifference is required. 0on)t acknowledge their images. &hen there is no more demand for suffering, the supply will decrease as well, making the problems obsolete. $ote that we don)t ask you to ignore suffering in the real world * audrillard has no problem with helping people out. .t)s only in the context of this debate round and the illusion of fiat, which has no relevance to the real world, that you should refuse to be moved by images of catastrophe. -lso, we can advocate the plan as a good idea minus the images they present * the affirmative can)t sever out of the discourse they already used, but we can advocate the rest of the plan as a good idea and get the same advantages.

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,xtend the audrillard !" evidence. They miss some key points from my last overview, so extend2 First, their harms are exaggerated by the media to get a response from the people, so their harms are either completely false or at best not as bad as they claim. /econd, their claims of disaster going on in the status quo are part of a process where we use the suffering of the rest of the world for our own vicarious en+oyment. ecause they require this suffering to feel powerful by supposedly solving it, their plan is masking the problem at best, while perpetuating the exchange of pain and death that makes all their harms possible. Third, if they do solve their harms, they will require new catastrophes to keep getting their fix, so solving the case requires the creation of a new area of disaster to be acted upon, which makes the case harms self3replicating. Fourth, this constant search for new sources of suffering terminates in human extinction as an artificial catastrophe and the ultimate spectacle. That)s an immediate reason to re+ect the affirmative. Fifth, the only way out is strategic indifference and refusing to be moved by their images of disaster. 4iving them the ballot acknowledges the harms and lets the cycle continue * only by not giving them recognition can we escape. This is particularly applicable to debate, which is exclusively simulation, so you can still authentically help people in the real world, +ust don)t buy their images in here. /ixth, you can still get all the advantages of their case with a negative ballot. 1emoving the demand for catastrophe decreases the supply as well, and more importantly, you can advocate the plan without advocating the images by going negative * they)re stuck with their discourse, but we can say plan itself is a good idea, even if the +ustifications for it aren)t. That)s an easy negative ballot right there, even if the 5 case turns above weren)t.

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0isaster (orn
0eath and disaster are employed by the media to shock and titillate the viewer, which turns the event itself into a form of mass entertainment that loses any reference to the real world but must constantly be given credibility by new images of destruction. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. HH-HI]
In the ase of the Jo!anian #evolution, it &as the fa0ing of the dead in Ti!isoa#a &hi h a#oused a 0ind of !o#al indignation and #aised the p#o'le! of the s andal of %disinfo#!ation% o#, #athe#, of info#!ation itself as s andal. It &as not the dead that &e#e the s andal, 'ut the o#pses 'eing p#essed into appea#ing 'efo#e the television a!e#as, as in the past dead souls &e#e p#essed into appea#an e in the #egiste# of deaths. It &as thei# 'eing ta0en hostage, as it &e#e, and ou# 'eing held hostage too, as !$stified TK vie&e#s. 4eing 'la 0!ailed '$ violen e and death, espe iall$ in a no'le and #evolutiona#$ ause, &as felt to 'e &o#se than the violen e itself, &as felt to 'e a pa#od$ of histo#$. /ll the !edia live off the p#esu!ption of atast#ophe and of the su ulent imminence of death. / photo in Fi'e#ation, fo# e"a!ple, sho&s us a onvo$ of #efugees %&hi h, so!e ti!e afte# this shot &as ta0en, &as to 'e atta 0ed '$ the I#a(i a#!$%. /nti ipation of effe ts, !o#'id si!ulation, e!otional 'la 0!ail. It &as the sa!e on D22 &ith the a##ival of the 1 uds. 2othing is ne&s if it does not pass th#ough that ho#i3on of the vi#tual, that h$ste#ia of the vi#tual - not in the ps$ hologi al sense, 'ut in the sense of a o!pulsion fo# &hat is p#esented, in all 'ad faith, as #eal to 'e onsu!ed as unreal. In the past, to sho& so!ething up as a fa0e, &e said) %It%s Bust pla$-a ting%, %It%s all #o!an eL%, %It%s put on fo# the a!e#asL%. This ti!e, &ith Jo!ania and the Aulf Wa#, &e &e#e a'le to sa$, %It%s Bust TKL% Mhotog#aphi o# ine!a i!ages still pass th#ough the negative stage -and that of p#oBe tion., &he#eas the TK i!age, the video i!age, digital and s$ntheti , a#e i!ages &ithout a negative, and hen e &ithout negativit$ and &ithout #efe#en e. The$ a#e vi#tual and the vi#tual is &hat puts an end to all negativit$, and thus to all #efe#en e to the #eal o# to events. /t a st#o0e, the ontagion of i!ages, engende#ing the!selves &ithout #efe#en e to a #eal o# an i!agina#$, itself 'e o!es vi#tuall$ &ithout li!its, and this li!itless engende#ing p#odu es information as catastrophe. Is an i!age &hi h #efe#s onl$ to itself still an i!age@ 6o&eve# this !a$ 'e, that i!age #aises the p#o'le! of its indiffe#en e to the &o#ld, and thus of ou# indiffe#en e to it - &hi h is a politi al p#o'le!. When television 'e o!es the st#ategi spa e of the event, it sets itself up as a deadl$ self-#efe#en e, it 'e o!es a 'a helo# !a hine. The #eal o'Be t is &iped out '$ ne&s G not !e#el$ alienated, 'ut a'olished. /ll that #e!ains of it a#e traces on a monitoring screen. +an$ Jo!anian e$e&itness a ounts spea0 of 'eing dispossessed of the event in this &a$, dep#ived of the lived e"pe#ien e the$ have of it '$ 'eing su'!e#ged in the !edia net&o#0, '$ 'eing pla ed unde# house a##est in f#ont of thei# television s #eens. 1pe tato#s then 'e o!e e"ote#i s of the s #een, living thei# #evolution as an e"oti is! of i!ages, the!selves e"ogenous, tou#isti spe tato#s of a virtual history. ,#o! the !o!ent the studio 'e o!es the st#ategi ent#e, and the s #een the onl$ site of appea#an e, eve#$one &ants to 'e on it at all osts, o# else gathe#s in the st#eet in the gla#e of the a!e#as, and these, indeed, a tuall$ fil! one anothe#. The st#eet 'e o!es an e"tension of the studio,
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that is, of the non-site of the event, of the vi#tual site of the event. The st#eet itself 'e o!es a vi#tual spa e. 1ite of the definitive onfusion of !asses and !ediu!, of the #eal-ti!e onfusion of a t and sign.

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The#e is no &ill to o!!uni ate in all this. The onl$ i##esisti'le d#ive is to o up$ this non-site, this e!pt$ spa e of #ep#esentation &hi h is the s #een. Jep#esentation -politi al #ep#esentation too. is u##entl$ a t#ough of dep#ession - !eteo#ologi al dep#ession - &hi h the !edia fill up &ith thei# tu#'ulen es, &ith the sa!e onse(uen es as o u# &hen an$ 0ind of spa e is suddenl$ dep#essu#i3ed. The highest p#essu#e of ne&s o##esponds to the lo&est p#essu#e of events and #ealit$ [Ie #eel]. The sa!e un#ealis! in the Deauses u t#ial. It is not the Budi ial p#o edu#e itself &hi h is s andalous 'ut the video tape, una epta'le as the onl$, 'loodless t#a e of a 'lood$ event. In the e$es of the &hole &o#ld, this &ill #e!ain an event fo#eve# suspe t, fo# the sole #eason of its - st#angel$ o's ene s eni a'du tion. This hidden Bu#$, its voi e st#i0ing out against the a used, these defendants &e a#e fo# ed to see even though the$ a#e vi#tuall$ dead, these dead p#isone#s shot a se ond ti!e to !eet the needs of ne&s. *ne !ight even &onde# &hethe# the a to#s in this staged event &e#e not deli'e#atel$ t#$ing to !a0e the!selves see! suspe t in the e$es of &o#ld opinion, as though pla$ing at sa'otaging thei# i!age. /t the sa!e ti!e, the Deauses u t#ial &as pulled off pe#fe tl$ as a video p#odu tion, 'et#a$ing a sha#p sense of the i!age fun tion, the 'la 0!ail-fun tion, the dete##en e- fun tion. ?eep do&n, the intuitive g#asp of these things has g#o&n !o#e sophisti ated ove# the#e, in the shado& of di tato#ship, than it has &ith us. We have nothing to tea h the!. ,o#, if the Jo!anians the!selves got high on this !edia spe ulation &hi h se#ved the! as a #evolutiona#$ aph#odisia , the$ also d#agged all the Weste#n !edia into the sa!e ne&s de!agog$. 4$ !anipulating the!selves, the$ aused us spontaneousl$ to s&allo& thei# fi tion. We 'ea# the sa!e #esponsi'ilit$ as the$ do. *#, #athe#, the#e is no #esponsi'ilit$ an$&he#e. The (uestion of #esponsi'ilit$ annot even 'e #aised. It is the evil genius of ne&s &hi h p#o!otes su h staging. When info#!ation gets !i"ed in &ith its sou# e, then, as &ith sound &aves, $ou get a feed'a 0 effe t - an effe t of inte#fe#en e and un e#taint$. When de!and is !a"i!al -and eve#$&he#e toda$ the de!and fo# events is !a"i!al., it short3circuits the initial situation and p#odu es an un ont#olla'le #esponse effe t. That is, ulti!atel$, &h$ &e do the Jo!anians an inBusti e &hen &e a use the! of !anipulation and 'ad faith. 2o one is #esponsi'le. It is all an effe t of the infe#nal $ le of #edi'ilit$. The a to#s and the !edia sensed o's u#el$ that the events in Easte#n Eu#ope had to 'e given #edi'ilit$, that that #evolution had to 'e lent #edi'ilit$ '$ an e"t#a dose of dead bodies. /nd the !edia the!selves had to 'e lent #edi'ilit$ '$ the #efe#en e to the people. Feading to a vi ious i# le of #edi'ilit$, the #esult of &hi h is the de #edi'ili3ing of the #evolution and the events the!selves. The logi al se(uen e of ne&s and histo#$ tu#ns 'a 0 against itself, '#inging, in its $ li al !ove!ent, a 0ind of deflation of histo#i al ons iousness. The /!e#i ans did Bust the sa!e in the Aulf Wa#. 4$ the e" essive natu#e of thei# deplo$!ent and stage #aft, '$ putting thei# po&e# and ne&s ont#ol so e"t#avagantl$ to the test, the$ de #edi'ili3ed 'oth &a# and ne&s. The$ &e#e the C'us of thei# &n po&e#, Bust as the Jo!anians &e#e the C'us of thei# o&n !poten e. E" ess itself engende#s the pa#od$ &hi h invalidates the fa ts. /nd, Bust as the p#in iple of e ono!i s is &#e 0ed '$ finan ial spe ulation, so the p#in iple of politi s [Ie politi(ue] and histo#$ is &#e 0ed '$ !edia spe ulation.

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,xtend our audrillard !" evidence. 6ere)s the argument.

The media transforms real events, death, destruction, etc. into the unreal, as part of your TV screen and newspaper, images to be consumed by masses of people. This devalues the event, because it is reduced to a spectator sport instead of a unique occurrence. Their plan is a perfect example of this * they outline all sorts of terrible problems in the status quo in an effort to get you, the +udge, to believe them as the 7real.8 Their playing the role of the media implicates them in the production of the real to be consumed as unreal. This process creates the information itself as the catastrophe, and devalues the lives of those who are actually dying due to the harms they outline. -lso, the demand for death to lend credibility to their political program of choice leads to an increase in its supply * the more destruction people want to see, the more will be provided, guaranteeing their harms will be reproduced far into the future as a result of the destructive images they present.

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Commodification of /uffering
ereft of values, our society demands images of suffering from others to replenish our moral sentiment. &e exchange our pity for their pain, in a process that guarantees the suffering must continue.
audrillard in !" [Jean, 1epte!'e# <I, N2o Jep#ieve ,o# 1a#eBevoN]
The p#o'le! lies indeed in the natu#e of ou# #ealit$. We have got onl$ one, and it !ust 'e p#ese#ved. Even if it is '$ the use of the !ost heinous of all pa#oles) N*ne !ust do so!ething. *ne annot #e!ain idle.N Eet, to do so!ething fo# the sole reason that one annot do nothing neve# has 'een a valid p#in iple fo# a tion, no# fo# li'e#t$. /t the !ost it is an e" use fo# one%s o&n po&e#lessness and a to0en of self-pit$. The people of 1a#aBevo a#e not 'othe#ed '$ su h (uestions. 4eing &he#e the$ a#e, the$ a#e in the a'solute need to do &hat the$ do, to do the #ight thing. The$ ha#'ou# no illusion a'out the out o!e and do not indulge in self-pit$. This is &hat it !eans to 'e #eall$ e"isting, to e"ist &ithin #ealit$. /nd this #ealit$ has nothing to do &ith the so- alled o'Be tive #ealit$ of thei# plight, &hi h should not e"ist, and &hi h &e do so !u h deplo#e. This #ealit$ e"its as su h - it is the sta#0 #ealit$ of a tion and destin$. This is &h$ the$ a#e alive, &hile &e a#e dead. This is &h$ &e feel the need to salvage the #ealit$ of &a# in ou# o&n e$es and to i!pose this #ealit$ -to 'e pitia'le. upon those &ho suffe# f#o! it, 'ut do not #eall$ 'elieve in it, despite the fa t the$ a#e in the !idst of &a# and utte# dist#ess. 1usan 1ontag he#self onfesses in he# dia#ies that the 4osnians do not #eall$ 'elieve in the suffe#ing &hi h su##ounds the!. The$ end up finding the &hole situation un#eal, senseless, and une"plaina'le. It is hell, 'ut hell of &hat !a$ 'e te#!ed a h$pe##eal 0ind, !ade even !o#e h$pe##eal '$ the ha#ass!ent of the !edia and the hu!anita#ian agen ies, 'e ause it #ende#s the attitude of the &o#ld to&a#ds the! even less unfatho!a'le. Thus, the$ live in a 0ind of ghost-li0e &a# - &hi h is fo#tunate, 'e ause othe#&ise, the$ &ould neve# have 'een a'le to stand up to it. These a#e not !$ &o#ds, '$ the &a$) the$ sa$ it so. 4ut then 1usan 1ontag, hailing he#self f#o! 2e& Eo#0, !ust 0no& 'ette# than the! &hat #ealit$ is, sin e she has hosen the! to in a#nate it. *# !a$'e it is si!pl$ 'e ause #ealit$ is &hat she, and &ith he# all the Weste#n &o#ld, is la 0ing the !ost. To #e onstitute #ealit$, one needs to head to &he#e blood flows. /ll these N o##ido#sN, opened '$ us to funnel ou# foodstuffs and ou# N ultu#eN a#e in fa t ou# lifelines along &hi h &e su 0 thei# !o#al st#ength and the ene#g$ of thei# dist#ess. Eet anothe# une(ual e" hange. /nd to those &ho have found in a #adi al delusion of #ealit$ -and this in ludes the 'elief in politi al #ationalit$, &hi h supposedl$ #ules us, and &hi h ve#$ !u h onstitutes the p#in iple of Eu#opean #ealit$. a 0ind of alte#native ou#age, that is to su#vive a senseless situation, to these people 1usan 1ontag o!es to onvin e the! of the N#ealit$N of thei# suffe#ing, '$ !a0ing so!ething ultu#al and so!ething theat#i al out of it, so that it an 'e useful as a #efe#ent &ithin the theat#e of &este#n values, in luding Nsolida#it$N. 4ut 1usan 1ontag he#self is not the issue. 1he is !e#el$ a so ietal instan e of &hat has 'e o!e the gene#al situation &he#e'$ toothless intelle tuals s&ap thei# dist#ess &ith the !ise#$ of the poo#, 'oth of the! sustaining ea h othe#, 'oth of the! lo 0ed in a perverse agreement. This pa#allels the &a$ the politi al lass and ivil so iet$ a#e
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s&apping thei# #espe tive !ise#$) one th#o&ing up o##uption and s andals, the othe# its pu#poseless onvulsions and its ine#tia. Thus, not so long ago, one ould &itness 4ou#dieu and /''e Mie##e offe#ing the!selves as televisual slaughte#ing la!'s t#ading &ith ea h othe# patheti language and so iologi al ga#'le a'out pove#t$. *u# &hole so iet$ is thus on its &a$ to&a#ds N o!!ise#ationN in the !ost lite#al sense of the &o#d -unde# the loa0 of e u!eni al 'athos.. It loo0s li0e as if &e a#e in the !idst of an i!!ense feeling of guilt, sha#ed '$ intelle tuals and politi ians ali0e, and &hi h is lin0ed to the end of histo#$ and the do&nfall of values. Then, it has 'e o!e ne essa#$ to #eplenish the pond of values, the pond of #efe#en es, and to do so '$ using that s!allest o!!on deno!inato# &hi h is the suffe#ing of the &o#ld, and in doing so, #eplenishing ou# ga!e #ese#ves &ith a#tifi ial fo&ls. N/t the !o!ent, it has 'e o!e i!possi'le to sho& an$thing else than suffe#ing in the ne&s '#oad asts on televisionN, #epo#ts ?avid 1 hneide#!ann. *u#s is a vi ti!-so iet$. I gathe# that so iet$ is !e#el$ e"p#essing its o&n disappoint!ent and longing fo# an i!possi'le violen e against itself. Eve#$&he#e, a 2e& Intelle tual *#de# is follo&ing on the heels of the 2e& Wo#ld *#de#. Eve#$&he#e, &e see dist#ess, !ise#$ and suffe#ing 'e o!ing the 'asi stuff of the p#i!itive s ene. The status of vi ti!hood, pai#ed &ith hu!an #ights is the sole fune#al ideolog$. Those &ho do not di#e tl$ e"ploit it do it '$ p#o"$ - the#e is no dea#th of !ediato#s &ho ta0e so!e su#plus value of finan ial o# s$!'oli natu#e along the &a$. Foss and suffe#ing, Bust li0e the glo'al de't, a#e negotia'le and fo# sale on the spe ulative !a#0et, that is, the intelle tual-politi al !a#0et - &hi h is in no &a$ unde#!ining the military3industrial complex of old O siniste# da$s.

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&e /earch for .mages

9embers of our culture are in constant search of new global, hyperreal images as a way to escape the body and satisfy the bored eye.
:roker in #;;# [/#thu#, +a# h <P, edito# of Dtheo#$.net We Foo0 fo# I!ages]
/ sto#$ of 'od$ invasion@ 2ot #eall$. Donte!po#a#$ so iet$ is no longe# the ultu#e of the dise!'odied e$e. Toda$, &e pla$ out the d#a!a of ou# p#ivate e"isten e along and &ithin the i#is of the i!age!a hine that &e on e dis!issed as so!eho& e"te#nal to hu!an a!'itions. *u# fate, ou# !ost singula# fate, is to e"pe#ien e the fatal destin$ of the i!age as 'oth goal and p#e ondition of hu!an ultu#e. /s goal, the po&e# of the i!age inhe#es in the fa t that onte!po#a#$ ultu#e is d#iven fo#&a#d '$ the will to image as its !ost pe#vasive fo#! of nihilis!. /s p#e ondition, &e are possessed individuals 'e ause &e a#e full$ possessed '$ the enig!ati d#ea!s of i!possi'le i!ages. That &e a#e possessed '$ the po&e# of the i!age &ith su h finalit$ has the u#ious #epe# ussion of d#iving the i!age-!a hine !ad. The !at#i" of i!age- #eation as its evolves f#o! analog to digital and no& to the 'iogeneti st#uggles to 0eep pa e &ith the ap#i ious tastes and fast-'o#ed appetites of hu!an flesh as an i!age-!a hine. It is the age of the bored eye2 the e$e &hi h flits f#o! situation to situation, f#o! s ene to s ene, f#o! i!age to i!age, f#o! ad to ad, &ith a #estlessness and highpit hed onsu!ptive appetite that an never really eve# 'e fully satisfied. The 'o#ed e$e is a natu#al nihilist. It 0no&s onl$ the pleasu#e of the 'o#edo! of #eation as &ell as the 'o#edo! of a'andon!ent. It neve# #e!ains still. It is in pe#petual !otion. It de!ands novelt$. It loves Bun0 i!ages. It tu#ns #e o!'inant &hen fed st#aight na##atives. It has o ula# appetites that de!and satisfa tion. 4ut it an neve# 'e full$ sated 'e ause the 'o#ed e$e is the e!pt$ e$e. That is its se #et passion, and the sou# e of its endless sedu tion. The 'o#ed e$e is the #eal po&e# of the i!age. It ta0es full possession of the housing of the 'od$. It is the ne#ve ente# of flesh !ade i!age. It is the onne tive tissue 'et&een the planeta#$ o ula# st#ategies of the i!age-!at#i" and the solitude of the hu!an 'od$. The 'o#ed e$e is 'o#ed &ith its -'odil$. self. That is &h$ it is al&a$s dissatisfied. It needs to 'last out of the solitude of its 'i#th-pla e in the hu!an #aniu! in o#de# to #ide the ele t#oni u##ents of the glo'al e$e. 2o longe# satisfied &ith si!pl$ o'se#ving the po&e# of the i!age, the 'o#ed e$e no& de!ands to 'e the po&e# of the i!age. Whi h is &h$, of ou#se, the a# hival histo#$ of t&entieth- entu#$ photog#aph$ an no& 'e safel$ inte#ned. /t dus0, the e$e of the i!age ta0es flight in the #estless fo#! of the 'o#ed e$e fo#eve# #evolving and t&isting and i# ulating in an i!age-!at#i" of &hi h it is 'oth the petulant onsu!e# and unsatisfied autho#. I#oni all$, the 'o#ed e$e has itself no& 'e o!e 'oth precondition and goal fo# the despoti i!age. Whi h is &h$ i!ages an no& 'e so po&e#ful p#e isel$ 'e ause the$ a#e aught in a fatal !ias!a of po&e#lessness 'efo#e the o ula# defi it diso#de# of the 'o#ed e$e. The despoti i!age !a$ de!and attention as its p#e ondition fo# e"isten e, 'ut the 'o#ed e$e is sedu tive 'e ause of its #efusal to p#ovide an$ sign of lasting inte#est. / love affai# tu#ned sou#. With this p#edi ta'le #esult-the in #easing #essenti!ent of the digital i!age) N/nalog is having a 'u#ial and digital is dan ing on its g#ave.N

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$uclear 6yperreality
-. The scenario for nuclear escalation and war they imagine will always be prevented by deterrence. 6owever, the fear of nuclear war is used to +ustify a state security apparatus that free<es the social and maintains a system of perfect control. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. ><->H]
The apotheosis of si!ulation) the nu lea#. 6o&eve#, the 'alan e of te##o# is neve# an$thing 'ut the spe ta ula# slope of a s$ste! of dete##en e that has insinuated itself f#o! the inside into all the #a 0s of daily life. 2u lea# suspension onl$ se#ves to seal the t#iviali3ed s$ste! of dete##en e that is at the hea#t of the !edia, of the violen e &ithout onse(uen es that #eigns th#oughout the &o#ld, of the aleato#$ appa#atus of all the hoi es that a#e !ade fo# us. The !ost insignifi ant of ou# 'ehavio#s is #egulated '$ neut#ali3ed, indiffe#ent, e(uivalent signs, '$ 3e#o-su! signs li0e those that #egulate the Nst#ateg$ of ga!esN -'ut the t#ue e(uation is else&he#e, and the un0no&n is p#e isel$ that va#ia'le of si!ulation &hi h !a0es of the ato!i a#senal itself a h$pe##eal fo#!, a si!ula #u! that do!inates eve#$thing and #edu es all Ng#ound-levelN events to 'eing nothing 'ut ephemeral scenarios, t#ansfo#!ing the life left us into su#vival, into a sta0e &ithout sta0es not even into a life insu#an e poli $) into a poli $ that al#ead$ has no value.. It is not the di#e t th#eat of ato!i dest#u tion that pa#al$3es ou# lives, it is dete##en e that gives the! leu0e!ia. /nd this dete##en e o!es f#o! that fa t that even the #eal ato!i lash is p#e ludedp#e luded li0e the eventualit$ of the #eal in a s$ste! of signs. The &hole &o#ld pretends to 'elieve in the #ealit$ of this th#eat -this is unde#standa'le on the pa#t of the !ilita#$, the g#avit$ of thei# e"e# ise and the dis ou#se of thei# Nst#ateg$N a#e at sta0e., 'ut it is p#e isel$ at this level that the#e a#e no st#ategi sta0es. The &hole o#iginalit$ of the situation lies in the i!p#o'a'ilit$ of dest#u tion. ?ete##en e p#e ludes &a#-the a# hai violen e of e"panding s$ste!s. ?ete##en e itself is the neut#al, i!plosive violen e of !etasta'le s$ste!s o# s$ste!s in involution. The#e is no longe# a su'Be t of dete##en e, no# an adve#sa#$ no# a st#ateg$-it is a planeta#$ st#u tu#e of the annihilation of sta0es. /to!i &a#, li0e the T#oBan Wa#, &ill not ta0e pla e. The #is0 of nu lea# annihilation onl$ se#ves as a p#ete"t, th#ough the sophisti ation of &eapons -a sophisti ation that su#passes an$ possi'le o'Be tive to su h an e"tent that it is itself a s$!pto! of nullit$., fo# installing a unive#sal se u#it$ s$ste!, a unive#sal lo 0up and ont#ol s$ste! &hose dete##ent effe t is not at all ai!ed at an ato!i lash -&hi h &as neve# in (uestion, e" ept &ithout a dou't in the ve#$ initial stages of the old &a#, &hen one still onfused the nu lea# appa#atus &ith onventional &a#. 'ut, #athe#, at the !u h g#eate# p#o'a'ilit$ of an$ #eal event, of an$thing that &ould 'e an event in the gene#al s$ste! and upset its 'alan e. The 'alan e of te##o# is the te##o# of 'alan e. ?ete##en e is not a st#ateg$, it i# ulates and is e" hanged 'et&een nu lea# p#otagonists e"a tl$ as is inte#national apital in the o#'ital 3one of !oneta#$ spe ulation &hose flu tuations suffi e to ont#ol all glo'al e" hanges. Thus the !one$ of dest#u tion -&ithout an$ #efe#en e to #eal dest#u tion, an$ !o#e than floating apital has a #eal #efe#ent of p#odu tion. that i# ulates in nu lea# o#'it suffi es to control all the violen e and potential onfli ts a#ound the &o#ld. What is hat hed in the shado& of this !e hanis! &ith the p#ete"t of a !a"i!al, No'Be tive,N th#eat, and than0s to ?a!o les% nu lea# s&o#d, is the pe#fe tion of the 'est s$ste! of ont#ol
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that has eve# e"isted. /nd the p#og#essive satelli3ation of the &hole planet th#ough this h$pe#!odel of se u#it$. The sa!e goes fo# pea eful nu lea# po&e# stations. Ma ifi ation does not distinguish 'et&een the ivil and the !ilita#$) eve#$- &he#e &he#e i##eve#si'le appa#atuses of ont#ol a#e

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ela'o#ated, eve#$&he#e the notion of se u#it$ 'e o!es o!nipotent, eve#$&he#e &he#e the no#! #epla es the old a#senal of la&s and violen e -in luding &a#., it is the s$ste! of dete##en e that g#o&s, and a#ound it g#o&s the histo#i al, so ial, and politi al dese#t. / giganti involution that !a0es eve#$ onfli t, eve#$ finalit$, eve#$ onf#ontation ont#a t in p#opo#tion to this 'la 0!ail that inte##upts, neut#ali3es, f#ee3es the! all. 2o longe# an an$ #evolt, an$ sto#$ 'e deplo$ed a o#ding to its o&n logi 'e ause it #is0s annihilation. 2o st#ateg$ is possi'le an$ longe#, and es alation is onl$ a puerile game given ove# to the !ilita#$. The politi al sta0e is dead, onl$ si!ula #a of onfli ts and a#efull$ i# u!s #i'ed sta0es #e!ain. The Nspa e #a eN pla$ed e"a tl$ the sa!e #ole as nu lea# es alation. This is &h$ the spa e p#og#a! &as so easil$ a'le to #epla e it in the 1:6Ps -5enned$=5h#ush hev., o# to develop on u##entl$ as a fo#! of Npea eful oe"isten e.N 4e ause &hat, ulti!atel$, is the fun tion of the spa e p#og#a!, of the on(uest of the !oon, of the laun hing of satellites if not the institution of a !odel of unive#sal g#avitation, of satelli3ation of &hi h the luna# !odule is the pe#fe t e!'#$o@ M#og#a!!ed !i #o os!, &he#e nothing an 'e left to han e. T#aBe to#$, ene#g$, al ulation, ph$siolog$, ps$ holog$, envi#on!ent-nothing an 'e left to ontingen ies, this is the total unive#se of the no#!-the Fa& no longe# e"ists, it is the ope#ational i!!anen e of eve#$ detail that is la&. / unive#se pu#ged of all th#eat of !eaning, in a state of asepsis and &eightlessness-it is this ve#$ pe#fe tion that is fas inating. The e"altation of the #o&ds &as not a #esponse to the event of landing on the !oon o# of sending a !an into spa e -this &ould 'e, #athe#, the fulfill!ent of an ea#lie# d#ea!., #athe#, &e a#e du!'-founded '$ the pe#fe tion of the p#og#a!!ing and the te hni al !anipulation, '$ the i!!anent &onde# of the p#og#a!!ed un- folding of events. ,as ination &ith the !a"i!al no#! and the !aste#$ of p#o'a'ilit$. Ke#tigo of the !odel, &hi h unites &ith the !odel of death, 'ut &ithout fea# o# d#ive. 4e ause if the la&, &ith its au#a of t#ansg#ession, if o#de#, &ith its au#a of violen e, still taps a pe#ve#se i!agina#$, the no#! fi"es, fas inates, stupefies, and !a0es eve#$ i!agina#$ involute. *ne no longe# fantasi3es a'out the !inutiae of a p#og#a!. Just &at hing it p#odu es ve#tigo. The ve#tigo of a &o#ld &ithout fla&s. 2o&, it is the sa!e !odel of p#og#a!!ati infalli'ilit$, of !a"i!u! se u#it$ and dete##en e that toda$ ont#ols the sp#ead of the so ial. The#e lies the t#ue nu lea# fallout) the !eti ulous ope#ation of te hnolog$ se#ves as a !odel fo# the !eti ulous ope#ation of the so ial. 6e#e as &ell, nothing &ill 'e left to han e, !o#eove# this is the essen e of so iali3ation, &hi h 'egan entu#ies ago, 'ut &hi h has no& ente#ed its a ele#ated phase, to&a#d a li!it that one 'elieved &ould 'e e"plosive -#evolution., 'ut &hi h fo# the !o!ent is t#anslated '$ an inve#se, i!plosive, i##eve#si'le p#o ess) the gene#ali3ed dete##en e of han e, of a ident, of t#ansve#salit$, of finalit$7 of ont#adi tion, #uptu#e, o# o!ple"it$ in a so ialit$ illu!inated '$ the no#!, doo!ed to the des #iptive t#anspa#en $ of !e hanis!s of info#!ation. In fa t, the spatial and nu lea# !odels do not have thei# o&n ends) neithe# the dis ove#$ of the !oon, no# !ilita#$ and st#ategi supe#io#it$. Thei# t#uth is to 'e the !odels of si!ulation, the !odel ve to#s of a s$ste! of planeta#$ ont#ol -&he#e even the supe#- po&e#s of this s ena#io a#e not f#eethe &hole &o#ld is satelli3ed..

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$uclear 6yperreality
. The true damage of nuclear weapons is not the war that could result, but in the fear and mental destruction that fear of them demands. .nstead of trying to avoid the catastrophe, we need to embrace its simulation and break the mental chains of deterrence. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. HH-H7]
4e ause an e"plosion is al&a$s a promise, it is ou# hope) note ho& !u h, in the fil! as in 6a##is'u#g, the &hole &o#ld &aits fo# so!ething to 'lo& up, fo# dest#u tion to announ e itself and #e!ove us f#o! this unna!ea'le pani , f#o! this pani of dete##en e that it e"e# ises in the invisi'le fo#! of the nu lea#. That the Nhea#tN of the #ea to# at last #eveals its hot po&e# of dest#u tion, that it #eassu#es us a'out the p#esen e of ene#g$7 al'eit atast#ophi , and 'esto&s its spe ta le on us. 4e ause unhappiness is &hen the#e is no nu lea# spe ta le, no spe ta le of nu lea# ene#g$ in itself -6i#oshi!a is ove#., and it is fo# that #eason that it is #eBe ted-it &ould 'e pe#fe tl$ a epted if it lent itself to spe ta le as p#evious fo#!s of ene#g$ did. Ma#ousia of atast#ophe) su'stantial food fo# ou# !essiani li'ido. 4ut that is p#e isel$ &hat &ill neve# happen. What &ill happen &ill neve# again 'e the e"plosion, 'ut the i!plosion. 2o !o#e ene#g$ in its spe ta ula# and patheti fo#!-all the #o!anti is! of the e"plosion, &hi h had so !u h ha#!, 'eing at the sa!e ti!e that of #evolution-'ut the old ene#g$ of the si!ula #u! and of its distillation in ho!eopathi doses in the old s$ste!s of info#!ation. What else do the !edia d#ea! of 'esides #eating the event si!pl$ '$ thei# p#esen e@ Eve#$one de #ies it, 'ut eve#$one is secretly fascinated '$ this eventualit$. 1u h is the logi of si!ula #a, it is no longe# that of divine p#edestination, it is that of the p#e ession of !odels, 'ut it is Bust as ine"o#a'le. /nd it is 'e ause of this that events no longe# have !eaning) it is not that the$ a#e insignifi ant in the!selves, it is that the$ &e#e p#e eded '$ the !odel, &ith &hi h thei# p#o esses onl$ oin ided. Thus it &ould have 'een !a#velous to #epeat the s #ipt fo# The Dhina 1$nd#o!e at ,essenhei!, du#ing the visit offe#ed to the Bou#nalists '$ the E?, -,#en h Ele t#i Do!pan$., to #epeat on this o asion the a ident lin0ed to the !agi e$e, to the p#ovo ative p#esen e of the !edia. /las, nothing happened. /nd on the othe# hand $esL so po&e#ful is the logi of si!ula #a) a &ee0 afte#, the unions dis ove#ed fissu#es in the #ea to#s. +i#a le of ontagions, !i#a le of analogi hain #ea tions. Thus, the essen e of the fil! is not in an$ #espe t the Wate#gate% effe t in the pe#son of Jane ,onda, not in an$ #espe t TK as a !eans of e"posing nu lea# vi es, 'ut on the ont#a#$ TK as the t&in o#'it and t&in hain #ea tion of the nu lea# one. 4esides, Bust at the end-and the#e the fil! is un#elenting in #ega#d to its o&n a#gu!ent-&hen Jane ,onda !a0es the t#uth e"plode di#e tl$ -!a"i!u! Wate#gate effe t., he# i!age is Bu"taposed &ith &hat &ill ine"o#a'l$ follo& it and effa e it on the s #een) a o!!e# ial of so!e 0ind. The 2et&o#0 effe t goes fa# 'e$ond the Wate#gate effe t and sp#eads !$ste#iousl$ into the 6a##is'u#g effe t, that is to sa$ not into the nu lea# th#eat, 'ut into the si!ulation of nu lea# atast#ophe. 1o, it is si!ulation that is effe tive, neve# the #eal. The si!ulation of nu lea# atast#ophe is the st#ategi #esult of this gene#i and unive#sal unde#ta0ing of dete##en e) a usto!ing the people to the ideolog$ and the dis ipline of a'solute se u#it$-to the !etaph$si s of fission and fissu#e. To this end the fissu#e !ust 'e a fiction. / #eal atast#ophe &ould dela$ things, it &ould onstitute a #et#og#ade in ident, of the e"plosive 0ind -&ithout hanging the ou#se of things) did 6i#oshi!a pe# epti'l$ dela$, dete#, the unive#sal p#o ess of dete##en e@..
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In the fil!, also, #eal fusion &ould 'e a 'ad a#gu!ent) the fil! &ould #eg#ess to the level of a disaste# !ovie-&ea0 '$ definition, 'e ause it !eans #etu#ning things to thei# pu#e event. The Dhina 1$nd#o!e, itself, finds its st#ength in filte#ing atast#ophe, in the distillation of the nu lea# spe te# th#ough the o!nip#esent he#t3ian #ela$s of info#!ation. It tea hes us -on e again &ithout !eaning to. that nu lea# atast#ophe does not o u#7 is not !eant to happen, in the #eal eithe#, an$ !o#e than the ato!i lash &as at the da&ning of the old &a#. The e(uili'#iu! of te##o# #ests on the eternal deferral of the ato!i lash. The ato! and the nu lea# a#e !ade to 'e disse!inated fo# dete##ent ends, the po&e# of atast#ophe !ust, instead of stupidl$ e"ploding, 'e disse!inated in ho!eopathi , !ole ula# doses, in the ontinuous #ese#voi#s of info#!ation. The#ein lies the t#ue onta!ination) neve# 'iologi al and #adioa tive, 'ut, #athe#, a !ental dest#u tu#ation th#ough a !ental st#ateg$ of atast#ophe. If one loo0s a#efull$, the fil! int#odu es us to this !ental st#ateg$, and in going fu#the#, it even delive#s a lesson dia!et#i all$ opposed to that of Wate#gate) if eve#$ st#ateg$ toda$ is that of !ental te##o# and of dete##en e tied to the suspension and the ete#nal si!ulation of atast#ophe, then the onl$ !eans of !itigating this s ena#io &ould 'e to !a0e the atast#ophe a##ive, to p#odu e o# to #ep#odu e a #eal atast#ophe. To &hi h 2atu#e is at ti!es given) in its inspi#ed !o!ents, it is Aod &ho th#ough his ata l$s!s un0nots the e(uili'#iu! of te##o# in &hi h hu!ans a#e i!p#isoned. Dlose# to us, this is &hat te##o#is! is o upied &ith as &ell) !a0ing #eal, palpa'le violen e su#fa e in opposition to the invisi'le violen e of se u#it$. 4esides, the#ein lies te##o#is!%s a!'iguit$.

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$uclear 6yperreality #$C %verview

,xtend our two cards from audrillard =>. 6ere)s the argument.

$uclear war is and always will be an act of the imagination, because deterrence prevents escalation from occurring in the real world, and systems of nuclear lockdown and control will always proceed faster than their explosive potential. The effects of nuclear weapons are instead seen on the social plane, through the imagination of their use. The constant nuclear threat is used to free<e social action, because elites will be able to prevent change by claiming it will always risk nuclear war, +ust like debaters always try to link the case to a nuclear war scenario and cause it to be re+ected, which means their plan will always be re+ected in the real world. The images of nuclear war they create are part of the problem2 as long as people keep imagining nuclear scenarios and threats and being afraid of them, this state3sponsored security and deterrence system can continue forever. The constant, systemic violence of the deterrence system is the only true impact of nuclear weapons. .t places people in a constant mindset of fear and devalues human life, because anything can be +ustified in order to avoid the atomic clash, so all their harms are inevitable. -n empirical example of this is $orth :orea * ush identifies them as the axis of evil and tells us we need to be afraid of their nuclear weapons, and uses this to +ustify violations of civil liberties, acts of war against other states, and ends up causing $orth :orea to become a nuclear threat when they weren)t in the first place. The only way to break this cycle is to stop fearing the bomb * trying to delay nuclear war allows the systems that +ustify it to keep working. .nstead, we must embrace the simulation of nuclear annihilation, bring the noise, and hug the bomb. -llow their harms to occur as a way to break the chains of mental deterrence, and laugh at nuclear war to delegitimi<e the systems that make it possible. $ote that this doesn)t mean we advocate nuclear war occurring in the real world, but in the simulated plane of fiat, which we all know has no relation to reality, you should treat the threat of nuclear war not as something to be afraid of, but something with liberating potential from the mindset of nuclear free<e and deterrence.

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$uclear 6yperreality #$1 %verview

,xtend our - and cards from the last overview, so extend2 audrillard in =>. They miss some key points in

First, nuclear war won)t happen, because deterrence works, and systems of control always proceed faster than the explosive use of the weapons. That means their harms will never be true in the real world. /econd, images and fear of nuclear war that they present have negative effects2 states use the population)s fear of nuclear war to free<e the social and deny change, like debaters outweighing everything with an absurd scenario and a /chell card, which will prevent the plan from actually being passed, turning their solvency. Third, fear of nuclear war devalues human life and makes their impacts inevitable, because it)s manipulated by politicians to +ustify bad things, like ush did by demoni<ing $orth :orea and creating a self3fulfilling prophecy, which turns their impacts. Fourth, the only way out is to allow the simulation of their harms to occur in the debate round * even though what we do in this round has no impact on the real world, refusing to be swayed by fear of nuclear war into giving them the ballot helps break the mindset of deterrence that +ustifies all these bad things. ,mbrace the explosion and challenge the system with a ballot for our side.

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(roliferation /tops &ar

(ossession of nuclear weapons free<es societies and makes war impossible. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. >:-;P]
This is &h$ nu lea# p#olife#ation does not in #ease the #is0 of eithe# an ato!i lash o# an a identsave in the inte#val &hen the N$oungN po&e#s ould 'e te!pted to !a0e a nondete##ent, N#ealN use of it -as the /!e#i ans did in 6i#oshi!a-'ut p#e isel$ onl$ the$ had a #ight to this Nuse valueN of the 'o!', all of those &ho have a (ui#ed it sin e &ill 'e dete##ed f#o! using it '$ the ve#$ fa t of possessing it.. Ent#$ into the ato!i lu', so p#ettil$ na!ed, ve#$ (ui 0l$ effa es -as unioni3ation does in the &o#0ing &o#ld. an$ in lination to&a#d violent inte#vention. Jesponsi'ilit$7 ont#ol, ensu#e, selfdete##en e al&a$s g#o& !o#e #apidl$ than the fo# es o# the &eapons at ou# disposal) this is the se #et of the so ial o#de#. Thus the ve#$ possi'ilit$ of pa#al$3ing a &hole ount#$ '$ fli 0ing a s&it h !a0es it so that the ele t#i al enginee#s &ill neve# use this &eapon) the &hole !$th of the total and #evolutiona#$ st#i0e #u!'les at the ve#$ !o!ent &hen the !eans a#e availa'le-'ut alas p#e isel$ 'e ause those !eans a#e availa'le. The#ein lies the &hole p#o ess of dete##en e. It is thus pe#fe tl$ p#o'a'le that one da$ &e &ill see nu lea# po&e#s e"po#t ato!i #ea to#s, &eapons, and 'o!'s to eve#$ latitude. Dont#ol '$ th#eat &ill 'e #epla ed '$ the !o#e effe tive st#ateg$ of pa ifi ation th#ough the 'o!' and th#ough the possession of the 'o!'. The NlittleN po&e#s, 'elieving that the$ a#e 'u$ing thei# independent st#i0ing fo# e, &ill 'u$ the vi#us of dete##en e, of thei# o&n dete##en e. The sa!e goes fo# the ato!i #ea to#s that &e have al#ead$ sent the!) so !an$ neut#on 'o!'s 0no 0ing out all histo#i al vi#ulen e, all #is0 of e"plosion. In this sense, the nu lea# eve#$&he#e inaugu#ates an a ele#ated p#o ess of i!plosion, it f#ee3es eve#$thing a#ound it, it a'so#'s all living ene#g$. The nu lea# is at on e the ul!inating point of availa'le ene#g$ and the !a"i!i3ation of ene#g$ ont#ol s$ste!s. Fo 0do&n and ont#ol in #ease in di#e t p#opo#tion to -and undou'tedl$ even faste# than. li'e#ating potentialities. This &as al#ead$ the apo#ia of the !ode! #evolution. It is still the a'solute pa#ado" of the nu lea#. Ene#gies f#ee3e in thei# o&n fi#e, the$ dete# the!selves. *ne an no longe# i!agine &hat p#oBe t, &hat po&e#, &hat st#ateg$, &hat su'Be t ould e"ist 'ehind this en losu#e, this vast satu#ation of a s$ste! '$ its o&n fo# es, no& neut#ali3ed, unusa'le, unintelligi'le, none"plosive-e" ept fo# the possi'ilit$ of an e"plosion to&a#d the ente17 of an i!plosion &he#e all these ene#gies &ould 'e a'olished in a atast#ophi p#o ess -in the lite#al sense, that is to sa$ in the sense of a #eve#sion of the &hole $ le to&a#d a !ini!al point, of a #eve#sion of ene#gies to&a#d a !ini!al th#eshold..

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(roliferation /tops &ar %verview

,xtend audrillard =>, proliferation stops war. 6ere)s how.

-s soon as countries acquire nuclear weapons, they are given a sense of power and responsibility which leads to a reciprocal increase in restraint when using those weapons, due to international norms and deterrence theory. $o state is exempt from this, in fact, if we were to give nuclear weapons to every country in the world, it could prevent war forever. The more nuclear armaments a country has, the more power it has over its people and its weapons, which guarantees a war will never occur.

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.llusion of &ar
&ar in the modern era exists more in the image of it being fought than in reality? wars are conducted via public opinion polls, the media, and so on, with military action +ust as an afterthought. To avoid war, we must oppose its simulation * to give it authority through images is to make it real. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. 6<-6H]
/!e#i a ondu ted the Aulf Wa# as though it &e#e a nu lea# onfli t, and thus, ulti!atel$, as a su'stitute fo# a Thi#d Wo#ld Wa# &hi h did not ta0e pla e. /n ato!i &a# &ithout the ato!, 'ut analogous in its i!pa t, instantaneousness, non- onf#ontation and onvulsive effe t. The fi#st st#i0e is the last. That, at least, is ho& the nu lea# shoot-out &as supposed to 'e, 'ut neithe# of the t&o adve#sa#ies eve# #is0ed it, pe#haps 'e ause, deep do&n, the$ neithe# of the! 'elieved in it. The nu lea# shoot-out, the ga!e of dete##en e, &as a s ena#io, Bust !ade #edi'le '$ the al ulated th#eat of the 'alan e of te##o#. When the p#ospe t of an ato!i lash disappea#ed on e and fo# all, &hen it got lost in spa e &ith 1ta# Wa#s, it had to 'e tested in si!ulated fo#!, in a !iniatu#e &a#-ga!e &he#e the possi'ilit$ of annihilating the ene!$ ould 'e he 0ed out. 4ut, s$!pto!ati all$, a#e &as ta0en not to go that fa#) 1adda!, &ho &ill, in the end, have 'een nothing 'ut that fai#g#ound du!!$ $ou shoot at f#o! point-'lan0 #ange, had to 'e saved. It &as Bust a se ond-hand s ena#io. 1o this !ilita#$ %o#g$% &asn%t an o#g$ at all. It &as an o#g$ of si!ulation, the si!ulation of an o#g$. / Ae#!an &o#d su!s all this up ve#$ &ell) 1 h&indel, &hi h !eans 'oth giddiness and s&indle, loss of ons iousness and !$stifi ation. The /!e#i ans fought the sa!e &a# in #espe t of &o#ld opinion -via the !edia, enso#ship, D22, et . - as the$ fought on the 'attlefield. The$ used the sa!e %fuel ai#% e"plosives in the !edia, &he#e the$ d#a& all the o"$gen out of pu'li opinion. The a!nesia a'out it is, in itself, a onfi#!ation of the un#ealit$ of this &a#. *ve#e"posed to the !edia, unde#e"posed to !e!o#$. 4uilt-in o'soles en e, as &ith an$ onsu!e# a#ti le. . . ,o#getting is 'uilt into the event itself in the p#ofusion of info#!ation and details, Bust as o'soles en e is 'uilt into the o'Be t in the p#ofusion of useless a esso#ies. If $ou ta0e one-thousandth of &hat $ou see on the TK ne&s to hea#t, $ou%#e done fo#. 4ut television p#ote ts us f#o! this. Its i!!uni3ing, p#oph$la ti use p#ote ts us f#o! an un'ea#a'le #esponsi'ilit$. Its effe t and its i!ages self-dest#u t in the !ind. 1o is this the 3e#o deg#ee of o!!uni ation@ De#tainl$, it is) people fea# o!!uni ation li0e the plague. The#e &as no e"ulting afte# the Aulf Wa# eithe# -and $et, it &as a vi to#$, &asn%t it@.. The#e &as, #athe#, a flight into a!nesia and h$po #is$. / 'ot hed ope#ation, even in su#gi al te#!s) its la'ou#s p#odu ed nothing, even the t&o hund#ed thousand dead p#odu ed nothing, apa#t f#o! that !a#vellous !is a##iage, the 2e& Wo#ld *#de#. It &as a &a# &ithout #esults, 'ut not &ithout an afte#!ath. *n e past the dile!!a of the #ealit$=un#ealit$ of the &a#, &e a#e 'a 0 in the pu#e and si!ple #ealit$ of politi al igno!in$, in the !ost odious Jealpoliti0) the 1hi%ites, the 5u#ds, the al ulated su#vival of 1adda! ... 6e#e, the !ost fe#vent defende#s of the &a#%s #ealit$ end up on eding that pe#haps nothing has in fa t happened. 4ut the$ p#eBudge this f#o! the a'sen e of an out o!e7 the$ do not Budge the event itself. Whi h sho&s the! to 'e Bust as !u h engaged in Jealpoliti0 as an$one else.
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The (uestion is not &hethe# one is fo# o# against &a#, 'ut &hethe# one is fo# o# against the reality of &a#. /nal$sis !ust not 'e sa #ifi ed to the e"p#ession of ange#. It has to 'e di#e ted in its enti#et$ against #ealit$, against !anifestness - he#e against the !anifest #ealit$ of this &a#. The 1toi s ontest the ve#$ self-eviden e of pain, &hen the 'od$%s onfusion is at its height. 6e#e, &e !ust ontest the ve#$ self-eviden e of &a#, &hen the onfusion of the #eal is at its height. We !ust hit out at the weak point of #ealit$. It%s too late afte#&a#ds) $ou%#e stu 0 &ith the %a ts of violence@, stu 0 in #ealist a'Be tion. In a little ti!e, as &e get so!e distan e f#o! it, o# even no&, &ith a little i!agination, it &ill 'e possi'le to #ead Fa gue##e du Aolfe n%a pas eu lieu Q as a s ien e-fi tion novel, as the anti ipation, #ight in the thi 0 of things, of the event as a fi tional s ena#io - so!ething into &hi h it &ill su#el$ 'e tu#ned late#. Fi0e 4o#ges% h#oni ling of ultu#es &hi h neve# e"isted. 4$ !a0ing t#anspa#ent the nonevent of the &a#, $ou give it fo# e in the i!agination - so!e&he#e othe# than in the %#eal ti!e% of ne&s &he#e it si!pl$ peters out. Eou give fo# e to the illusion of &a#, #athe# than 'e o!e an a essso#$ to its false #ealit$. /n$ho&, the 'oo0 has fallen - (uite logi all$ - into the sa!e 'la 0 hole as the &a#. It has faded as (ui 0l$ as the event &hose a'sen e it denoun ed. It &as a su essful non-event, li0e the /gen $, li0e appea#ing on television. /ll this is as it should have 'een sin e it dealt &ith so!ething &hi h did not ta0e pla e. It &as the si!ula #u! of 6elen that &as at the hea#t of the T#oBan Wa#. The Eg$ptian p#iests had held on to the o#iginal -&e do not 0no& &hat 'e a!e of it. &hen she set out again &ith Ma#is fo# T#o$. 4ut, even &ithout the !agi of the p#iests, 6elen &as in an$ ase !e#el$ a si!ula #u!, sin e the unive#sal fo#! of 'eaut$ is as un#eal as gold, the unive#sal fo#! of all o!!odities. Eve#$ unive#sal fo#! is a si!ula #u!, sin e it is the si!ultaneous e(uivalent of all the othe#s - so!ething it is i!possi'le fo# an$ #eal 'eing to 'e. The#e a#e !an$ analogies 'et&een the T#oBan and Aulf &a#s. 4efo#e the e"pedition, +enelaus alled all the &a##io#s of the A#ee0 &o#ld to a#!s, Bust as 4ush did &ith all the nations of the %f#ee &o#ld%. The in u'ation pe#iod of the &a# &as ve#$ long -seven $ea#s in the ase of T#o$, seven !onths fo# the Aulf Wa#. and the final phase &as ve#$ #apid in 'oth ases. The A#ee0 vi to#$ &as &on at g#eat ost to the vi to#s, &ho! the gods punished #elentlessl$ -the !u#de# of /ga!e!non, Dl$tae!nest#a, *#estes, et ... What &ill 'e the fate of the %vi to#s% of the Aulf Wa#@ /d!ittedl$, this ti!e the &a# did not ta0e pla e. This diffe#en e leaves the /!e#i ans so!e hope, the gods having no #eal ause to avenge the!selves. If the 6elen of the T#oBan Wa# &as a si!ula #u!, &hat &as the Aulf Wa#%s 6elen@ Whe#e &as the#e si!ula #u! he#e, e" ept in the si!ula #u! of &a# itself@

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.llusion of &ar %verview

,xtend audrillard !". 6ere)s the argument.

The scenario they present is a description of real world events, a simulation of reality. They accept war as real through the authority of its image. &ar in the modern era is fought in the arena of representation before it becomes reality * for war to occur, governments depend on public recognition of its existence, so enough public opinion can be generated for war)s reality to proceed. Their scenario, which gives the illusion of war, aids the recreation of war in the real world, which turns all their impacts. 1efusing to buy their image of war helps prevent it from actually happening outside the round, so don)t aid their representations of war with the support of your ballot.

#$0 %verview
,xtend the audrillard !" card, and these points from the last overview *

First, their disadvantage is a simulation of reality based on images of war, which may or may not be true, so all their scenario claims are inherently unreliable and there)s only a slight chance they)ll occur. /econd, images of war are what allows actual war to occur, because political actors looking to +ustify a policy of war need the public to recogni<e the images in order to +ustify them. Their scenario makes it more likely an actual war could be carried out. Third, refusing to buy into their illusion of war helps escape the system. Challenging the representations of war make it less likely an actual war will be carried out, so vote for us to help solve all their impacts in the real world.

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iosphere #
-. They treat the natural world as an experiment to be managed, a sphere in which human life must be preserved eternally, which paradoxically removes the value of life itself. &e need the accident and randomness of the natural world to smash their simplified construction in order to escape. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. IH-II]
The finest e"a!ple of &hat the hu!an spe ies is apa'le of infli ting upon itself is 4iosphe#e < - the fi#st 3oologi al ga#dens of the spe ies, to &hi h hu!an 'eings o!e to &at h the!selves su#vive, as on e the$ &ent to &at h apes opulate. *utside Tu son, in /#i3ona, #ight in the !iddle of the dese#t, a geodesi glass and !etal st#u tu#e a o!!odating all the planet%s li!ates in !iniatu#e, &he#e eight hu!an 'eings -fou# !en and fou# &o!en, of ou#se. a#e to live self-suffi ientl$, in a losed i# uit, fo# t&o $ea#s, in o#de# - sin e &e a#e not a'le to hange ou# lives - to e"plo#e the onditions fo# ou# su#vival. / !ini!al #ep#esentation of the spe ies in an e"pe#i!ental situation, in a 0ind of spa eship allego#$. /s a !useu! !o 0-up of the futu#e, 'ut of an unp#edi ta'le futu#e - a entu#$ hen e, a thousand $ea#s, !illions. . . &ho 0no&s@ - it fo#!s a pendant to the ?ese#t +useu! so!e si"t$ !iles a&a$, &hi h #et#a es the geologi al and ani!al histo#$ of t&o hund#ed !illion $ea#s. The point of onve#gen e 'et&een the t&o 'eing the idea of the onse#vation and opti!al !anage!ent of #esidues - of the #eli s of the past fo# the ?ese#t +useu!, the anti ipated #eli s of the futu#e fo# 4iosphe#e < - not to !ention the !agi al dese#t site &hi h allo&s the p#o'le! of su#vival to 'e e"a!ined, 'oth that of natu#e and that of the spe ies &ith e(ual #igou#. 1u h a ve#$ /!e#i an hallu ination this o ean, this savannah, this dese#t, this vi#gin fo#est #e onstituted in !iniatu#e, vit#ified 'eneath thei# e"pe#i!ental 'u''le. In the t#ue spi#it of ?isne$land%s att#a tions, 4iosphe#e < is not an e"pe#i!ent, 'ut an e"pe#i!ental att#a tion. The !ost a!a3ing thing is that the$ have #e onstituted a f#ag!ent of a#tifi ial dese#t #ight in the !iddle of the natu#al dese#t -a 'it li0e #e onstituting 6oll$&ood in ?isne$&o#ld.. *nl$ in this a#tifi ial dese#t the#e a#e neithe# s o#pions no# Indians to 'e e"te#!inated7 the#e a#e onl$ e"t#ate##est#ials t#ained to su#vive in the ve#$ pla e &he#e the$ dest#o$ed anothe#, fa# 'ette# adapted #a e, leaving it no han e. The &hole hu!anist ideolog$ - e ologi al, li!ati , !i #o- os!i and 'iogeneti - is su!!ed up he#e, 'ut this is of no i!po#tan e. *nl$ the side#eal, t#anspa#ent fo#! of the edifi e !eans an$thing - 'ut &hat@ ?iffi ult to sa$. /s eve#, a'solute spa e inspi#es enginee#s, gives !eaning to a p#oBe t &hi h has none, e" ept the !ad desi#e fo# a !iniatu#i3ation of the hu!an spe ies, &ith a vie& pe#haps to a futu#e #a e and its e!e#gen e, of &hi h &e still d#ea!. . . The a#tifi ial p#o!is uit$ of li!ates has its ounte#pa#t in the a#tifi ial i!!unit$ of the spa e) the eli!ination of all spontaneous gene#ation -of ge#!s, vi#uses, !i #o'es., the auto!ati pu#ifi ation of the &ate#, the ai#, the ph$si al at!osphe#e -and the !ental at!osphe#e too, pu#ified '$ s ien e.. The eli!ination of all se"ual #ep#odu tion) it is fo#'idden to #ep#odu e in 4iosphe#e <7 even onta!ination f#o! life [Ie vivant] is dange#ous7 se"ualit$ !a$ spoil the e"pe#i!ent. 1e"ual diffe#en e fun tions onl$ as a fo#!al, statisti al va#ia'le -the sa!e nu!'e# of &o!en as !en7 if an$one d#ops out, a pe#son of the sa!e se" is su'stituted.. Eve#$thing he#e is designed &ith a '#ain-li0e a'st#a tion. 4iosphe#e < is to 4iosphe#e 1 -the &hole of ou# planet and the os!os. &hat the '#ain is to the hu!an 'eing in gene#al) the s$nthesis in !iniatu#e of all its possi'le fun tions and ope#ations) the dese#t lo'e, the vi#gin fo#est lo'e, the nou#ishing ag#i ultu#e
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iosphere #
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lo'e, the #esidential lo'e, all a#efull$ distin t and pla ed side '$ side, a o#ding to the anal$ti al i!pe#ative. /ll of this in #ealit$ enti#el$ outdated &ith #espe t to &hat &e no& 0no& a'out the '#ain - its

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plasti it$, its elasti it$, the #eve#si'le se(uen ing of all its ope#ations. The#e is, then, 'ehind this a# hai !odel, 'eneath its futu#isti e"te#io#, a gigantic h$potheti al e##o#, a fie# e ideali3ation doo!ed to failure. In fa t, the %t#uth% of the ope#ation lies else&he#e, and $ou sense this &hen $ou #etu#n f#o! 4iosphe#e < to %#eal% /!e#i a, as $ou do &hen $ou e!e#ge f#o! ?isne$land into #eal life) the fa t is that the i!agina#$, o# e"pe#i!ental, !odel is in no &a$ diffe#ent f#o! the #eal fun tioning of this so iet$. Just as the &hole of /!e#i a is 'uilt in the i!age of ?isne$land, so the &hole of /!e#i an so iet$ is a##$ing on - in #eal ti!e and out in the open - the sa!e e"pe#i!ent as 4iosphe#e < &hi h is the#efo#e onl$ falsely e"pe#i!ental, Bust as ?isne$land is onl$ falsel$ i!agina#$. The #e $ ling of all su'stan es, the integ#ation of flo&s and i# uits, non-pollution, a#tifi ial i!!unit$, e ologi al 'alan ing, ont#olled a'stinen e, #est#ained Bouissan e 'ut, also, the #ight of all spe ies to su#vival and onse#vation - and not Bust plant and ani!al spe ies, 'ut also so ial ones. /ll atego#ies fo#!all$ '#ought unde# the one u!'#ella of the la& - this latte# setting its seal on the ending of natu#al sele tion. It is gene#all$ thought that the o'session &ith su#vival is a logi al onse(uen e of life and the #ight to life. 4ut, !ost of the ti!e, the t&o things a#e contradictory. Fife is not a (uestion of #ights, and &hat follo&s on f#o! life is not su#vival, &hi h is a#tifi ial, 'ut death. It is onl$ '$ pa$ing the p#i e of a failu#e to live, a failu#e to ta0e pleasu#e, a failu#e to die that !an is assu#ed of su#vival. /t least in p#esent onditions, &hi h the 4iosphe#e p#in iple perpetuates. This !i #o-unive#se see0s to e"o# i3e atast#ophe '$ !a0ing an a#tifi ial s$nthesis of all the ele!ents of atast#ophe. ,#o! the pe#spe tive of su#vival, of #e $ ling and feed'a 0, of sta'ili3ation and !etasta'ili3ation, the ele!ents of life a#e sa #ifi ed to those of su#vival -eli!ination of ge#!s, of evil, of se".. Jeal life, &hi h su#el$, afte# all, has the #ight to disappea# -o# !ight the#e 'e a pa#ado"i al li!it to hu!an #ights@., is sa #ifi ed to a#tifi ial su#vival. The #eal planet, p#esu!ed onde!ned, is sa #ifi ed in advan e to its !iniatu#i3ed, ai#- onditioned lone -have no fea#, all the ea#th%s li!ates a#e ai#onditioned he#e. &hi h is designed to van(uish death '$ total si!ulation. In da$s gone '$ it &as the dead &ho &e#e e!'al!ed fo# ete#nit$7 toda$, it is the living &e e!'al! alive in a state of su#vival. +ust this 'e ou# hope@ 6aving lost ou# !etaph$si al utopias, do &e have to 'uild this p#oph$la ti one@ What, then, is this spe ies endo&ed &ith the insane p#etension to su#vive - not to t#ans end itself '$ vi#tue of its natu#al intelligen e, 'ut to su#vive ph$si all$, 'iologi all$, '$ vi#tue of its a#tifi ial intelligen e@ Is the#e a spe ies destined to es ape natu#al sele tion, natu#al disappea#an e - in a &o#d, death@ What os!i ussedness !ight give #ise to su h a tu#na'out@ What vital #ea tion !ight p#odu e the idea of su#vival at an$ ost@ What !etaph$si al ano!al$ !ight g#ant the #ight not to disappea# - logi al ounte#pa#t of the #e!a#0a'le good fo#tune of having appea#ed@ The#e is a 0ind of aberration in the atte!pt to ete#nali3e the spe ies - not to i!!o#tali3e it in its a tions, 'ut to ete#nali3e it in this fa e-lifted coma, in the glass coffin of 4iosphe#e <. We !a$, nonetheless, ta0e the vie& that this e"pe#i!ent, li0e an$ atte!pt to a hieve a#tifi ial su#vival o# a#tifi ial pa#adise, is illuso#$, not f#o! an$ te hni al sho#t o!ings, 'ut in its ve#$ p#in iple. In spite of itself, it is th#eatened '$ the sa!e a idents as #eal life. Fortunately. Fet us hope that the #ando! unive#se outside s!ashes this glass offin. /n$ a ident &ill do if it #es ues us f#o! a s ientifi eupho#ia sustained '$ d#ip-feed.

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,xtend the audrillard !" evidence. This is the argument *

iosphere # is the second version of the world, described and controlled by scientific processes. ,verything there is logical and coherent, as opposed to iosphere >, which is the natural world as we know it wild. The affirmative is an example of human action based on iosphere. Their harms and solvency evidence display nature as a machine to be fixed, not as a unique process of its own. This scientific mindset will inevitably fail * iosphere >, which is the reality, does not relate at all to the experimental world of the plan. $atural chaos and chance occurrences will cause their simplified view of the world to fail when it is applied, which turns case. -dditionally, their focus on human survival within this perfectly managed experiment displays a mindset that in order to survive, people must be constantly monitored by science, so that to live one must not live naturally. This makes human life meaningless and dehumani<ed to scientific processes, which is the greatest impact. The alternative is to allow their harms to occur within the simulated fiat world of the debate round. &hat we do here does not correspond with what happens in the real world, so they can)t claim any impact from their imagined case. The discourse we use in the debate round is more important and should be considered first. Vote negative and let nature to smash the glass coffin of their experimental pro+ect.

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,xtend our audrillard !" evidence. They miss some key analysis from the last overview, so extend these points2 First, their plan depends on a scientific and artificial vision of the natural world that can be acted upon like an experiment with their plan. That)s one link. /econd, their effort to preserve the existence of human life displays a mindset of scientific examination of human life in order to preserve it, like living in the Truman /how, where every action is controlled by the operation of the experiment. That mindset destroys the value of human life and must be on3face re+ected. Third, scientific abstractions of nature fail, because the randomness of the natural world is never fully accounted for by the theories of their plan. That means their solvency will inevitably fail, turning case. Fourth, the way out is to allow the simulation of their harms to occur within the context of the debate round, which has no relation to reality but is the perfect forum to oppose this destructive mindset. -llowing their harms to occur breaks nature out of the scientific prison.

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9aleficent ,cology
4ranting sub+ectivity and rights to nature is handing it a poisoned chalice, entering it into a competition it can never effectively play, which inevitably results in disaster, and the more we are reconciled with nature, the less we can be reconciled with ourselves, resulting in mass extermination through nuclear or biological means. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. IP-I;]
6en e the #e ent p#oposal, follo&ing this sa!e logi , f#o! the !o!ent it a hieved the status of vi#tual &aste-p#odu t, to a o#d natu#e inte#national #e ognition of its #ights, to elevate it to the status of a su'Be t in la&. Thus the % ont#at natu#e=NN a!ounts to a definitive #e ognition of natu#e as &aste. Just as, in '$gone da$s, the #e ognition of the #ights of the unfo#tunate !eant not thei# e!an ipation as iti3ens, 'ut thei# li'e#ation as the unfo#tunate. It is al&a$s the sa!e &ith #ights) the #ight to &ate#, the #ight to ai#, the #ight to e"isten e, et . It is &hen all these fine things have disappea#ed that the la& a##ives to g#ant thei# disappea#an e offi ial #e ognition. The la& is li0e #eligious faith. If Aod e"ists, the#e is no need to 'elieve in 6i!. If people do 'elieve in 6i!, this is 'e ause the self-eviden e of his e"isten e has passed a&a$. Thus, &hen people o'tain the #ight to life, the fa t is that the$ a#e no longe# a'le to live. When natu#e is #e ogni3ed as a su'Be t in la&, as it is '$ +i hel 1e##es, &e have o'Be tified it to death, and this e ologi al ove# !e#el$ asse#ts ou# #ight to go on doing so. /ll this has 'een '#ought a'out '$ the highl$ du'ious &a$ in &hi h the on ept of natu#e has evolved. What &as initiall$ !atte# 'e a!e ene#g$. The !ode#n dis ove#$ of natu#e onsists in its li'e#ation as ene#g$ and in a !e hani al t#ansfo#!ation of the &o#ld. /fte# having fi#st 'een !atte#, and then ene#g$, natu#e is toda$ 'e o!ing an inte#a tive su'Be t. It is easing to 'e an o'Be t, 'ut this is '#inging it all the !o#e su#el$ into the i# uit of sub+ection. / d#a!ati pa#ado", and one &hi h also affe ts hu!an 'eings) &e a#e !u h !o#e o!p#o!ised &hen &e ease to 'e o'Be ts and 'e o!e su'Be ts. This is a t#i 0 that &as pulled on us long ago, in the na!e of a'solute li'e#ation. Fet%s not pull the sa!e one on natu#e. ,o# the ulti!ate dange# is that, in an inte#a tivit$ 'uilt up into a total s$ste! of o!!uni ation, the#e is no othe#7 the#e a#e onl$ su'Be ts - and, ve#$ soon, onl$ su'Be ts &ithout o'Be ts. /ll ou# p#o'le!s toda$ as ivili3ed 'eings o#iginate he#e) not in an e" ess of alienation, 'ut a disappea#an e of alienation in favou# of a !a"i!u! t#anspa#en $ 'et&een su'Be ts. /n un'ea#a'le situation, all the !o#e so fo# the fa t that, in foisting on natu#e the status of a su'Be t in la&, &e a#e also foisting on it all the vi es of su'Be tivit$, de 0ing it out, in ou# o&n i!age, &ith a 'ad ons ien e, &ith nostalgia -fo# a lost o'Be t &hi h, in this ase, an onl$ 'e us., &ith a #ange of d#ives - in pa#ti ula#, an i!pulse fo# revenge. The %'alan e% &e hea# so !u h of in e olog$ -%out of 'alan e%. is not so !u h that of planeta#$ #esou# es and thei# e"ploitation as the !etaph$si al one 'et&een su'Be t and o'Be t. 2o&, that !etaph$si al su'Be t o'Be t 'alan e is 'eing upset and the su'Be t, a#!ed as he is &ith all the te hnologies of advan ed o!!uni ation -te hnologies on &hose ho#i3on the o'Be t has disappea#ed., is the 'enefi ia#$.
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*n e that 'alan e is dis#upted, it inevita'l$ spa#0s violent reactions on the pa#t of the o'Be t. Just as individuals ounte# the t#anspa#en $ and vi#tual #esponsi'ilit$ infli ted on the! as su'Be ts &ith

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une"plaina'le a ts, a ts of #esistan e, failu#e, delin(uen $ and olle tive diso#de#, so natu#e ounte#s this enfo# ed p#o!otion, this onsensual, o!!uni ational 'la 0!ail, &ith va#ious fo#!s of 'ehaviou# that a#e #adi all$ othe#, su h as atast#ophes, upheavals, ea#th(ua0es and haos. It &ould see! that natu#e does not #eall$ feel a sense of #esponsi'ilit$ fo# itself, no# does it #ea t to ou# effo#ts to give it one. We a#e, ad!ittedl$, indulging inN a -'ad. e ologi al ons ien e and atte!pting, '$ this !o#al violen e, to stave off possi'le violen e on natu#e%s pa#t. 4ut if, '$ offe#ing it the status of su'Be t, &e a#e handing it the sa!e poisoned chalice as &e gave to the de oloni3ed nations, &e ought not to 'e su#p#ised if it 'ehaves i##ationall$ !e#el$ so as to asse#t itself as su h. Dont#a#$ to the unde#l$ing Jousseauist ideolog$, &hi h a#gues that the p#ofound natu#e of the li'e#ated su'Be t an onl$ 'e good and that natu#e itself, on e e!an ipated, annot 'ut 'e endo&ed &ith natu#al e(uili'#iu! and all the e ologi al vi#tues, the#e is nothing !o#e a!'iguous o# pe#ve#se than a su'Be t. 2o&, natu#e is also ge#!s, vi#uses, haos, 'a te#ia and s o#pions, signifi antl$ eli!inated f#o! 4iosphe#e < as though the$ &e#e not !eant to e"ist. Whe#e a#e the deadl$ little s o#pions, so 'eautiful and so t#anslu ent, &hi h one sees in the ?ese#t +useu! not fa# a&a$, s o#pions &hose !agi al sting e#tainl$ pe#fo#!s a highe#, invisi'le G 'ut ne essa#$ - fun tion &ithin ou# 4iosphe#e 1) the in a#nation of evil, of the veno!ous evil of han e, the !o#tal inno en e of desi#e -the desi#e fo# death. in the e(uili'#iu! of living 'eings@ What the$ have fo#gotten is that &hat 'inds living 'eings togethe# is so!ething othe# than an e ologi al, 'iosphe#i al solida#it$, so!ething othe# than the ho!eostati e(uili'#iu! of a s$ste!) it is the $ le of !eta!o#phoses. +an is also a s o#pion, Bust as the 4o#o#o a#e a#a#as and, left to hi!self in an e"pu#gated unive#se, he 'e o!es, hi!self, a s o#pion. In sho#t, it is not '$ e"pu#gating evil that &e li'e#ate good. Wo#se, '$ li'e#ating good, &e also li'e#ate evil. /nd this is onl$ #ight) it is the #ule of the s$!'oli ga!e. It is the insepa#a'ilit$ of good and evil &hi h onstitutes ou# t#ue e(uili'#iu!, ou# t#ue 'alan e. We ought not to ente#tain the illusion that &e !ight sepa#ate the t&o, that &e !ight ultivate good and happiness in a pu#e state and e"pel evil and so##o& as &astes. That is the te##o#isti d#ea! of the t#anspa#en $ of good, &hi h ve#$ (ui 0l$ ends in its opposite, the t#anspa#en $ of evil. We !ust not #e on ile ou#selves &ith natu#e. It see!s that the !o#e the hu!an #a e #e on iles itself &ith natu#e, the less it is #e on iled &ith itself. /'ove and 'e$ond the violen e it infli ts on othe#s, the#e is a violen e spe ifi to the hu!an #a e in gene#al, a violen e of the spe ies against itself in &hi h it t#eats itself as a #esidue, as a su#vivo# even in the p#esent - of a o!ing atast#ophe. /s if it too &e#e #ead$ to #epent of an evolution &hi h has '#ought it su h p#ivileges and a##ied it to su h e"t#e!es. This is the sa!e onBun tu#e as the one to &hi h Danetti #efe#s, in &hi h &e stepped out of histo#$, e" ept that he#e &e have not stepped out of histo#$, 'ut have passed a point 'e$ond &hi h nothing is eithe# hu!an o# inhu!an an$ longe# and &hat is at sta0e, &hi h is even !o#e i!!ense, is the totte#ing of the spe ies into the void. It is (uite possi'le that, in this p#o ess, the spe ies itself is o!!en ing its o&n
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disappea#an e, eithe# '$ disen hant!ent &ith - o# #essenti!ent to&a#ds - itself, o# out of a deli'e#ate in lination &hi h leads it he#e and no& to !anage that disappea#an e as its destin$. 1u##eptitiousl$, in spite of ou# supe#io#it$ -o# pe#haps 'e ause of it., &e a#e a##$ing ove# on to ou# o&n spe ies the t#eat!ent &e !ete out to the othe#s, all of &hi h a#e vi#tuall$ d$ing out. In an ani!al !ilieu &hi h has #ea hed satu#ation point, spe ies a#e spontaneousl$ dissuaded f#o! living. The effe ts p#odu ed '$ the finite natu#e of the ea#th, fo# the fi#st ti!e ont#asting violentl$ &ith the infinit$ of ou# develop!ent, a#e su h that ou# spe ies is auto!ati all$ s&it hing ove# to olle tive sui ide. Whethe# '$ e"te#nal -nuclearB violence o# inte#nal -biologicalB virulence.

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We a#e su'Be ting ou#selves as a hu!an spe ies to the sa!e e"pe#i!ental p#essu#e as the ani!al spe ies in ou# la'o#ato#ies. +an is &ithout p#eBudi e) he is using hi!self as a guinea-pig, Bust as he is using the #est of the &o#ld, ani!ate o# inani!ate. 6e is hee#full$ ga!'ling &ith the destin$ of his o&n spe ies as he is &ith that of all the othe#s. In his 'lind desi#e to 0no& !o#e, he is p#og#a!!ing his o&n dest#u tion &ith the sa!e ease and fe#o it$ as the dest#u tion of the othe#s. 6e annot 'e a used of a supe#io# egois!. 6e is sa #ifi ing hi!self, as a spe ies, to an un0no&n e"pe#i!ental fate, un0no&n at least as $et to othe# spe ies, &ho have e"pe#ien ed onl$ natu#al fates. /nd, &he#eas it see!ed that, lin0ed to that natu#al fate, the#e &as so!ething li0e an instin t of self-p#ese#vation - long the !ainsta$ of a natu#al philosoph$ of individuals and g#oups this e"pe#i!ental fate to &hi h the hu!an spe ies is onde!ning itself '$ unp#e edented, a#tifi ial !eans, this s ientifi p#efigu#ing of its o&n disappea#an e, s&eeps a&a$ all ideas of a selfp#ese#vation instin t. The idea is, indeed, no longe# dis ussed in the hu!an s ien es -&he#e the fo us of attention &ould see!, #athe#, to 'e on the death d#ive. and this disappea#an e f#o! the field of thought signals that, 'eneath a f#en3$ fo# e ologi al onse#vation &hi h is #eall$ !o#e to do &ith nostalgia and #e!ose, a &holl$ diffe#ent tenden $ has al#ead$ &on out, the sa #ifi ing of the spe ies to 'oundless e"pe#i!entation.

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9aleficent ,cology #$C %verview

,xtend the audrillard !" card. 6ere)s the argument.

4ranting rights to nature is an excuse to further exploit it, because the rights are only necessary once destruction is already complete. Claiming to respect nature is +ust a mask to guarantee its further exploitation. Covering up the small problems allows the larger problems to keep occurring. This also turns nature into a sub+ect, treating it like an individual we can respect and awe. 6owever, nature is worse off as a sub+ect than an ob+ect, because when the sub+ect)s power is increased, it forces violent reactions by the ob+ect to maintain the balance * in ,nglish, the more we pretend to respect nature, the more it will be necessary to destroy it to preserve our dominance, which turns their arguments. -dditionally, once nature becomes a sub+ect random acts become reasons to take revenge upon it. .f there is a natural disaster, for example, nature can be blamed and retribution can be taken because sub+ects are assumed to be responsible for all their actions. This puts nature into a rigged game, where it is asked to play by rules it cannot follow, and we destroy it for non3compliance. -lso, more understanding of nature trades of with understanding for ourselves, because the concern trades off. Cust like the $a<is were all for protecting the environment at the expense of humans, their pro+ect to deify nature results in the production of humanity as waste and its complete extermination and mass death through nuclear or biological means, which is a reason to on3face re+ect their discourse. .nstead of awe, we need to treat nature with disregard and indifference, because granting it awe and respect only makes it that much easier to destroy it.

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9aleficent ,cology #$1 %verview

,xtend our audrillard !" evidence, and this analysis from the last overview2

First, respecting nature is a mask for its continued exploitation, because rights are always granted after its too late for them to be useful, which turns their arguments. /econd, treating nature as a sub+ect that can be respected upsets the balance and creates violent reaction by the ob+ect to restore it, further entrenching nature)s destruction. Third, sub+ect)s are assumed to be responsible for their actions, so vengeance can be sought from nature for harm done to humans * if there)s a hurricane, we can go cut down a rain forest to get even Awhich is +ust an example, but displays the harm of the mindsetB. Fourth, the more we understand nature the less we understand humans. 1especting nature requires the production of humanity as a waste product to be exterminated, culminating in genocide and mass death, which is a reason to re+ect their mindset. Fifth, instead of treating nature with awe and respect, we should display indifference, which solves all the harms created by calling nature a sub+ect.

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9aleficent v. 0eep ,cology >-1

,xtend audrillard !". 6is argument is that when they grant rights and respect to nature, it provides a mask for more domination, and only happens when it)s too late to prevent human influence, so the critique can never solve. -lso, treating nature as a sub+ect increases our domination of it because it is seen as a sub+ect to be controlled. This causes more violence against nature, and also demands human retribution for natural occurrences, putting nature into a rigged game and turning their alternative. Finally, more understanding of nature trades off with respect for our own species, which results in treating humanity as a waste that must be disposed of, which +ustifies any atrocity and is an on3face reason to re+ect the critique. %ur advocacy, which treats nature with indifference instead of awe, solves the impacts of their critique and allows the case solvency as well. -nd, kicking it now won)t get them out of it * our argument is not +ust against their advocacy, it)s against the discourse and images they use to support it. ,ven if they drop the advocacy, they can)t take back what they say. That)s best for debate because it requires them to defend all the +ustifications to their arguments so we can have deeper and more informed clash. That means that if they don)t answer this turn, they lose the round.

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/entimentality to -nimals
/entimentality towards animals degrades their status and places them even farther below humans, as not even deserving our respect, +ustifying experimentation and destruction. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. 1>;-1>6]
In pa#ti ula#, ou# senti!entalit$ to&a#d ani!als is a su#e sign of the disdain in &hi h &e hold the!. It is p#opo#tional to this disdain. It is in p#opo#tion to 'eing #elegated to i##esponsi'ilit$, to the inhu!an, that the ani!al 'e o!es &o#th$ of the hu!an #itual of affe tion and p#ote tion, Bust as the hild does in di#e t p#opo#tion to 'eing #elegated to a status of inno en e and hildishness. 1enti!entalit$ is nothing 'ut the infinitel$ deg#aded fo#! of 'estialit$, the #a ist o!!ise#ation, in &hi h &e #idi ulousl$ loa0 ani!als to the point of #ende#ing the! senti!ental the!selves.
Those &ho used to sa #ifi e ani!als did not ta0e the! fo# 'easts. /nd even the +iddle /ges, &hi h onde!ned and punished the! in due fo#!, &as in this &a$ !u h lose# to the! than &e a#e, &e &ho a#e filled &ith ho##o# at this p#a ti e. The$ held the! to 'e guilt$) &hi h &as a &a$ of hono#ing the!. We ta0e the! fo# nothing, and it is on this 'asis that &e a#e Nhu!anN &ith the!. We no longe# sa #ifi e the!, &e no longe# punish the!, and &e a#e p#oud of it, 'ut it is si!pl$ that &e have do!esti ated the!, &o#se) that &e have !ade of the! a #a iall$ infe#io# &o#ld, no longe# even &o#th$ of ou# Busti e, 'ut onl$ of ou# affe tion and so ial ha#it$, no longe#

&o#th$ of punish!ent and of death, 'ut onl$ of e"pe#i!entation and e"te#!ination li0e !eat f#o! the 'ut he#$.
It is the #ea'so#ption of all violen e in #ega#d to the! that toda$ fo#!s the !onst#osit$ of 'easts. The violen e of sa #ifi e, &hi h is one of Ninti!a $N -4ataille., has 'een su eeded '$ the senti!ental o# e"pe#i!ental violen e that is one of distan e. +onst#osit$ has hanged in !eaning. The o#iginal !onst#osit$ of the 'east, o'Be t of te##o# and fas ination, 'ut neve# negative, al&a$s a!'ivalent, o'Be t of e" hange also and of !etapho#, in sa #ifi e, in !$tholog$, in the he#aldi 'estia#$, and even in ou# d#ea!s and ou# phantas!s-this !onst#osit$, #i h in eve#$ th#eat and eve#$ !eta!o#phosis, one that is se #etl$ #esolved in the living ultu#e of !en, and that is a fo#! of allian e, has 'een e" hanged fo# a spe ta ula# !onst#osit$) that of 5ing 5ong &#en hed f#o! his Bungle and t#ansfo#!ed into a !usi -hall sta#. ,o#!e#l$, the ultu#al he#o annihilated the 'east, the d#agon, the !onste#-and f#o! the spilt 'lood plants, !en, ultu#e &e#e 'o#n7 toda$, it is the 'east 5ing 5ong &ho o!es to sa 0 ou# indust#ial !et#opolises, &ho o!es to li'e#ate us f#o! ou# ultu#e, a ultu#e dead f#o! having pu#ged itself of all #eal !onst#osit$ and f#o! having '#o0en its pa t &ith it -&hi h &as e"p#essed in the fil! '$ the p#i!itive gift of the &o!an.. The p#ofound sedu tion of the fil! o!es f#o! this inve#sion of !eaning) all inhu!anit$ has gone ove# to the side of !en, all hu!anit$ has gone ove# to the side of aptive 'estialit$, and to the #espe tive sedu tion of !an and of 'east, !onst#ous sedu tion of one o#de# '$ the othe#, the hu!an and the 'estial. 5ong dies fo# having #ene&ed, th#ough sedu tion, this possi'ilit$ of the !eta!o#phosis of one #eign into anothe#, this in estuous p#o!is uit$ 'et&een 'easts and !en -though one that is neve# #eali3ed, e" ept in a s$!'oli and #itual !ode.. In the end, the p#og#ession that the 'east follo&ed is not diffe#ent fo#! that of !adness and hildhood, of se" o# neg#itude. / logi of e" lusion, of #e lusion, of dis #i!ination and ne essa#il$7 in #etu#n, a logi of #eve#sion, #eve#si'le violen e that !a0es it so that all of so iet$ finall$ aligns itself on the a"io!s of !adness, of hildhood, of se"ualit$7 and of infe#io# #a es -pu#ged, it !ust 'e said, of the #adi al inte##ogation to &hi h, f#o! the ve#$ hea#t of thei# e" lusion, the$ lent i!po#tan e.. The onve#gen e of p#o esses of ivili3ation is

astounding. /ni!als, li0e the dead, and so !an$ othe#s, have follo&ed this uninte##upted p#o ess of anne"ation th#ough e"te#!ination, &hi h onsists of li(uidation, then of !a0ing the e"tin t spe ies spea0, of !a0ing the! p#esent the onfession of thei# disappea#an e. +a0ing ani!als spea0, as one has !ade
the insane, hild#en, se" -,ou ault. spea0. This is even deluded in #ega#d to ani!als, &hose p#in iple of un e#taint$7 &hi h the$ have aused to &eigh on !en sin e the #uptu#e in thei# allian e &ith !en, #esides in the fa t that the$ do not spea0.

/entimentality to -nimals %verview

,xtend our audrillard => card. 6ere)s the argument.

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Treating animals with care and being sentimental about their feelings is a degradation of their status. Their discourse treats animals as children that have to be protected by the wise humans, and imparts sentimental feelings on them that are +ust an illusion. .nstead of being worthy of respect, this reduces animals to merely the sub+ects of domestication and experimentation, where they can be destroyed in our endless quest for knowledge, which turns their arguments.

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4lobal v. Dniversal
4lobali<ation, which claims to bring all together actually fragments and destroys universal values like freedom and democracy in order to better assimilate the world. The result of this process is a gigantic clash between the globali<ed world order and the fragments that emerge, a world war over global values. audrillard in !E [Jean, +a# h 16, The Alo'al and the Cnive#sal]
Alo'alisation and unive#salit$ a#e not e(uivalent te#!s7 in fa t the$ ould 'e onside#ed to !utuall$ e" lude one anothe#. Alo'alisation pe#tains to te hni(ues, the !a#0et, tou#is!, info#!ation. Cnive#salit$ pe#tains to values, hu!an #ights, f#eedo!s, ultu#e, de!o #a $. Alo'alisation see!s to 'e i##eve#si'le, the unive#sal on the othe# hand appea#s to 'e al!ost an endange#ed spe ies. /t least in so fa# as it onstitutes a s$ste! of values fo# Weste#n !ode#nit$ &ith no ounte#pa#t in an$ othe# ultu#e. 2o &o#d fo# a value s$ste! &hi h lai!s to spea0 &ith a single voi e fo# all ultu#es and thei# diffe#en e, 'ut &hi h, pa#ado"i all$, does not thin0 of itself as #elative and sees itself (uite ingenuousl$ as the ulti!ate t#ans endent goal of all the othe#s. We do not i!agine fo# one !o!ent that the unive#sal !ight #efe# onl$ to lo alised Weste#n thought, a p#odu t that is spe ifi to the West, &hi h, o#iginal though it !a$ 'e, is in the final anal$sis, eve#$ 'it as diffi ult to e"po#t as an$ othe# lo al p#odu t. Eet that is e"a tl$ ho& the Japanese see the unive#sal, as so!ething spe ifi all$ Weste#n, and fa# f#o! adopting this a'st#a t on ept, the$ ta0e &hat fo# us is unive#sal and, in a u#ious #eve#sal, !a0e it #elative and in o#po#ate it into thei# o&n singula#it$. /n$ ultu#e &o#th$ of the na!e loses itself in the unive#sal. /n$ ultu#e that !a0es itself unive#sal loses its singula#it$ and, g#aduall$ dies. This is the ase fo# the ultu#es &e have dest#o$ed '$ assi!ilating the! '$ fo# e, 'ut it is also the ase fo# ou# own, in its lai! to 'e unive#sal. The diffe#en e is that the othe#s have died of thei# singula#it$ and that is a no'le death &he#eas &e a#e d$ing f#o! the loss of all singula#it$, f#o! the e"te#!ination of ou# values, and that is not a no'le death. We thin0 that the destin$ of an$ single value is its elevation to the unive#sal &ithout ta0ing heed of the !o#tal dange# that this p#o!otion #ep#esents. Jathe# than an elevation, it is a #edu tion o# shall &e sa$ an elevation to a deg#ee 3e#o of value. /t the ti!e of the Enlighten!ent, unive#salisation &as a top do&n affai#, in a p#o ess of ontinuous advan e!ent. Toda$, it is 'otto! up and involves a neut#alisation of values as a #esult of thei# p#olife#ation and thei# endless dispe#sal. /nd so it is fo# hu!an #ights, fo# de!o #a $, et ., the$ e"pand a o#ding to the la& of the lo&est o!!on deno!inato#, to a point of !a"i!u! ent#op$. The Ferox degree of value. In fa t, the unive#sal pe#ishes &ith glo'alisation. When the d$na!i of the unive#sal as t#ans enden e, as ideal, and as utopia
'e o!es a #ealit$, it eases to e"ist as t#ans enden e, as ideal, as utopia. The go'alisation of e" hange puts an end to the unive#salit$ of values. It is the t#iu!ph of !onothought ove# unive#sal thought. What is glo'alised is fi#st of all the !a#0et, the p#o!is uit$ of e" hange of an$thing and eve#$thing, the pe#petual !ove!ent of !one$. Dultu#all$ spea0ing, this is the an$thing goes p#o!is uit$ of the signifie# and of values7 in othe# &o#ds, po#nog#aph$. The endless st#ea! flooding the net &ith an$thing and eve#$thing, this is po#nog#aph$. 2o need fo# 88 ontinued99

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se"ual inde en $, the si!ple e"isten e of this inte#a tive opulation is all it ta0es. /t theend of this p#o ess, the#e is no longe# an$ diffe#en e 'et&een the glo'al and the unive#sal. The unive#sal is itself glo'alised, de!o #a $, hu!an #ights i# ulate in e"a tl$ the sa!e &a$, th#ough e"a tl$ the sa!e hannels as an$ global product) li0e oil o# apital.
What happens &ith the passage f#o! the unive#sal to the glo'al is at on e a ho!ogenisation and an infinite f#ag!enting of the s$ste!. The glo'al inte# onne tion of net&o#0s is dou'led '$ a dislo ation of the f#ag!ents !oving fu#the# and fu#the# apa#t f#o! ea h othe# - li0e a s0$ #o 0et that e"plodes and shatte#s at its highest point then s atte#s in a thousand f#ag!ents. What ta0es the pla e the ent#al is not the lo al, it%s the dis-lo ated. What ta0es the pla e of the en ent#i is not the de- ente#ed 'ut the off ente#. ?isinteg#ation of the unive#sal. Ki#tual totalita#ianis!) N&&&)== i3ation of the &o#ldN and f#ag!entation.

Alo'alisation is 'oth ho!ogenisation and in #easing dis #i!ination. +a#ginalisation and e" lusion, a#e no a ident) the$ a#e in the ve#$ logi of glo'alisation &hi h, unli0e the unive#sal, '#ea0s apa#t the e"isting st#u tu#es, all the 'ette# to assimilate the!. *n eve#$ level the gaps g#o& &ide#, 'e o!e i##eve#si'le. / little li0e the unive#se &he#e the gala"ies a#e !oving a&a$ f#o! one anothe# at su h p#odigious speeds. If this is the ase, one !ight &ell as0 &hethe# the unive#sal hasn%t al#ead$ su u!'ed unde# the &eight of its o&n #iti al !ass, &hethe# it eve# had an$ #eal e"isten e othe# than in offi ial dis ou#se and !o#al odes. In an$ event, fo# us, the !i##o# of the unive#sal is shatte#ed -one ould even see it as a 0ind of !i##o# stage of hu!anit$.. 4ut this is pe#haps a good thing 'e ause, in the f#ag!ents of this shatte#ed !i##o# of the unive#sal, all singula#ities reemerge. Those that &e 'elieved th#eatened a#e su#viving7 those &e 'elieved had disappea#ed a#e o!ing 'a 0 to life. Japan, on e again, is a #e!a#0a'le ase in point. Japan, 'ette# than an$ othe# ount#$, has !ade a su ess of glo'alisation -te hni al,
e ono!i , finan ial. &ithout going th#ough the phase of the unive#sal -the su ession of !iddle- lass ideologies and fo#!s of politi al o#ganisation. and &ithout losing an$thing of its singula#it$, despite &hat is said to the ont#a#$. *ne ould even sa$ that it is p#e isel$ 'e ause Japan &as neve# lu!'e#ed &ith the on ept of the unive#sal that it su eeded so &ell te hni all$ and glo'all$, '$ '#inging togethe# the singula# -the po&e# of t#adition. and the glo'al -the po&e# of the vi#tual, that is, the inte#net #evolution .. 4ehind the in #easingl$ fie# e #esistan e to glo'alisation, so ial and politi al #esistan e &hi h an see! li0e an a# hai #efusal of !ode#nit$ at all osts, one annot 'ut #ead a #ea tion against the do!ination of the unive#sal, a 0ind of painful #evisionis! in #espe t to the a hieve!ents of !ode#nit$, and in #espe t to the idea of p#og#ess and of 6isto#$, a #eBe tion not onl$ of the -in.fa!ous glo'al te hno-st#u tu#e, 'ut of the unde#l$ing !ono ultu#alis!, the !ental st#u tu#e that pla es all ultu#es, f#o! eve#$ ontinent unde# the one sign of the unive#sal. This #esu#gen e, o#, one !ight even sa$, this Ninsu##e tionN of singula#it$ an ta0e on violent, ano!alous, i##ational fo#!s f#o! the pe#spe tive of -so- alled. NenlightenedN thought7 ethni , #eligious, linguisti , 'ut also on an individual level, fo#!s of neu#osis and pe#sonalit$ diso#de#. 4ut it &ould 'e a !onu!ental e##o# -the sa!e e##o# &hi h an 'e seen in the !o#alisti o# hest#ation of politi al o##e tness o!!on to all po&e# st#u tu#es and the !aBo#it$ of Nintelle tualsN. to &#ite off these !ove!ents of #evolt as populist, a# hai , o# even te##o#ist. Eve#$ event that !a0es its !a#0 in the &o#ld toda$, does so in 88 ontinued99

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884aud#illa#d :6 ontinued >=>99 #ea tion to this a'st#a t unive#salit$ -in luding the antagonis! of Isla! to&a#ds Weste#n values - it is 'e ause Isla! is the !ost violent #iti of this Weste#n glo'alisation that Isla! is pu'li ene!$ nu!'e# one toda$.. If &e #efuse to unde#stand this, &e &ill e"haust ou#selves in an endless ontest 'et&een a unive#sal thought su#e of its po&e# and su#e of its #ightness, and an eve# in #easing nu!'e# of i##edu i'le singula#ities. Even in ou# so ieties, &hi h a#e tho#oughl$ a ultu#ated to the unive#sal, it is lea# that nothing that has 'een sa #ifi ed to this on ept has t#ul$ disappea#ed. It has si!pl$ gone unde#g#ound. /nd &hat is 'eing pla$ed out in #eve#se toda$ is an enti#e histo#$ supposedl$ p#og#essivist, an enti#e evolutionis! #istallised a#ound its ulti!ate end, &hi h, !o#eove#, has 'een o!pletel$ lost sight of in the !eanti!e. Toda$ this utopia is dislo ated, and its dislo ation at the deepest levels is p#o eeding even faste# than its i!position '$ fo# e. What &e a#e dealing &ith he#e is a o!ple" th#ee level p#o ess) the glo'alisation of e" hange, the unive#salit$ of values and the singula#it$ of fo#!s -languages, ultu#es, individuals, ha#a te# t$pes, 'ut also han e, a ident et .- eve#$thing the unive#sal is 'ound to #eBe t as e" eption o# ano!al$.. 4ut, the situation is hanging and is 'e o!ing !o#e and !o#e e"t#e!e as unive#sal values lose thei# autho#it$ and legiti!a $. /s long as the$ &e#e a epted as !ediating values, the$ su eeded -!o#e o# less. in integ#ating singula#ities as diffe#en es &ithin a unive#sal ultu#e of diffe#en e. 4ut toda$ the$ a#e no longe# a'le to do so 'e ause glo'alisation

t#iu!phant is #a3ing to the g#ound eve#$ diffe#en e and eve#$ value, gene#ating a pe#fe tl$ indiffe#ent -non. ultu#e. /nd all that is left, on e the unive#sal is gone, is the all-!ight$ glo'al te hno-st#u tu#e on the one hand and singula#ities a'andoned to thei# o&n &ild devi es on the othe#. The unive#sal has had its da$ in histo#$. 4ut toda$, aught 'et&een a !onolithi glo'al o#de#, an un onditional glo'alisation, and the stu''o#n insu##e tion of singula#ities e##ati , on epts of f#eedo!, de!o #a $ and hu!an #ights pale into insignificance, !e#e ghosts of a lost unive#sal. /nd it is diffi ult to i!agine that the$ ould 'e #e'o#n f#o! thei# ashes '$ the mere play of the politi al - &hi h is aught up in the sa!e p#o ess of de#egulation and &hose foundations a#e al!ost as fli!s$ as those of !o#al and intelle tual autho#it$.
4ut the die has not $et 'een ast, even if fo# unive#sal values, all 'ets a#e definitel$ off The sta0es have #isen and glo'alisation is '$ no !eans a su#e &inne#. Eve#$&he#e its dissolving and ho!ogenising fo# e is 'eing hallenged '$ e!e#ging fo# es hete#ogeneous in natu#e, &hi h a#e not onl$ diffe#ent 'ut antagonisti and i##edu i'le. What !a$ e!e#ge, out of the shatte#ing of the glo'al s$ste!, a#e singula#ities. 2o&, these singula#ities a#e neithe# negative no# positive. The$ a#e not an alte#native to glo'al o#de#, the$ a#e on a diffe#ent s ale. The$ a#e not su'Be t to value Budge!ents7 so the$ an 'e eithe# the 'est o# the &o#st. Thei# one a'solute saving g#a e is to allo& us to '#ea0 out of the st#aitBa 0et of totalit$. The$ annot 'e fede#ated in a single histo#i al !ove. The$ a#e the despai# of eve#$ &ould-'e do!inant !onothought. 4ut the$ a#e not a !ono ounte#thought. The$ invent thei# o&n #ules of the ga!e, and thei# !ost li0el$ fate is the fate of he#esies) to 'e e#adi ated '$ glo'al o#thodo"$.

This is &hat the Fourth &orld &ar &ill 'e a'out, and it &ill 'e the onl$ t#ul$ &o#ld &a#, sin e its sta0es a#e glo'alisation itself. Dultu#e itself sta#ted off as a singula#it$. That is, an in o!pa#a'le, i##edu i'le, ine" hangea'le fo#!. Then a!e the on ept of unive#sal ultu#e. Then the u##ent glo'alisation of a ultu#e &hi h had 'e o!e a glo'al p#odu t. I &ould li0e to tal0 a little !o#e a'out this Nfate of ultu#eN &hi h poses fo# ea h of us, &ithin the onte"t of the glo'al, the p#o'le! of ultu#al identit$.

4lobal v. Dniversal #$C %verview

,xtend audrillard !E. 6ere)s the argument.

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The affirmative attempts to expand values like democracy, human rights, etc. to a global level. 6owever, any culture whose values are expanded loses its uniqueness and the values become useless * democracy and human rights are reduced to the lowest common denominator so they can be more easily expanded through the global market. .n practical terms, this means the values they promote become tools of exploitation and never accomplish the goals they set for them. - perfect example2 .raq. .ntended to be a watershed event in the democratic revolution, democracy and freedom in .raq are no longer the great values they once were, but led to social fragmentation, instability and an explosion of porn and drugs. The commerciali<ation of democracy has destroyed its human value? the expansion the plan supports will result in the same unintended consequences that ultimately make the values meaningless. -t this point, no political action is sufficient to redeem democracy)s value, because it will have been infinite degraded by its spread. -dditionally, in order to better expand values, existing cultures must be destroyed and assimilated so that our idea of democracy can be superimposed on them, and groups that disagree are excluded from the global order. The destruction of culture causes their most violent elements to re3form and oppose the global spread of values * we see this in the form of so3called terrorism, which will be a never3ending cycle of violence as long as the pro+ect continues. Finally, the elements cast out of the global democratic order will band together to oppose it, resulting in the next world war as a result of globali<ation of values.

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They miss key analysis in the last speech, so extend the these points from the overview2 audrillard !E card and

First, the expansion of democracy over the globe requires that it be reduced to a lowest common denominator level so that it can be transmitted easily? democratic principles that disagree with the rules of the global market will be cast aside, which means the spread of democracy they create will become a tool for further exploitation of cultures that accept it. /econd, the devaluation of democracy makes it bad for societies that accept it, like happened in .raq, where freedom has turned society over to porn, drugs and instability. 0emocracy as it is spread is never as good as the original version and the more it is spread the less valuable it is, which turns their impacts. Third, note that all their evidence about democracy being good is wrong, because it doesn)t assume the devalued form, and political efforts to revive these universal values after they have expanded are useless, because they are permanently disfigured by the global spread. %nce this has happened, it)s irreversible. Fourth, in order to expand our values other cultures have to be destroyed and assimilated, and the parts that won)t be assimilated are excluded. This results in internal violence through what is labeled as terrorism, and eventually a clash between the global democratic society and the fragments that have been cast out in the next world war, which is far worse than the small scale violence that occurs occasionally between isolated cultures.

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4lobali<ation and the spread of &estern values is like a virus * it requires constant expansion as part of its existence. -ny disagreement with democratic values is classified as a crime against the global order, and +ustifies the forcible assimilation of all cultures into the global norm. This universali<ation of values creates terrorism as its own inescapable symptom.
audrillard in #;;5 [Jean, +a$ <P, The Kiolen e of the Alo'al]
Toda$%s te##o#is! is not the p#odu t of a t#aditional histo#$ of ana# his!, nihilis!, o# fanati is!. It is instead the onte!po#a#$ pa#tne# of glo'ali3ation. To identif$ its !ain featu#es, it is ne essa#$ to pe#fo#! a '#ief genealog$ of glo'ali3ation, pa#ti ula#l$ of its #elationship to the singula# and the unive#sal. The analog$ 'et&een the te#!s Nglo'alN [<]and Nunive#salN is !isleading. Cnive#sali3ation has to do &ith hu!an #ights, li'e#t$, ultu#e, and de!o #a $. 4$ ont#ast, glo'ali3ation is a'out te hnolog$, the !a#0et, tou#is!, and info#!ation. Alo'ali3ation appea#s to 'e i##eve#si'le &he#eas unive#sali3ation is li0el$ to 'e on its &a$ out. /t least, it appea#s to 'e #et#eating as a value s$ste! &hi h developed in the onte"t of Weste#n !ode#nit$ and &as un!at hed '$ an$ othe# ultu#e. /n$ ultu#e that 'e o!es unive#sal loses its singula#it$ and dies. That%s &hat happened to all those ultu#es &e dest#o$ed '$ fo# efull$ assi!ilating the!. 4ut it is also t#ue of ou# o&n ultu#e, despite its lai! of 'eing unive#sall$ valid. The onl$ diffe#en e is that othe# ultu#es died 'e ause of thei# singula#it$, &hi h is a 'eautiful death. We a#e d$ing 'e ause &e a#e losing ou# o&n singula#it$ and e"te#!inating all ou# values. /nd this is a !u h !o#e ugl$ death. We 'elieve that the ideal pu#pose of an$ value is to 'e o!e unive#sal. 4ut &e do not #eall$ assess the deadl$ dange# that su h a (uest p#esents. ,a# f#o! 'eing an uplifting !ove, it is instead a do&n&a#d t#end to&a#d a 3e#o deg#ee in all values. In the Enlighten!ent, unive#sali3ation &as vie&ed as unli!ited g#o&th and fo#&a#d p#og#ess. Toda$, '$ ont#ast, unive#sali3ation e"ists '$ default and is e"p#essed as a fo#&a#d es ape, &hi h ai!s to #ea h the !ost !ini!all$ o!!on value. This is p#e isel$ the fate of hu!an #ights, de!o #a $, and li'e#t$ toda$. Thei# e"pansion is in #ealit$ thei# &ea0est e"p#ession. Cnive#sali3ation is vanishing 'e ause of glo'ali3ation. The glo'ali3ation of e" hanges puts an end to the unive#sali3ation of values. This !a#0s the t#iu!ph of a unifo#! thought ove# a unive#sal one. What is glo'ali3ed is fi#st and fo#e!ost the !a#0et, the p#ofusion of e" hanges and of all so#ts of p#odu ts, the pe#petual flo& of !one$. Dultu#all$, glo'ali3ation gives &a$ to a p#o!is uit$ of signs and values, to a fo#! of po#nog#aph$ in fa t. Indeed, the glo'al sp#ead of eve#$thing and nothing th#ough net&o#0s is po#nog#aphi . 2o need fo# se"ual o's enit$ an$!o#e. /ll $ou have is a glo'al inte#a tive opulation. /nd, as a #esult of all this, the#e is no longe# an$ diffe#en e 'et&een the glo'al and the unive#sal. The unive#sal has 'e o!e glo'ali3ed, and hu!an #ights i# ulate e"a tl$ li0e an$ othe# glo'al p#odu t -oil o# apital fo# e"a!ple.. The passage f#o! the unive#sal to the glo'al has given #ise to a onstant ho!ogeni3ation, 'ut also to an endless f#ag!entation. ?islo ation, not lo ali3ation, has #epla ed ent#ali3ation. E" ent#i is!, not de ent#ali3ation, has ta0en ove# &he#e on ent#ation on e stood. 1i!ila#l$, dis #i!ination and e" lusion a#e not Bust a idental onse(uen es of glo'ali3ation, 'ut #athe# glo'ali3ation%s o&n logi al out o!es. In fa t, the p#esen e of
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glo'ali3ation !a0es us &onde# &hethe# unive#sali3ation has not al#ead$ 'een dest#o$ed '$ its o&n #iti al !ass. It also !a0es us &onde# &hethe# unive#salit$ and !ode#nit$ eve# e"isted outside of so!e offi ial dis ou#ses o# so!e popula# !o#al senti!ents. ,o# us toda$, the !i##o# of ou# !ode#n unive#sali3ation has 'een '#o0en. 4ut this !a$ a tuall$ 'e an oppo#tunit$. In the f#ag!ents of this '#o0en !i##o#, all so#ts of singula#ities #eappea#. Those singula#ities &e thought &e#e endange#ed a#e su#viving, and those &e thought &e#e lost a#e #evived. /s unive#sal values lose thei# autho#it$ and legiti!a $, things 'e o!e !o#e #adi al. When unive#sal 'eliefs &e#e int#odu ed as the onl$ possi'le ultu#all$ !ediating values, it &as fai#l$ eas$ fo# su h 'eliefs to in o#po#ate singula#ities as !odes of diffe#entiation in a unive#sal ultu#e that lai!ed to ha!pion diffe#en e. 4ut the$ annot do it an$!o#e 'e ause the t#iu!phant sp#ead of glo'ali3ation has e#adi ated all fo#!s of diffe#entiation and all the unive#sal values that used to advo ate diffe#en e. In so doing, glo'ali3ation has given #ise to a pe#fe tl$ indiffe#ent ultu#e. ,#o! the !o!ent &hen the unive#sal disappea#ed, an o!nipotent glo'al te hno-st#u tu#e has 'een left alone to do!inate. 4ut this te hno-st#u tu#e no& has to onf#ont ne& singula#ities that, &ithout the p#esen e of unive#sali3ation to #adle the!, a#e a'le to f#eel$ and savagely e"pand. 6isto#$ gave unive#sali3ation its han e. Toda$ though, fa ed &ith a glo'al o#de# &ithout an$ alte#native on the one hand and &ith d#ifting insu##e tiona#$ singula#ities on the othe#, the on epts of li'e#t$, de!o #a $, and hu!an #ights loo0 a&ful. The$ #e!ain as the ghosts of unive#sali3ation past. Cnive#sali3ation used to p#o!ote a ultu#e ha#a te#i3ed '$ the on epts of t#ans enden e, su'Be tivit$, on eptuali3ation, #ealit$, and #ep#esentation. 4$ ont#ast, toda$%s vi#tual glo'al ultu#e has #epla ed unive#sal on epts &ith s #eens, net&o#0s, i!!anen e, nu!'e#s, and a spa e-ti!e ontinuu! &ithout an$ depth. In the unive#sal, the#e &as still #oo! fo# a natu#al #efe#en e to the &o#ld, the 'od$, o# the past. The#e &as a so#t of diale ti al tension o# #iti al !ove!ent that found its !ate#ialit$ in histo#i al and #evolutiona#$ violen e. 4ut the e"pulsion of this #iti al negativit$ opened the doo# to anothe# fo#! of violen e, the violen e of the glo'al. This ne& violen e is ha#a te#i3ed '$ the sup#e!a $ of te hni al effi ien $ and positivit$, total o#gani3ation, integ#al i# ulation, and the e(uivalen e of all e" hanges. /dditionall$, the violen e of the glo'al puts an end to the so ial #ole of the intelle tual -an idea tied to the Enlighten!ent and unive#sali3ation., 'ut also to the #ole of the a tivist &hose fate used to 'e tied to the ideas of #iti al opposition and histo#i al violen e. Is glo'ali3ation fatal@ 1o!eti!es ultu#es othe# than ou#s &e#e a'le to es ape the fatalit$ of the indiffe#ent e" hange. Toda$ though, &he#e is the #iti al point 'et&een the unive#sal and the glo'al@ 6ave &e #ea hed the point of no #etu#n@ What ve#tigo pushes the &o#ld to e#ase the Idea@ /nd &hat is that othe# ve#tigo that, at the sa!e ti!e, see!s to fo# e people to un onditionall$ &ant to #eali3e the Idea@ The unive#sal &as an Idea. 4ut &hen it 'e a!e #eali3ed in the glo'al, it disappea#ed as an Idea, it o!!itted sui ide, and it vanished as an end in itself. 1in e hu!anit$ is no& its o&n i!!anen e, afte# ta0ing ove# the pla e left '$ a dead Aod, the hu!an has 'e o!e the onl$ !ode of #efe#en e and it is sove#eign. 4ut this hu!anit$ no longe# has an$ finalit$. ,#ee f#o! its fo#!e# ene!ies, hu!anit$ no& has to #eate ene!ies f#o! within, &hi h in fa t p#odu es a &ide va#iet$ of inhu!an !etastases.

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This is p#e isel$ &he#e the violen e of the glo'al o!es f#o!. It is the p#odu t of a s$ste! that t#a 0s do&n an$ fo#! of negativit$ and singula#it$, in luding of ou#se death as the ulti!ate fo#! of singula#it$. It is the violen e of a so iet$ &he#e onfli t is forbidden, &he#e death is not allo&ed. It is a violen e that, in a sense, puts an end to violen e itself, and st#ives to esta'lish a &o#ld &he#e an$thing #elated to the natu#al !ust disappea# -&hethe# it is in the 'od$, se", 'i#th, o# death.. 4ette# than a glo'al violen e, &e should all it a glo'al vi#ulen e. This fo#! of violen e is indeed vi#al. It !oves '$ ontagion, p#o eeds '$ hain #ea tion, and little '$ little it dest#o$s ou# i!!une s$ste!s and ou# capacities to resist. 4ut the ga!e is not ove# $et. Alo'ali3ation has not o!pletel$ &on. /gainst su h a dissolving and ho!ogeni3ing po&e#, hete#ogeneous fo# es -- not Bust diffe#ent 'ut lea#l$ antagonisti ones -- a#e #ising everywhere. 4ehind the in #easingl$ st#ong #ea tions to glo'ali3ation, and the so ial and politi al fo#!s of #esistan e to the glo'al, &e find !o#e than si!pl$ nostalgi e"p#essions of negation. We find instead a #ushing #evisionis! vis-R-vis !ode#nit$ and p#og#ess, a #eBe tion not onl$ of the glo'al te hno-st#u tu#e, 'ut also of the !ental s$ste! of glo'ali3ation, &hi h assu!es a p#in iple of e(uivalen e 'et&een all ultu#es. This 0ind of #ea tion an ta0e so!e violent, a'no#!al, and i##ational aspe ts, at least the$ an 'e pe# eived as violent, a'no#!al, and i##ational f#o! the pe#spe tive of ou# t#aditional enlightened &a$s of thin0ing. This #ea tion an ta0e olle tive ethni , #eligious, and linguisti fo#!s. 4ut it an also ta0e the fo#! of individual e!otional out'u#sts o# neu#oses even. In an$ ase, it &ould 'e a !ista0e to 'e#ate those #ea tions as si!pl$ populist, a# hai , o# even te##o#ist. Eve#$thing that has the (ualit$ of event these da$s is engaged against the a'st#a t unive#salit$ of the glo'al, and this also in ludes Isla!%s o&n opposition to Weste#n values -it is 'e ause Isla! is the !ost fo# eful ontestation of those values that it is toda$ onside#ed to 'e the West%s nu!'e# one ene!$.. Who an defeat the glo'al s$ste!@ De#tainl$ not the anti-glo'ali3ation !ove!ent &hose sole o'Be tive is to slo& do&n glo'al de#egulation. This !ove!ent%s politi al i!pa t !a$ &ell 'e i!po#tant. 4ut its s$!'oli i!pa t is &o#thless. This !ove!ent%s opposition is nothing !o#e than an inte#nal !atte# that the do!inant s$ste! an easil$ 0eep unde# ont#ol. Mositive alte#natives annot defeat the do!inant s$ste!, 'ut singula#ities that a#e neithe# positive no# negative an. 1ingula#ities a#e not alte#natives. The$ #ep#esent a diffe#ent s$!'oli o#de#. The$ do not a'ide '$ value Budg!ents o# politi al #ealities. The$ an 'e the 'est o# the &o#st. The$ annot 'e N#egula#i3edN '$ !eans of a olle tive histo#i al a tion. The$ defeat an$ uni(uel$ do!inant thought. Eet the$ do not p#esent the!selves as a uni(ue ounte#-thought. 1i!pl$, the$ #eate thei# o&n ga!e and i!pose thei# o&n #ules. 2ot all singula#ities a#e violent. 1o!e linguisti , a#tisti , o#po#eal, o# ultu#al singula#ities a#e (uite su'tle. 4ut othe#s, li0e te##o#is!, an 'e violent. The singula#it$ of te##o#is! avenges the singula#ities of those ultu#es that paid the p#i e of the i!position of a uni(ue glo'al po&e# &ith thei# o&n extinction. We a#e #eall$ not tal0ing a'out a N lash of ivili3ationsN he#e, 'ut instead a'out an al!ost anth#opologi al onf#ontation 'et&een an undiffe#entiated unive#sal ultu#e and eve#$thing else that, in &hateve# do!ain, #etains a (ualit$ of i##edu i'le alte#it$. ,#o! the pe#spe tive of glo'al po&e# -as funda!entalist in its 'eliefs as an$ #eligious o#thodo"$.,
88 ontinued99

4lobali<ation of Violence
884aud#illa#d <PP> ontinued ;=;99

an$ !ode of diffe#en e and singula#it$ is heresy. 1ingula# fo# es onl$ have the hoi e of Boining the glo'al s$ste! -'$ &ill o# '$ fo# e. o# pe#ishing. The !ission of the West -o# #athe# the fo#!e# West,

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sin e it lost its o&n values a long ti!e ago. is to use all availa'le !eans to su'Bugate eve#$ ultu#e to the '#utal p#in iple of ultu#al e(uivalen e. *n e a ultu#e has lost its values, it an onl$ see0 #evenge '$ atta 0ing those of othe#s. 4e$ond thei# politi al o# e ono!i o'Be tives, &a#s su h as the one in /fghanistan ai! at no#!ali3ing savage#$ and aligning all the te##ito#ies. The goal is to get #id of an$ #ea tive 3one, and to oloni3e and do!esti ate an$ &ild and #esisting te##ito#$ 'oth geog#aphi all$ and mentally. The esta'lish!ent of a glo'al s$ste! is the #esult of an intense Bealous$. It is the Bealous$ of an indiffe#ent and lo&-definition ultu#e against ultu#es &ith highe# definition, of a disen hanted and deintensified s$ste! against high intensit$ ultu#al envi#on!ents, and of a de-sa #ali3ed so iet$ against sa #ifi ial fo#!s. / o#ding to this do!inant s$ste!, an$ #ea tiona#$ fo#! is vi#tuall$ te##o#ist. -/ o#ding to this logi &e ould even sa$ that natu#al atast#ophes a#e fo#!s of te##o#is! too. +aBo# te hnologi al a idents, li0e Dhe#no'$l, a#e 'oth a te##o#ist a t and a natu#al disaste#. The to"i gas lea0 in 4hopal, India, anothe# te hnologi al a ident, ould also have 'een a te##o#ist a t. /n$ plane #ash ould 'e lai!ed '$ an$ te##o#ist g#oup too. The do!inant ha#a te#isti of i##ational events is that the$ an 'e i!puted to an$'od$ o# given an$ !otivation. To so!e e"tent, an$thing &e an thin0 of an 'e #i!inal, even a old f#ont o# an ea#th(ua0e. This is not ne&. In the 1:<> To0$o ea#th(ua0e, thousands of 5o#eans &e#e 0illed 'e ause the$ &e#e thought to 'e #esponsi'le fo# the disaste#. In an intensel$ integ#ated s$ste! li0e ou#s, eve#$thing an have a si!ila# effe t of desta'ili3ation. ,verything d#ives to&a#d the failu#e of a s$ste! that lai!s to 'e infallible. ,#o! ou# point of vie&, aught as &e a#e inside the #ational and p#og#a!!ati ont#ols of this s$ste!, &e ould even thin0 that the &o#st atast#ophe is a tuall$ the infalli'ilit$ of the s$ste! itself.. Foo0 at /fghanistan. The fa t that, inside this ount#$ alone, all #e ogni3ed fo#!s of Nde!o #ati N f#eedo!s and e"p#essions -- f#o! !usi and television to the a'ilit$ to see a &o!an%s fa e -- &e#e fo#'idden, and the possi'ilit$ that su h a ount#$ ould ta0e the totall$ opposite path of &hat &e all ivili3ation -no !atte# &hat #eligious p#in iples it invo0ed., &e#e not a epta'le fo# the Nf#eeN &o#ld. The unive#sal di!ension of !ode#nit$ annot 'e #efused. ,#o! the pe#spe tive of the West, of its onsensual !odel, and of its uni(ue &a$ of thin0ing, it is a crime not to pe# eive !ode#nit$ as the o'vious sou# e of the Aood o# as the natu#al ideal of hu!an0ind. It is also a #i!e &hen the unive#salit$ of ou# values and ou# p#a ti es a#e found suspe t '$ so!e individuals &ho, &hen the$ #eveal thei# dou'ts, a#e i!!ediatel$ pegged as fanati s. *nl$ an anal$sis that e!phasi3es the logi of s$!'oli o'ligation an !a0e sense of this onf#ontation 'et&een the glo'al and the singula#. To unde#stand the hat#ed of the #est of the &o#ld against the West, pe#spe tives !ust 'e #eve#sed. The hat#ed of non-Weste#n people is not 'ased on the fa t that the West stole eve#$thing f#o! the! and neve# gave an$thing 'a 0. Jathe#, it is 'ased on the fa t that the$ #e eived eve#$thing, 'ut &e#e neve# allo&ed to give an$thing 'a 0. This hat#ed is not aused '$ dispossession o# e"ploitation, 'ut #athe# '$ hu!iliation. /nd this is p#e isel$ the 0ind of hat#ed that e"plains the 1epte!'e# 11 te##o#ist atta 0s. These &e#e a ts of hu!iliation #esponding to anothe# hu!iliation.

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4lobali<ation of Violence %verview

,xtend our audrillard #;;5 evidence. 6ere)s the argument.

There is an inherent contradiction between globali<ation and universal values like human rights. 4lobali<ation is about the expansion of capitalism, while universal rights are oppressed by the capitalistic order. Their attempts to expand democracy and human rights throughout the global system puts these universal values on the market like any other commodity in the capitalist order and destroys their universal value? democracy and human rights stop being so good when they)re commerciali<ed. -dditionally, globali<ation of values demands that they constantly expand, even to cultures that do not want or need them. This creates an area of exclusion within the supposedly all3encompassing global order, where those inside who dissent become the enemy instead of the one outside. They think they are creating universal peace through the spread of democracy, when in fact they are ensuring the war will be internali<ed and permanent as a result of exclusion. This effort to destroy violence in fact creates its own violence, where any moral opposition to the dominant order becomes a crime that demands a military response, and anyone who does not agree with the global order must be destroyed. This leads to the destruction of all other cultures in the constant search for the ideal of globali<ation. &ithin this system, opposition is inevitable, because destruction of culture sparks violent responses. -dditionally, the more the order is globali<ed the easier it is to attack from within, and all dissent is organi<ed to bring down this new world order, resulting in what we call terrorism. The impact is never3 ending internal violence and death.

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/pirit of Terrorism
Terrorism is not located in one particular country or group * its a consequence of the new global order, which creates constant internal violence. Their supposed solution plays into the mindset that +ustifies terrorist acts. audrillard in #;;5 [Jean, * to'e#, The +ind of Te##o#is!]
/ll the spee hes and o!!enta#ies !ade sin e 1epte!'e# 11 'et#a$ a giganti post-t#au!ati a'#ea tion 'oth to the event itself and to the fas ination that it e"e#ts. The !o#al onde!nation anti the sa #ed union against te##o#is! a#e directly proportional to the p#odigious Bu'ilation felt at having seen this glo'al supe#po&e# dest#o$ed, 'e ause it &as this insuffe#a'le supe#po&e# that gave #ise 'oth to the violen e no& sp#eading th#oughout the &o#ld and to the te##o#ist i!agination that -&ithout ou# 0no&ing it. d&ells &ithin us all. That the enti#e &o#ld &ithout e" eption had d#ea!ed of this event, that no'od$ ould help 'ut d#ea! the dest#u tion of so po&e#ful a hege!on-this fa t is una epta'le to the !o#al ons ien e of the West, and $et it is a fa t nonetheless, a fa t that #esists the e!otional violen e of all the #heto#i onspi#ing to e#ase it. In the end, it &as the$ &ho did it 'ut we &ho &ished it. If &e do not ta0e this fa t into a ount, the vent loses all s$!'oli di!ension7 it 'e o!es s a pu#el$ a#'it#a#$ a t, the !u#de#ous phantas!ago#ia of a fe& fanati s that &e need onl$ #ep#ess. 4ut &e 0no& &ell that su h is not tie ase. Without ou# p#ofound o!pli it$ the event &ould not have #eve#'e#ated so fo# efull$, and in thei# st#ategi s$!'olis! the te##o#ists 0ne& the$ ould ount on this un onfessa'le o!pli it$. It goes &ell 'e$ond the hat#ed that the desolate and the e"ploited-those &ho ended up on the &#ong side of the ne& &o#ld o#de#-feel to&a#d the do!inant glo'al po&e#. This !ali ious desi#e #esides n the hea#ts of even those &ho%ve sha#ed in the spoils. The alle#g$ to a'solute o#de#, to a'solute po&e#, is unive#sal, and the t&o to&e#s of the Wo#ld T#ade Dente# &e#e, p#e isel$ 'e ause of thei# ideati alit$, the pe#fe t in a#nation of this a'solute o#de#. Dountless disaste# fil!s have 'o#ne &itness to these fantasies, and the unive#sal appeal of the i!ages sho&s Bust ho& lose the fantasies al&a$s a#e to 'eing a ted out) the lose# the enti#e s$ste! gets to pe#fe tion o# to o!nipoten e, the st#onge# the u#ge to dest#o$ it g#o&s.
When the &o#ld has 'een so tho#oughl$ !onopoli3ed, &hen po&e# has 'een so fo#!ida'l$ onsolidated '$ the te hno #ati !a hine and the dog!a of glo'ali3ation, &hat !eans of tu#ning the ta'les #e!ains 'esides te##o#is!@ In dealing all the a#ds to itself, the s$ste! fo# ed the *the# to hange the #ules of the ga!e. /nd the ne& #ules a#e fe#o ious, 'e ause the ga!e is fe#o ious. Te##o#is! is the a t that #esto#es an i##edu i'le singula#it$ to the hea#t of a gene#ali3ed s$ste! of e" hange. /ll those singula#ities -spe ies, individuals, ultu#es. that have 'een sa #ifi ed to the inte#ests of a glo'al s$ste! of o!!e# e avenge the!selves '$ tu#ning the ta'les &ith te##o#is!. Te##o# against te##o#-this is no longe# an ideologi al notion. We have gone &ell 'e$ond ideolog$ and politi s, The ene#g$ that nou#ishes te##o#, no ideolog$, no ause, not even an Isla!i one, an e"plain. The te##o#ists a#e not ai!ing si!pl$ to t#ansfo#! the &o#ld. Fi0e the he#eti s of p#evious ti!es, the$ ai! to #adi ali3e the &o#ld th#ough sa #ifi e, &he#eas the s$ste! ai!s to onve#t) it into !one$ th#ough fo# e.

Te##o#ists, li0e vi#uses, a#e eve#$&he#e. The#e is no longe# a 'ounda#$ that an he! te##o#is! in7 it is at the hea#t of the ve#$ ultu#e it%s fighting &ith, and the visi'le f#a tu#e -and the hat#ed. that pits the e"ploited and unde#developed nations of the &o#ld against the West masks the do!inant s$ste!%s inte#nal f#a tu#es. It is as if eve#$ !eans of do!ination se #eted its o&n antidote. /gainst this al!ost auto!ati f#o! of #esistan e to its po&e#, the s$ste! an do nothing. Te##o#is! is the sho 0 &ave of this silent #esistan e. It is a !ista0e, then, to ha#a te#i3e this as a lash of ivili3ations o# of #eligions. It goes &ell 'e$ond Isla! a#ia% /!e#i a, on &hi h one a#ight 'e te!pted to on ent#ate in o#de# to #eate the illusion of a onf#ontation #esolva'le '$ fo# e. The#e is a funda!ental antagonis! at &o#0. 'ut it t#ans ends the phanto! of /!e#i a -&hi h is pe#haps the epi ente# though not the in a#nation of glo'ali3ation. as &ell as the phanto! of Isla! -&hi h li0e&ise is not the in a#nation of te##o#is!.. This is the lash of triumphant globali<ation at &a# &ith itself. 88 ontinued99

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884aud#illa#d <PP> ontinued99 In this sense, it is a u#ate to spea0 of this as a &o#ld &a#-no) the thi#d 'ut the fou#th-and the onl$ one that is t#ul$ glo'al, sin e &hat%s at sta0e is glo'ali3ation itself. The fi#st put an end to Eu#opean sup#e!a $ and to the e#a of olonialis!7 the se ond put an end to 2a3is!7 and the thi#d to Do!!unis!. Ea h one '#ought us p#og#essivel$ lose# to the single &o#ld o#de# of toda$, &hi h is no& nea#ing its end, eve#$&he#e opposed, eve#$&he#e g#appling &ith hostile fo# es. This is a &a# of f#a tal o!ple"it$, &aged &o#ld&ide against #e'ellious singula#ities that, in the !anne# of anti'odies, !ount a #esistan e in eve#$ ell. These onf#ontations a#e so i!pe# epti'le that it is o asionall$ ne essa#$ to #esus itate the idea of &a# '$ staging spe ta ula# s enes su h as those in the Me#sian Aulf and no& in /fghanistan. 4ut Wo#ld Wa# IK happens else&he#e too. It haunts all e"p#essions of &o#ld o#de#, all fo#!s of hege!oni do!ination-if Isla! &e#e do!inating the &o#ld, te##o#is! &ould #ise up against Isla!. The glo'e itself is #esistant to glo'ali3ation. Te##o#is! is i!!o#al. The o u##en e at the Wo#ld T#ade Dente#, this s$!'oli a t of defian e, is i!!o#al, 'ut it &as in #esponse to glo'ali3ation, &hi h is itself i!!o#al. We a#e the#efo#e i!!o#al ou#selves, so if &e hope to unde#stand an$thing &e &ill need to get 'e$ond Aood and Evil. The #u ial point lies in p#e isel$ the opposite di#e tion f#o! the Enlighten!ent philosoph$ of Aood and Evil. We naivel$ 'elieve in the p#og#ess of Aood, that its as endan e in all do!ains -s ien e, te hnolog$, de!o #a $, hu!an #ights. o##esponds to the defeat of Evil. 2o one see!s to have unde#stood that Aood and Evil in #ease in po&e# at the sa!e ti!e -and in the sa!e &a$. The t#iu!ph of one does not #esult in the o'lite#ation of the ethe#7 to the ont#a#$. We tend to #ega#d Evil, !etaph$si all$, as an a idental s!udge, 'ut this a"io! is illuso#$. Aood does not #edu e Evil, o# vi e ve#sa7 the$ a#e at on e i##edu i'le, the one and the othe#, and ine"t#i a'l$ lin0ed. In the end, Aood annot van(uish Evil e" ept '$ den$ing to 'e Aood, sin e, in !onopoli3ing glo'al po&e#, it entails a 'a 0fi#e of p#opo#tional violen e. In the t#aditional unive#se, the#e #e!ained a 'alan e of Aood and Evil, a diale ti al #elationship that gua#anteed, fo# 'ette# o# &o#se, the tension and e(uili'#iu! of the !o#al unive#se. This 'alan e &as lost as soon as the#e &as a total e"t#apolation of Aood-the hege!on$ of the positive ove# eve#$ fo#! of negativit$. ,#o! that !o!ent, the e(uili'#iu! &as '#o0en, and Evil #etu#ned to an invisi'le autono!$, in #easing e"ponentiall$. Jelativel$ spea0ing, this is a 'it li0e &hat happened to the politi al o#de# afte# Do!!unis! disappea#ed and neoli'e#al fo# es t#iu!phed &o#ld&ide. It &as then that a phanto! ene!$ a#ose, pe# olating th#oughout the planet, rising up th#ough all the #a 0s in po&e#. Isla!. 4ut Isla!. is !e#el$ the #$stalli3ed fo#! of this antagonis!. The antagonis! is eve#$&he#e, and it is in ea h of us. 6en e, te##o# against te##o#. 4ut it is as$!!et#i al te##o#, and it is this as$!!et#$ that leaves the a'solute glo'al po&e# disa#!ed. It an do nothing 'ut st#i0e at its o&n #ationale fo# the 'alan e of po&e#, &ithout 'eing a'le to o!pete on the pla$ing field of s$!'oli defian e and of death, having deleted that pla$ing field f#o! its o&n ultu#e. Cntil no&, this integ#ating po&e# had su eeded in a'so#'ing and #ea'so#'ing eve#$ atta 0, eve#$ negativit$, and in doing so #eated a tho#oughl$ hopeless situation -not onl$ fo# the &#et hed o% the ea#th 'ut also fo# the p#ivileged and &ell-to-do in thei# #adi al o!fo#t.. 4ut the te##o#ists have sta#ted using thei# o&n deaths offensivel$ and effe tivel$, 'ased on a st#ategi intuition, a sense of thei# adve#sa#$%s i!!ense f#agilit$, of the s$ste!%s (uasi-pe#fe tion, of the e"plosion that &ould e#upt at the slightest spa#0. The$ su eeded in tu#ning thei# deaths into an ulti!ate &eapon against a s$ste! devoted to the ideal of 3e#o losses. /n$ s$ste! of 3e#o losses is a 3e#o-su! ga!e. /nd all !ethods of dete##en e and dest#u tion an do nothing against an ene!$ &ho has al#ead$ tu#ned his death into a ounte#offensive &eapon. -N Who a#es a'out the /!e#i an 'o!'ingL *u# !en a#e as eage# to die as the /!e#i ans a#e eage# to liveLN. Thus the i!'alan e of !o#e than >,PPP deaths infli ted in one fell s&oop against a s$ste! of 3e#o losses. 6e#e, eve#$thing depends upon death, not onl$ upon the '#utal i##uption of death live and in #eal ti!e 'ut upon the i##uption of a death !u h !o#e than #eal) a s$!'oli and sa #ifi ial death-&hi h is to sa$, the a'solute, ulti!ate, unappeala'le event.

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,xtend audrillard #;;5. 6ere)s the argument.

Their arguments assume terrorists are a definite group of people, existing in some other country, who we can deter and deal with as the world)s superpower. This vision is inaccurate * terrorism isn)t out there, it is within the global order, as an inevitable sideeffect of advancing globali<ation, so they can never solve the impacts they claim. -lso, the overarching power of a single country and its policies is what gives the motive to destroy it * whether or not they want to admit it, everyone wants to see the -merican superpower humbled. The plan asserts D/ influence to try to curb this violence, but ironically makes it more likely it will occur, because the more the D/ stretches out to control the world the more the world will backlash against it. That)s a turn.

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.nfection of 0emocracy
-s democracy spreads and repression is removed, the forces that created the oppression do not go away, rather they infect the whole of democracy. The more democracy spreads, the less value it has. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. >:-;;]
6o&eve# this !a$ 'e, &hat is going to o!e of this t#ansfusion of Aood and Evil, 'e$ond the dusting off of li'e#ties and the #ealign!ent of de!o #ati fa ades, #e!ains a !$ste#$. ,o# Evil is not si!pl$ the #ep#essed. If it &e#e onl$ that, it &ould 'e suffi ient !e#el$ to lift the #ep#ession &eighing upon it, to %li'e#ate% it, as is 'eing done eve#$&he#e -in pa#ti ula# in the East &he#e the 'a##ie# of Evil has 'een '#o0en do&n.. 4ut &e a#e soon going to see that Evil is so!ething diffe#ent, that it easil$ outlasts all li'e#ation and that, in dis!antling the visi'le Evil e!pi#e, the deepe# fo#! of !alefi en e is si!ultaneousl$ 'eing li'e#ated. Evil ta0es advantage of t#anspa#en $ -glasnost. and 'e o!es the t#anspa#en e of things the!selves. Evil &as visi'le, opa(ue, lo ali3ed in the te##ito#ies of the East. We have e"o# i3ed it, li'e#ated it, li(uidated it. 4ut has it, fo# all that, eased to 'e Evil@ 2ot at

all) it has 'e o!e fluid, li(uid, inte#stitial, viral. That is the t#anspa#en e of Evil. It is not that it is t#anspa#ent [est t#anspa#ent] in the sense that $ou !ight see th#ough it. It is, #athe#, that it sho&s though [t#anspa#ait] in all things &hen the$ lose thei# i!age, thei# !i##o#, thei# #efle tion, thei# shado&, &hen the$ no longe# offe# an$ su'stan e, distan e o# #esistan e, &hen the$ 'e o!e 'oth i!!anent and elusive f#o! an e" ess of fluidit$ and lu!inosit$. 1o long as Evil &as opa(ue, o's ene,

o'li(ue, o's u#e, the#e &as still a t#ans enden e of Evil and it ould 'e held at a distan e. It has no& 'e o!e i!!anent and inte#stitial -in the West, it is assu!ing, in pa#ti ula#, the fo#! of te##o#is! as a filte#a'le virus. Moliti al te##o#is!, 'ut also all the othe# fo#!s of vi#ulen e - 'iologi al, se"ual, !edia-'ased o# ele t#oni .. With

the events in Easte#n Eu#ope, this the!e is given st#i0ing illust#ation, and Evil is ente#ing upon a phase of definitive disse!ination. 1hatte#ed, desta'ili3ed o!!unis! &ill pass into the veins of the West in !eta'oli , su##eptitious fo#!, and desta'ili3e it in its tu#n. This &ill no longe# 'e the violen e of the Idea, 'ut the vi#us of de-i!!uni3ation. / o!!unis! &hi h dissolves itself is a su essful o!!unis!. *ne of the onse(uen es of this East-West t#ansfusion is the eli!ination of the #enegades &ho fun tioned as an u!'ili al o#d 'et&een the t&o 'lo s, onde!ned on the one side, feted on the othe#, 'ut o!pli it &ith 'oth. 4$ &a$ of dissidents G the politi al avant-ga#de of the Easte#n 'lo ount#ies and #efuge of the Weste#n intelle tual avant-ga#de - East and West a##ied on a 0ind of dialogue of the deaf th#oughout all the $ea#s of the a#!s#a e. 1o!e a!ong the dissidents have anal$sed the a!'iguit$ of this situation. In luding 1a0ha#ov hi!self. 4ut 1a0ha#ov is dead. 6e died, signifi antl$, &hen dissiden e, vi to#ious, no longe# had an$ !eaning. ?issidents annot 'ea# a tha&. The$ have to die, o# else 'e o!e p#esident -Walesa, 6avel. in a so#t of 'itte# #evenge &hi h, at an$ event, !a#0s thei# death as dissidents. The$ lived in the silent ine!a of the politi al7 the %tal0ie% e#a 0ills the! off. The$ &hose st#ength &as in silen e -o# enso#ship. a#e onde!ned to spea0 and 'e devou#ed '$ spee h. When the Easte#n 'lo
so ieties at h up &ith thei# dissidents and a'so#' the!, it is the end of !ode#nit$, as it is &hen Weste#n so iet$ at hes up &ith and a'so#'s its avant-ga#des. In the East and the West, the Idea is finished. The o#gani onsensus !a#0s the da&ning of post!ode! so ieties, non- onfli tual and at one &ith the!selves. The ollapse of the Wall is the visi'le out&a#d !anifestation of an invisi'le event &hi h has affe ted all these so ieties fo# at least t&ent$ $ea#s) the ollapse of the division o# split inte#nal to ea h of the!, of the onfli tual st#u tu#e &hi h a!e a'out &ith the upheavals and #evolutions of the !ode! e#a. The Weste#n intelle tuals &ho e!'odied that split, that inte#nal division of so ieties and !inds, a#e the!selves fated to disappea# li0e the silent !ovie a to#s. /s fo# those &ho &e#e p#o-dissident in the West, the fine-spi#ited s$!pathi3e#s, &hat is to 'e o!e of thei# solida#it$@ The$ too a#e onde!ned. The$ spo0e fo# othe#s. Will the$ no& have the ou#age to shut up@ The$ &ill not, and a#e al#ead$ #unning off to the s ene of the #i!e, to the 4e#lin Wall, fo# that &as indeed the site of the #i!e and the sa #ifi e. The point &hen the Wall o!es do&n !a#0s the end of thei# a#ee#s. The#e is no longe# an$ a'o!ina'le *the# -the o!!unists., no longe# an$ ado#a'le *the# -the dissidents.. What of Sinoviev@ What of his $ni al, !e##il$ nihilisti and pa#ado"i al line -Dio#an) histo#$ is d$ing fo# &ant of pa#ado"es.@ The pa#ado" of o!!unis!, in Sinoviev%s vie&, is that of 'eing at one and the sa!e ti!e an outdated solution, an end of histo#$, the Evil e!pi#e and the definitive solution 'e ause it has e"pe#ien ed the &o#st, as the West has not done, and has d#a&n the onse(uen es f#o! it. It is the#efo#e a solution f#o! afte# the atast#ophe -&hateve# it !a$ 'e, &hethe# Thi#d Wo#ld Wa# o# so!ething else., a final solution to the su#vival of the spe ies and thus an inevita'le and definitive !odel, &hile nonetheless one that is outdated at the level of the e ono!$ and histo#$. This pa#ado" is going to 'e o!e highl$ ha#ged &hen

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put to the test '$ the #eunifi ation of the t&o &o#lds. ,o# the hu!an and ideologi al failu#e of o!!unis! '$ no !eans o!p#o!ises its poten $ and vi#ulen e as an anth#opologi al !odel. It is a 0ind of giganti sna#e of the so ial and the politi al sphe#es, &hi h !ight 'e said to have su eeded, even if it dest#o$s itself - pa#ti ula#l$ if it dest#o$s itself - in a 0ind of st#ategie du pi#e &hi h &ould 'e i!posed on eve#$one as the last i!!une defen e, !an 'eing

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ta0en in hand, on a unive#sal s ale, to p#ote t hi! f#o! hi!self. *n the opposite side, the#e is onl$ the t#anspa#en $ of de!o #a $, in apa'le of ontaining the #adiation of Evil. The#e is, !o#eove#, a pa#ado" of Weste#n so ieties opposite and e(uivalent to that of o!!unis!) though the$ p#esent all the signs of !o#e developed and open so ieties, at the sa!e ti!e the$ have one e$e on the past as though it &e#e a void the$ have #eated 'ehind the!, &hile a'so#'ing the futu#e. It is li0e the sto#$ of the lo##$ and the hole) so!e &o#0e#s dig a hole and load it on to a lo##$, 'ut &hen the$ hit a 'u!p in the #oad the hole falls off and, #eve#sing, the lo##$ falls into the hole. We a#e the lo##$ and the hole) &e a#e &eighed do&n '$ a hole in ou# !e!o#ies, &eighed do&n '$ the #et#ospe tive e!ptiness of ou# histo#$, to the point that ou# so ieties do not even 0no& &hethe# the$ a#e heading to&a#ds the futu#e. The$ a#e #iding the su#f of thei# p#esent, p#o'le!ati &ealth. 4eneath thei# appa#ent !o'ilit$ and a ele#ation, the$ have o!e to a stop in thei# hea#ts and thei# ai!s. That is, indeed, &h$ the$ a#e a ele#ating, 'ut the$ a#e doing so out of ine#tia. The en ounte# 'et&een this t$pe of so iet$ &ith !a"i!u! !o'ilit$ 'ut i!!o'ilit$ in its hea#t and the Easte#n 'lo so ieties &hi h a#e pet#ified on the outside 'ut in no &a$ ine#t in thei# in&a#d o#e should 'e highl$ d#a!ati o#. totall$ a!'iguous. Fi0e 'lood t#ansfusions toda$, the t#ansfusion of Aood and Evil p#esents !an$ dange#s. The#e is a #is0 &e shall pass all ou# ge#!s on to the!, and the$ !ight give us all of thei#s -this is ho& onta ts 'et&een dissi!ila# ultu#es o# #a es go.. ,i#st of all, the#e &ill 'e sevent$ $ea#s of %'a 0&a#dness% to !a0e up, 'ut a#e &e so su#e things a#e going to happen that &a$@ Instead of the Easte#n 'lo ount#ies a ele#ating to&a#ds !ode#n de!o #a $, pe#haps &e a#e going to d#ift in the othe# di#e tion, !oving 'a 0 'e$ond de!o #a $ and falling into the hole of the past. It &ould 'e the opposite of *#&ell%s p#edi tion -st#angel$, he has not 'een !entioned of late, though the ollapse of 4ig 4#othe# ought to have 'een ele'#ated fo# the #e o#d, if onl$ fo# the i#on$ of the date *#&ell set fo# the onset of totalita#ianis! &hi h tu#ned out to 'e #oughl$ that of its ollapse.. Even !o#e i#oni is the fa t that &e a#e not at all th#eatened '$ the totalita#ian -1talinist. #e&#iting of the past, 'ut the de!o #ati #e&#iting of histo#$) the ve#$ i!ages of 1talin and Fenin s&ept a&a$, st#eets and ities #ena!ed, statues s atte#ed, soon none of all that &ill have e"isted. Eet anothe# #use of histo#$ - not the last 'ut, as eve#, the 'est.

?e!o #ati #e&#iting. The s ena#io is off to a good sta#t. Eve#$one is having a clear3out. /ll the di tato#ships a#e 'eing &ound up and sold off heap, 'efo#e the end of the entu#$ if possi'le -'efo#e Dh#ist!as fo# Easte#n Eu#ope so that eve#$thing an shine '#ight in a ne& 2ativit$.. 1plendid e!ulation, as stupendous as the tole#an e &hi h has #eigned ove# it all so fa#. Eve#$one e(uall$ o!!itted to the li(uidationL Eli!inating the planet%s 'la 0 spots as one !ight eli!inate t#affi a ident 'la 0spots, as &e !ight eli!inate spots f#o! a fa e) os!eti su#ge#$ elevated to the level of the politi al, and to *l$!pi pe#fo#!an e levels. *f ou#se, this g#eat de!o #ati #all$ is not 'elieva'le fo# an instant. 2ot that the#e is an$ +a hiavellian st#ateg$ going on, 'ut it%s too good to be true. The#e is so!ething suspe t a'out the sudden onsensus. The disappea#an e, as if '$ !agi , of all ont#adi tion is !o#e than suspe t -Dhina has te!po#a#il$ #elapsed, and &hat #e!ains of &o#ld o!!unis! is !e#el$ a the!e pa#0. With a little i!agination, Du'a ould 'e Boined up &ith ?isne$&o#ld, &hi h is not fa# a&a$, as pa#t of a &o#ld he#itage ent#e.. 1o!ething tells us that &hat &e have he#e is not a histo#i al evolution, 'ut an epidemic of onsensus, an epidemic of de!o #ati values - in othe# &o#ds, this is a vi#al effe t, a t#iu!phant effe t of fashion. If de!o #ati values sp#ead so easil$, '$ a apilla#$ o# o!!uni ating-vessels effe t, then the$ !ust have li(uefied, the$ !ust no& 'e &o#thless. Th#oughout the !ode#n age the$ &e#e held dea# and dea#l$ 'ought. Toda$, the$ a#e 'eing sold off at a dis ount and &e a#e &at hing a ?ut h au tion of de!o #ati values &hi h loo0s ve#$ !u h li0e uncontrolled speculation. Whi h !a0es it highl$ p#o'a'le that, as !ight 'e the ase &ith finan ial spe ulation, these sa!e values !a$ crash.

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Culture Crash
Culture is like the economic system. %verproduction of culture goes beyond people)s ability to consume it, leading a complete crash in all cultural signs and a destruction of what they try to protect. audrillard in !E [Jean, +a# h 16, The Alo'al and the Cnive#sal]
Dultu#e is a fo#! of glo#$ - it i!plies notion of sove#eignt$. Identit$ is a poo# value) the#e is al&a$s so!ething vain and useless a'out de!anding identit$. It is an afte#effe t of the olonisation of !ental spa e and the failu#e of its de olonisation. Dultu#e is a s$!'oli pa t. *n e it solidifies as a he#itage, as po&e#, as app#op#iation, as identit$, on e it 'e o!es signatu#e, that is, a !ate#ial i!age of this po&e#, it is all ove#. ,inished. We ould #epeat &hat 6annah /#endt said of po&e#) NWhat saps and ends up 0illing politi al o!!unitiesN, she said, Nis the loss of po&e# and ulti!ate po&e#lessness. 4ut po&e# -and ultu#e. annot 'e sto 0piled and 0ept fo# e!e#gen ies, li0e inst#u!ents of violen e) it e"ists onl$ as a t. Mo&e# &hi h does not 'e o!e a tion disappea#s and histo#$ de!onst#ates &ith a host of e"a!ples that the g#eatest !ate#ial #i hes annot not !a0e up fo# su h a loss.N That is &hat ultu#e is, in its highl$ singula# and o#iginal fo#!. Fet us no& loo0 at &hat it has 'e o!e at the glo'al level. Dultu#e -unde#stood as ultu#al p#odu tion and onsu!ption. is a !i##o# of !ate#ial p#odu tion. /nd !ate#ial p#odu tion, sin e the 1:<: D#ash, has 'een in a state of ove#p#odu tion, o# in a state of th#eatening ove#p#odu tion. /l#ead$ in 1:<:, g#o&th &as giving &a$ to e" essive o# Nove#-g#o&thN. /nd eve# sin e, this Nove#g#o&thN -and not g#o&th. has 0ept ou# so ieties in a state of in #easingl$ a ute e ono!i #isis - inte##upted, on '$ &a#s and the e ono!i #e ove#$ that dest#u tion a##ies &ithin it, all of this 'eing onl$ u#e fo# e" ess g#o&th. We an sa$ then that the funda!ental atast#ophe #e!ains the e" essive g#o&th that glo'alisation ontinues to intensif$. The othe# antidote to e"ponential g#o&th, 'esides &a#s, is the 1to 0 +a#0et D#ash -'ut the latte# &ould appea# to 'e less and less effe tive, sin e it is no& onl$ vi#tual and involves onl$ spe ulative apital. The sa!e diagnosis ould 'e !ade of ultu#e, and the othe# D#ash th#eatening us is that of ultu#al overproduction. The po&e#s that 'e &ould have us 'elieve that in the ultu#al !a#0et pla e, unli0e in the o!!odit$ !a#0etpla e, de!and still e" eeds suppl$ and &ill ontinue to do so fo# a good &hile $et. The people supposedl$ have an insatia'le hunge# fo# ultu#al goods. /nd so &e get a gua#anteed 'oo! in all ultu#al Nvalues o# se u#itiesN. In fa t, this is not at all the ase. In the ultu#al e ono!$ of the ave#age iti3en -if su h a thing e"ists., the#e is a noti ea'le su#plus of suppl$ ove# de!and. It is li0e=Bust the sa!e as at the supe#!a#0et. The illi!ited p#o!otion of ultu#al p#odu ts al#ead$ far exceeds hu!an apa it$ to a'so#' the!. The ave#age pe#son no longe# even has the ti!e to onsu!e his o&n ultu#al p#odu ts, let alone those of othe#s. The pu'li does its 'est) people #un #ound f#o! one e"hi'ition to anothe#, f#o! one fil! festival to anothe# 'ut thei# apa it$ o# ultu#al la'ou# is st#et hed to the li!it. What #esults f#o! this is an o#iginal fo#! of ultu#al alienation, not due to la 0 o# dep#ivation, 'ut to su#plus and saturation. In this
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ne& onte"t, the deg#ee of ultu#al alienation, that is of 'eing held hostage '$ ultu#e -'$ its ads., its !edia, its institutions. o!es lose to the deg#ee of volunta#$ su'!ission in politi s. The pu'li supposedl$ &ants even !o#e of this ultu#e7 one an neve# have too !u h of it. Well that is a olossal illusion and e##o# of pe#spe tive. The sa!e is said a'out info#!ation too) one an neve# have too !u h of it. /l&a$s !o#e info#!ation. /l&a$s !o#e t#anspa#en $ /nd &e an see the effe ts that a#e as !u#de#ous as the$ a#e ont#adi to#$. 4ut in the ase of ultu#e, the situation is even !o#e se#ious. ,o#, eithe# ultu#e is a singula# language, the idio! of a pa#ti ula# g#oup o# so iet$ and in that ase it has its o&n finalit$, and is not at all infinitel$ e"panda'le -its p#o!otion and its p#olife#ation on the ont#a#$ signif$ its death.7 it is li0e natu#al languages, 'oth open to an infinite inte#nal o!ple"it$ and st#i tl$ li!ited in thei# st#u tu#e and onstitutive ele!ents - if this &e#e not so, the$ &ould not 'e languages. Well, eithe# ultu#e is a singula#it$ of this 0ind, o# else it is &hat it has 'e o!e) a !a#0et &ith all the effe ts of a#tifi ial sho#tage, spi#aling values and spe ulation. /nd, as soon as one tends to onfuse these e"ponential !a#0et fa to#s &ith i##esisti'le ultu#al p#og#ess, &hat loo!s on the ho#i3on is the sa!e #eve#sal as o u##ed in the 1:<: #isis in !ate#ial p#odu tion) ove#p#odu tion, p#io#it$ of suppl$ ove# de!and, the end of Tnatu#al% assu!ptions a'out an e ono!$ that had 'e o!e spe ulative, vi#tual and o!pletel$ ut off f#o! #eal &ealth and #eal e ono!i #e(ui#e!ents. This is e"a tl$ &hat lies in &ait fo# ultu#e and a ultu#al !a#0et tu#ned spe ulative. /nd the#e ould ve#$ easil$ 'e li0e 4la 0 Thu#sda$ on Wall 1t#eet in 1:<:, a lack /unday of ultu#e. The e"pansion of ultu#al p#odu tion fa# su#passes the e"pansion of !ate#ial p#odu tion, and the #esult is ultu#al 'ottlene 0s that a#e even !o#e !onst#ous than 'lo 0ages in the e ono!$ o# ou# onstantl$ pa#al$sed t#affi s$ste!s. ,o#, in the open field of o!!uni ation, an$one an p#odu e gestu#es, te"ts, olou#s, signs and !eanings, spontaneousl$ and indefinitel$ in a 0ind of uninte##upted inte# hange. /n$one an stage his o# he# o&n pe#fo#!an e, unfo#tunatel$ in total indiffe#en e to the othe#, o# &ith onl$ a to0en supe#fi ial onsent and in a e#tain sense this is unavoida'le fo# ho& an these ountless p#odu tions 'e ade(uatel$ p#ovided fo#@ /nd if, to a e#tain e"tent, &e have !anaged to, &a#d off e ono!i #isis '$ opening ultu#al !a#0ets -pa#ti ula#l$ in ,#an e, &he#e it is a tuall$ o'vious that ultu#e is a politi al inst#u!ent. &ho &ill save us f#o! ultu#al ove#p#odu tion &hen this !a#0et, in its tu#n, is satu#ated@ Me#haps &e &ill have to unde#ta0e a !assive dest#u tion of ultu#al values to save the sto 0 !a#0et value of the sign, the sto 0 !a#0et value of the ultu#al a#tifa t, Bust as the$ on e 'u#ned offee in the fu#na es of stea! engine lo o!otives so as to to save the &o#ld p#i e of offee. /l#ead$ !ost non-!ate#ial goods a#e !eeting the sa!e fate as !ate#ial goods) fo# ed p#odu tion, fo# ed adve#tising, a ele#ated #e $ ling, 'uilt-in o'soles en e. /#t 'e o!es ephe!e#al, not so as to e"p#ess the ephe!e#al natu#e of life, 'ut to adapt to the t#ansien e of the !a#0et. Jathe# than de adent, a#t is no& deg#ada'le in line &ith the 'iodeg#ada'ilit$ of the ph$si al &o#ld. 1u h is the fate of ou# ultu#al signs, 'e the disinvested o# of t#ansvestite natu#e, the$ a#e pa#t of the pu#e and si!ple dis ount of degradable p#odu ts.

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Culture Crash %verview

,xtend audrillard !E. 6ere)s the argument.

The collection of world cultures is like a giant economy, and it operates on the same principles. (eople can only deal with so much culture? limited amounts of it can be consumed. Culture is already being overproduced, and everyone is already being overwhelmed with cultural artifacts and practices. Their effort to preserve a particular culture aids in this market saturation of culture. Gike any other market, when something is in too great of supply, its value drops, so the more culture there is, the less people value it, and it stops having any real3life application * in practical terms, people stop having time to deal with all the different practices of culture out there, so they stop caring about any of them, which turns their impacts. -lso, this overproduction will result in a complete crash of all culture, like the 4reat 0epression of the 5;s. This means the destruction of everything they try to protect, because it lacks any value and people abandon culture entirely, so not only the culture they protect is lost but all other ones too, as cultures become another minimum value commodity to be used and cast away.

#$0 %verview
They drop some key analysis on this argument, so extend the evidence and these points from the overview2 audrillard !E

First, culture is like an economic product, and its already overproduced. They protect culture, so there)s more of it and the value of it drops, so all the good stuff they claim to save by protecting culture is no longer there, because culture is no longer valued by people. /econd, this leads to the destruction of all culture, a worldwide re+ection of all cultural products as useless. That)s bigger than anything they can claim to solve for, and is a terminal impact that outweighs anything they can claim. Third, its crucial to allow some culture to be destroyed in order to save the whole * only by letting the supply drop so the value of it can increase will culture retain any meaning. -llow their impacts to happen to avoid the crash of culture.

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/hadow3 oxing the /ystem

1adical opposition to the system affirms its existence. %pposing discourses allow the system to simulate its own death and delay its collapse. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. 1I-1:]
DonBun tion of the s$ste! and of its e"t#e!e alte#native li0e the t&o sides of a u#ved !i##o#, a Nvi iousN u#vatu#e of a politi al spa e that is hen efo#th !agneti3ed, i# ula#i3ed, #eve#si'ili3ed f#o! the #ight to the left, a to#sion that is li0e that of the evil spi#it of o!!utation, the &hole s$ste!, the infinit$ of apital folded 'a 0 on its o&n su#fa e) t#ansfinite@ /nd is it not the sa!e fo# desi#e and the li'idinal spa e@ DonBun tion of desi#e and value, of desi#e and apital. DonBun tion of desi#e and the la&, the final pleasu#e as the !eta!o#phosis of the la& -&hi h is &h$ it is so &idel$ the o#de# of the da$.) onl$ apital ta0es pleasu#e, said F$ota#d, 'efo#e thin0ing that &e no& ta0e pleasu#e in apital. *ve#&hel!ing ve#satilit$ of desi#e in ?eleu3e, an enig!ati #eve#sal that '#ings desi#e N#evolutiona#$ in itself, and as if involunta#il$, &anting &hat it &ants,N to desi#e its o&n #ep#ession and to invest in pa#anoid and fas ist s$ste!s@ / !align to#sion that #etu#ns this #evolution of desi#e to the sa!e funda!ental a!'iguit$ as the othe#, the histo#i al #evolution. /ll the #efe#entials o!'ine thei# dis ou#ses in a i# ula#, +o'ian o!pulsion. 2ot so long ago, se" and &o#0 &e#e fie# el$ opposed te#!s7 toda$ 'oth a#e dissolved in the sa!e t$pe of de!and. ,o#!e#l$ the dis ou#se on histo#$ de#ived its po&e# f#o! violentl$ opposing itself to that of natu#e, the dis ou#se of desi#e to that of po&e#-toda$ the$ e" hange thei# signifie#s and thei# s ena#ios. It &ould ta0e too long to t#ave#se the enti#e #ange of the ope#ational negativit$ of all those s ena#ios of dete##en e, &hi h, li0e Wate#gate, t#$ to #egene#ate a !o#i'und p#in iple th#ough si!ulated s andal, phantas!, and !u#de#-a so#t of ho#!onal t#eat!ent th#ough negativit$ and #isis. It is al&a$s a (uestion of !oving the #eal th#ough the i!agina#$, p#oving t#uth th#ough s andal, p#oving the la& th#ough t#ansg#ession, p#oving &o#0 th#ough st#i0ing, p#oving the s$ste! th#ough #isis, and apital th#ough #evolution, as it is else&he#e -the Tasada$. of p#oving ethnolog$ th#ough the dispossession of its o'Be t-&ithout ta0ing into a ount) the p#oof of theate# th#ough antitheate#7 the p#oof of a#t th#ough antia#t7 the p#oof of pedagog$ th#ough antipedagog$7 the p#oof of ps$ hiat#$ th#ough antips$ hiat#$, et . Eve#$thing is !eta!o#phosed into its opposite to pe#petuate itself in its e"pu#gated fo#!. /ll the po&e#s, all the institutions spea0 of the!selves th#ough denial, in o#de# to atte!pt, '$ simulating death, to es ape thei# #eal death th#oes. Mo&e# an stage its o&n !u#de# to #edis ove# a gli!!e# of e"isten e and legiti!a $ 1u h &as the ase &ith so!e /!e#i an p#esidents) the 5enned$s &e#e !u#de#ed 'e ause the$ still had a politi al di!ension. The othe#s, Johnson, 2i"on, ,o#d, onl$ had the #ight to phanto! atte!pts, to si!ulated !u#de#s. 4ut this au#a of an a#tifi ial !ena e &as still ne essa#$ to on eal that the$ &e#e no longe# an$thing 'ut the !anne(uins of po&e#. ,o#!e#l$, the 0ing -also the god. had to die, the#ein la$ his po&e#. Toda$, he is !ise#a'l$ fo# ed to feign death, in o#de# to p#ese#ve the 'lessing of po&e#. 4ut it is lost. To see0 ne& 'lood in its o&n death, to #ene& the $ le th#ough the !i##o# of #isis, negativit$7 and antipo&e#) this is the onl$ solution-ali'i of every power, of eve#$ institution atte!pting to '#ea0 the vi ious i# le of its i##esponsi'ilit$ and of its funda!ental none"isten e, of its al#ead$ seen and of its al#ead$ dead.

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,xtend audrillard =>. 6ere)s the argument.

$o system can exist without it)s opposite, because it)s impossible to know who we are without a reference to who we aren)t. &e couldn)t be -mericans if there wasn)t a rest of the world that wasn)t -merican. 9indsets and social systems are the same way * they require opposition and resistance to their world3views in order to give identity and meaning to their own existence. The other team thinks they are participating in radical opposition to the system by opposing it through their discourse, but their opposition to it only proves and reinforces the system. Their transgression is an exception to the rule that proves the rule itself true, a small violation from the norm that makes really escaping the system impossible. The crisis of opposition is what the system requires to sustain itself, so rather than opposing, we have to be passive within the system and allow its processes to implode and bring it down through our inaction, because if the system is no longer refreshed through new opposition, it cannot continue to exist.

#$0 %verview
,xtend the audrillard => evidence. They concede some crucial arguments in our last overview, so extend these points2 First, identity and ideology are defined by an other mindset that opposes it, because without a contrast, it)s impossible to know what it would be. This is the most crucial point * once they)ve conceded this, is gives us the warrant to all our impacts that turn their discourse. /econd, their opposition to the system is like the exception that proves the rule * the little resistances only show that the structure is that much more dominant. The more the system is opposed, the more dominant its identity becomes, because there is more of an 7other8 discourse to demonstrate what the dominant one isn)t. %pposition to the system merely proves the system. Third, the only way out is to remain passive within the system, and deny it the enemy it needs to reconstruct itself. &hen there is no other, there is no centered identity either, and the system disintegrates on its own. %nly by not acting against it is this possible.

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/peaking out and raising awareness is playing into the hands of the system they critici<e, because it is intended to maximi<e speech without creating change. .nstead, we need to engage the system through passive resistance, not active opposition. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. I;-I6]
With one aution. We a#e fa e to fa e &ith this s$ste! in a dou'le situation and insolu'le dou'le 'ind G e"a tl$ li0e hild#en fa ed &ith the de!ands of the adult &o#ld. Dhild#en a#e si!ultaneousl$ #e(ui#ed to onstitute the!selves as autono!ous su'Be ts, #esponsi'le, f#ee and ons ious, and to onstitute the! selves as su'!issive, ine#t, o'edient, onfo#!ing o'Be ts. The hild #esists on all levels, and to a ont#adi to#$ de!and he #esponds &ith a dou'le st#ateg$7 To the de!and of 'eing an o'Be t he opposes all the p#a ti es of diso'edien e, of #evolt, of e!an ipation7 in sho#t, a total lai! to su'Be thood. To the de!and of 'eing a su'Be t he opposes, Bust as o'stinatel$, and effi a iousl$, an o'Be t%s #esistan e, that is to sa$, e"a tl$ the opposite) hildishness, h$pe# onfo#!is!, total dependen e, passivit$, idio $) 2eithe# st#ateg$ has !o#e o'Be tive value than the othe#. The su'Be t#esistan e is toda$ unilate#all$ valo#i3ed and vie&ed as positive-Bust as in the politi al sphe#e onl$ the p#a ti es of f#eedo!, e!an ipation, e"p#ession, and the onstitution of a politi al su'Be t a#e seen as valua'le and su've#sive. 4ut this is to igno#e the e(ual, and &ithout a dou't supe#io#, i!pa t of all the o'Be t p#a ti es, of the #enun iation of the su'Be t position and of !eaning-p#e isel$ the p#a ti es of the !asses-that &e 'u#$ unde# the de#iso#$ te#!s of alienation and passivit$. The li'e#ating p#a ti es #espond to one of the aspe ts of the s$ste!, to the onstant ulti!atu! &e a#e given to onstitute ou#selves as pu#e o'Be ts, 'ut the$ do not #espond at all to the othe# de!and, that of onstituting ou#selves as su'Be ts, of li'e#ating ou#selves, e"p#essing ou#selves at &hateve# ost, of voting, p#odu ing, de iding, spea0ing, pa#ti ipating, pla$ing the ga!e-a fo#! of blackmail and ultimatum Bust as se#ious as the othe#, even !o#e se#ious toda$. To a s$ste! &hose a#gu!ent is opp#ession and #ep#ession, the st#ategi #esistan e is the li'e#ating lai! of su'Be thood. 4ut this st#ateg$ is !o#e #efle tive of the ea#lie# phase of the s$ste!, and even if &e a#e still onf#onted &ith it, it is no longe# the st#ategi te##ain) the u##ent a#gu!ent of the s$ste! is to maximi<e spee h, the !a"i!u! p#odu tion of !eaning. Thus the st#ategi #esistan e is that of the #efusal of !eaning and of the spo0en &o#d-o# of the h$pe# onfo#!ist si!ulation of the ve#$ !e hanis!s of the s$ste!, &hi h is a fo#! of #efusal and of non- #e eption. It is the st#ateg$ of the !asses) it is e(uivalent to #e-tu#ning to the s$ste! its o&n logi '$ dou'ling it, to #efle ting !eaning, li0e a !i##o#, &ithout a'so#'ing it. This st#ateg$ -if one an still spea0 of st#ateg$. p#evails toda$, 'e ause it &as ushe#ed in '$ that phase of the s$ste! &hi h p#evails. To hoose the &#ong st#ateg$ is a se#ious !atte#. /ll the !ove!ents that onl$ pla$ on li'e#ation, e!an ipation, on the #esu##e tion of a su'Be t of histo#$, of the g#oup, of the &o#d 'ased on N ons iousness #aising,N indeed a N#aising of the un ons iousN of su'Be ts and of the !asses, do not see that the$ a#e going in the direction of the system, &hose i!pe#ative toda$ is p#e isel$ the ove#p#odu tion and #egene#ation of !eaning and of spee h.

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/trategic (assivity %verview

They think they)re resisting the system by speaking out against it, but extend audrillard => who says it +ust ain)t so. Their efforts to make their voices heard, raise consciousness and so on, are not responsive, because the system is already configured to absorb this type of protest * if speaking out could change the system it)d be illegal. -lso, speaking out and engaging the system is supporting its call for participation and involvement. They think they)re revolutionary, but in fact, they)re further granting the hegemony of the system that they critici<e. .nstead of speaking out, we need to embrace the opposite strategy, which is passivity and indifference to the system. &hen it is no longer recogni<ed, it can no longer resist * ironically, our political pro+ect, which ignores what they critique, is more effectively political than theirs.

#$d %verview
They miss some key points to our argument, so extend the evidence and this analysis from the overview2 audrillard =>

First, their speech act is useless because the system absorbs protest without changing. .f speaking out worked, the system wouldn)t exist, because lots have spoken out before. Theirs won)t make any difference, so they do nothing. /econd, their speech act goes in the direction of the system, because it demands this form of engagement with it. ,ven if they disagree, this disagreement keeps the dominant discourse on center stage and unconsciously recogni<es its dominance, which is a turn because they make what they critici<e more powerful. Third, instead of speaking out, the correct strategy is strategic passivity, refusing to engage in criticism outside the system and instead using its own ob+ect practices against it by not participating in it at all. 0on)t enter the rigged game * instead, refuse to play at all.

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/ociety is defined by its outsiders * it)s impossible to have an identity without an other. Their attempt to bring the excluded into the center of society destroys the other and makes all of society the outsider, collapsing the entire social realm. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. 1;>-1;7]
Thus the #e!ainde# #efe#s to !u h !o#e than a lea# division in t&o lo ali3ed te#!s, to a tu#ning and #eve#si'le st#u tu#e, an al&a$s i!!inent st#u tu#e of #eve#sion, in &hi h one neve# 0no&s &hi h is the #e!ainde# of the othe#) In no othe# st#u tu#e an one #eate this #eve#sion, o# this !ise-en-a'$!e) the !as uline is not the fe!inine of the fe!inine, the no#!al is not the #a3$ of the #a3$7 the #ight is not the left of the left, et . Me#haps onl$ in the !i##o# an the (uestion 'e posed) &hi h, the #eal o# the i!age, is the #efle tion of the othe#@ In this sense one an spea0 of the #e!ainde# as a !i##o#, o# of the !i##o# of the #e!ainde#. It is that in 'oth ases the line of st#u tu#al de!a# ation, the line of the sha#ing of !eaning, has 'e o!e a &ave#ing one, it is that !eaning -!ost lite#all$) the possi'ilit$ of going f#o! one point to an- othe# a o#ding to a ve to# dete#!ined '$ the #espe tive position of the te#!s. no longe# e"ists. The#e is no longe# a #espe tive position-the #eal disappea#ing to !a0e #oo! fo# an i!age, !o#e #eal than the #eal, and onve#sel$-the #e!ainde# disappea#ing f#o! the assigned lo ation to #esu#fa e inside out, in &hat it &as the #e!ainde# of, et . The sa!e is t#ue of the so ial. Who an sa$ if the #e!ainde# of the so ial is the #esidue of the nonso iali3ed, o# if it is not the so ial itself that is the #e!ainde#, the giganti &aste p#odu t. . . of &hat else@ *f a p#o ess, &hi h even if it &e#e to o!pletel$ disappea# and had no na!e e" ept the so ial &ould neve#theless onl$ 'e its #e!ainde#. The #esidue an 'e o!pletel$ at the level of the #eal. When a s$ste! has a'so#'ed eve#$thing, &hen one has added eve#$thing up, &hen nothing #e!ains, the enti#e su! tu#ns to the #e!ainde# and 'e o!es the #e!ainde#. Witness the N1o iet$N olu!n of Fe +onde, in &hi h pa#ado"i all$7 onl$ i!!ig#ants, delin(uents, &o!en, et . appea#- eve#$thing that has not 'een so iali3ed, Nso ialN ases analogous to pathologi al ases. Mo 0ets to 'e #ea'so#'ed, seg!ents that the Nso ialN isolates as it g#o&s. ?esignated as N#esidualN at the ho#i3on of the so ial, the$ ente# its Bu#isdi tion in this &a$ and a#e destined to find thei# pla e in an enla#ged so ialit$. It is fo# this #e!ainde# that the so ial !a hine is #e ha#ged and finds ne& ene#g$7 4ut &hat happens &hen eve#$thing is sponged up, &hen eve#$thing is so iali3ed@ Then the !a hine stops, the d$na!i is #eve#sed, and it is the &hole so ial s$ste! that 'e o!es #esidue. /s the so ial in its p#og#ession eli!inates all the #esidue, it itself

'e o!es #esidual. In designating #esidual atego#ies as N1o iet$,N the so ial designates itself as a #e!ainde#) The i!possi'ilit$ of dete#!ining &hat is the #e!ainde# of the othe# ha#a te#i3es the phase of si!ulation and the death th#oes of distin tive s$ste!s, a phase &hen eve#$thing 'e o!es a #e!ainde# and a #esidual. Inve#sel$7 the disappea#an e of the fatidi and st#u tu#al slash that isolated the #est of @ @ @ and that no& pe#!its ea h te#! to 'e the #e!ainde# of the othe# te#! ha#a te#i3es a phase of #eve#si'ilit$ du#ing &hi h the#e is Nvi#tuall$N no !o#e #e!ainde#) The t&o p#opositions a#e si!ultaneousl$ Nt#ueN and a#e not !utuall$ e" lusive. The$ a#e the!selves #eve#si'le. /nothe# aspe t as su#p#ising as the a'sen e of an opposing te#!) the #e!ainde# !a0es $ou laugh. /n$ dis ussion on this the!e unleashes the sa!e language ga!es, the sa!e a!'iguit$, and the sa!e o's enit$ as do dis ussions of se" o# death. 1e" and death a#e the g#eat the!es #e ogni3ed fo# unleashing a!'ivalen e and laughte#. 4ut the #e!ainde# is the thi#d, and pe#haps the onl$ one, the t&o othe#s a!ounting to this as to the ve#$ figu#e of #eve#si'ilit$. ,o# &h$ does one laugh@ *ne onl$ laughs at the #eve#si'ilit$ of things, and se" and death a#e e!inentl$ #eve#si'le figu#es. It is 'e ause the sta0e is al&a$s #eve#si'le 'et&een !as uline and fe!inine, 'et&een life and death, that one laughs at se" and death. 6o& !u h !o#e, then, at the #e!ainde#, &hi h does not even have an opposing te#!, &hi h '$ itself t#ave#ses the &hole $ le, and #uns infinitel$ afte# its o&n slash, afte# its o&n dou'le, li0e Mete# 1 hle!ihl afte# his shado&@ The #e!ainde# is o's ene, 'e ause it is #eve#si'le and is e" hanged fo# itself. It is o's ene and !a0es one laugh, as onl$ the la 0 of distin tion 'et&een !as uline and fe!inine, the la 0 of distin tion 'et&een life and death !a0es one laugh, deepl$ laugh.

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Toda$, the #e!ainde# has 'e o!e the &eight$ te#!. It is on the #e!ainde# that a ne& intelligi'ilit$ is founded. End of a e#tain logi of distin tive oppositions, in &hi h the &ea0 te#! pla$ed the #ole of the #esidual te#!. Toda$, eve#$thing is inve#ted. Ms$ hoanal$sis itself is the fi#st g#eat theo#i3ation of #esidues -lapses, d#ea!s, et ... It is no longe# a politi al e ono!$ of p#odu tion that di#e ts us, 'ut an e ono!i politi s of #ep#odu tion, of #e $ ling-e olog$ and pollution-a politi al e ono!$ of the #e!ainde#. /ll no#!alit$ sees itself toda$ in the light of !adness, &hi h &as nothing 'ut its insignifi ant #e!ainde#. M#ivilege of all the #e!ainde#s, in all do!ains, of the not-said, the fe!inine, the #a3$7 the !a#ginal, of e" #e!ent and &aste in a#t, et . 4ut this is still nothing 'ut a so#t of inve#sion of the st#u tu#e, of the #etu#n of the #ep#essed as a po&e#ful !o!ent, of the #etu#n of the #e!ainde# as su#plus of !eaning, as e" ess -'ut e" ess is not fo#!all$ diffe#ent f#o! the #e!ainde#, and the p#o'le! of the s(uande#ing of e" ess in 4ataille is not diffe#ent f#o! that of the #ea'so#ption of #e!ainde#s in a politi al e ono!$ of al ulation and penu#$) onl$ the philosophies a#e diffe#ent., of a highe# o#de# of !eaning sta#ting &ith the #e!ainde#. The se #et of all the Nli'e#ationsN that pla$ on the hidden ene#gies on the othe# side of the slash. 2o& &e a#e fa ed &ith a !u h !o#e o#iginal situation) not that of the pu#e and si!ple inve#sion and p#o!otion of #e!ainde#s, 'ut that of an insta'ilit$ in eve#$ st#u tu#e and eve#$ opposition that !a0es it so that the#e is no longer even a #e!ainde#7 due to the fa t that the #e!ainde# is eve#$&he#e, and '$ pla$ing &ith the slash, it annuls itself as su h. It is not &hen one has ta0en eve#$thing a&a$ that nothing is left, #athe#, nothing is left &hen things a#e un easingl$ shifted and addition itself no longe# has an$ !eaning. 4i#th is #esidual if it is not s$!'oli all$ #evisited th#ough initiation. ?eath is #esidual if it is not #esolved in !ou#ning, in the olle tive ele'#ation of !ou#ning. Kalue is #esidual if it is not #ei'so#'ed and volitali3ed in the $ le of e" hanges. 1e"ualit$ is #esidual on e it 'e o!es the p#odu tion of se"ual #elations. The so ial itself is #esidual on e it 'e o!es a p#odu tion of so ial #elations.N /ll of the #eal is #esidual, and eve#$thing that is #esidual is destined to #epeat itself indefinitel$ in phantas!s. /ll a u!ulation is nothing 'ut a #e!ainde#, and the a u!ulation of #e!ainde#s, in the sense that it is a #uptu#e of allian e, and in the linea# infinit$ of a u!ulation and al ulation, in the linea# infinit$ of p#odu tion, o!pensates fo# the ene#g$ and value that used to 'e a o!plished in the $ le of allian e. 2o&, &hat t#ave#ses a $ le is o!pletel$ #eali3ed, &he#eas in the di!ension of the infinite, eve#$thing that is 'elo& the line of the infinite, 'elo& the line of ete#nit$ -this sto 0pile of ti!e that itself is also, as &ith an$ sto 0pile, a #uptu#e of allian es., all of that is nothing 'ut the #e!ainde#. / u!ulation is nothing 'ut the #e!ainde#, and #ep#ession is nothing 'ut its inve#se and as$!!et#i al fo#!. It is on the sto 0pile of #ep#essed affe ts and #ep#esentations that ou# ne& allian e is 'ased. 4ut &hen eve#$thing is #ep#essed, nothing is an$!o#e. We a#e not fa# f#o! this a'solute point of #ep#ession &he#e the sto 0piles a#e the!selves undone, &he#e the sto 0piles of phantas!s collapse. The &hole i!agina#$ of the sto 0pile, of ene#g$, and of &hat #e!ains of it, o!es to us f#o! #ep#ession. When #ep#ession #ea hes a point of #iti al satu#ation &he#e its p#esen e is put in (uestion, then ene#g$ &ill no longe# 'e availa'le to 'e li'e#ated, spent, e ono!i3ed, p#odu ed) it is the on ept of ene#g$ itself that &ill 'e volatili3ed of its o&n a o#d. Toda$ the #e!ainde#, the ene#gies left us, the #estitution and the onse#vation of #e!ainde#s, is the #u ial p#o'le! of hu!anit$. It is insolu'le in and of itself. /ll ne& f#eed o# spent ene#g$ &ill leave a ne& #e!ainde#. /ll desi#e, all li'idinal ene#g$, &ill p#odu e a ne& #ep#ession. What is su#p#ising in this, given that ene#g$ itself is not on eived e" ept in the !ove!ent that sto 0piles and li'e#ates it, that #ep#esses it and Np#odu esN it, that is to sa$ in the figu#e of the #e!ainde# and its dou'le@

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Feminist (lastic /urgery

The move to reconcile the sexes seeks to destroy difference, but in the absence of difference, the other is reconstructed in the form of the self * women become reflections of men, which further entrenches patriarchal power structures and maintains a form of solipsist alienation far worse than simple gender oppression.
audrillard in !H [Jean, 2ove!'e# <<, Mlasti 1u#ge#$ fo# the *the#] 1ta#ting &ith !ode#nit$, &e have ente#ed an e#a of p#odu tion of the *the#. It is no longe# a (uestion of 0illing, of devou#ing o# sedu ing the *the#, of fa ing hi!, of o!peting &ith hi!, of loving o# hating the *the#. It is fi#st of all a !atte# of p#odu ing the *the#. The *the# is no longe# an o'Be t of passion 'ut an o'Be t of p#odu tion. +a$'e it is 'e ause the *the#, in his #adi al othe#ness [alte#ite], o# in his i##edu i'le singula#it$, has 'e o!e dange#ous o# un'ea#a'le. /nd so, &e have to onBu#e up his sedu tion. *# pe#haps, !o#e si!pl$, othe#ness and dual #elationships g#aduall$ disappea# &ith the #ise of individual values and &ith the dest#u tion of the s$!'oli ones. In an$ ase, othe#ness [alte#ite] is la 0ing and, sin e &e annot e"pe#ien e othe#ness as destin$, one !ust p#odu e the othe# as diffe#en e. /nd this is a on e#n Bust as !u h fo# the 'od$ as it is fo# se", o# fo# so ial #elationships. In o#de# to es ape the &o#ld as destin$, the 'od$ as destin$, se" -and the othe# se". as destin$, the p#odu tion of the othe# as diffe#en e is invented. This is &hat happens &ith se"ual diffe#en e. Ea h se" has its o&n anato!i al and ps$ hologi al ha#a te#isti s, its o&n desi#e &ith all the insolu'le events that e!e#ge f#o! that, in luding an ideolog$ of se" and desi#e, and a utopia of se"ual diffe#en e 'ased on la& and natu#e. 2one of this has an$ !eaning [sens] &hatsoeve# in sedu tion &he#e it is not a (uestion of desi#e 'ut of a pla$ [Beu] &ith desi#e, and &he#e it is not a (uestion of e(ualit$ 'et&een diffe#ent se"es o# of an alienation of one '$ the othe# sin e this pla$ [Beu] i!plies a pe#fe t #e ip#o it$ of ea h pa#tne# -not diffe#en e o# alienation, 'ut alte#it$=othe#ness [alte#ite] o# o!pli it$.. 1edu tion is nothing less than h$ste#i al, sin e no se" p#oBe ts its se"ualit$ onto the othe#. ?istan es a#e set. /nd othe#ness [alte#ite] is left untou hed. This is the ve#$ ondition of this g#eate# illusion, of this pla$ &ith desi#e. What is p#odu ed &ith the #o!anti tu#n, at the tu#n of the 1:th entu#$, is on the ont#a#$ the putting into pla$ of a !as uline h$ste#ia and, &ith it, of a hange in se"ual pa#adig!s that on e again !ust 'e #einse#ted in the !o#e gene#al and unive#sal onte"t of a hange in the pa#adig!s of othe#ness. ?u#ing this h$ste#i al phase, it is to a e#tain e"tent the fe!ininit$ of !en that is p#oBe ted onto &o!en and that shape the! as ideal figu#es of li0eness [#esse!'lan e]. Jo!anti love is no longe# a'out &inning ove# a &o!an%s hea#t, o# a'out sedu ing he#. It is #athe# a !atte# of #eating he# f#o! inside [de l%inte#ieu#], of inventing he#, eithe# as a #eali3ed utopia -an ideali3ed &o!an., o# as a Nfe!!e fataleN, a sta#, &hi h is $et anothe# h$ste#i al and supe#natu#al !etapho#. This is the enti#e &o#0 of the #o!anti E#os) he is the one &ho has invented su h an ideal ha#!on$, su h a love fusion, al!ost an in estuous fo#!, 'et&een t&in 'eings -&o!an as a p#oBe ted #esu##e tion of the sa!e, and &o!an &ho ta0es he# supe#natu#al shape onl$ as an ideal of the sa!e., an a#tifa t f#o! no& on destined to love, that is to sa$ destined to a pathos of ideal li0eness [#esse!'lan e] of
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'eings and se"es, a patheti onfusion that #epla es the dual othe#ness [alte#ite] of sedu tion. The enti#e e#oti !a hine#$ hanges !eaning=di#e tion [sens] 'e ause the e#oti att#a tion that on e a!e f#o! othe#ness [alte#ite], f#o! the st#angeness of the *the#, no& shifts to the side of the 1a!e, to the side of si!ila#it$ and li0eness [#esse!'lan e]. /uto-e#oti is!@ In est@ 2o, 'ut #athe# a h$postasis of the 1a!e. *f the sa!e that e$es the othe#, that invests and alienates hi!self in the othe#. 4ut the othe# is neve# !o#e than the ephe!e#al fo#! of a diffe#en e that d#a&s !e lose# to the I [!e #app#o he de !oi]. It is also the #eason &h$, &ith #o!anti love and all its u##ent '$-p#odu ts, se"ualit$
d#a&s nea#e# to death) it is 'e ause se"ualit$ is getting lose# to in est and to its o&n destin$, even if it is 'anali3ed -fo# it is no longe# a (uestion of a !$thi al o# t#agi in est7 &ith !ode#n e#otis! &e a#e onl$ dealing &ith a dive#ted fo#! of in est, that of the p#oBe tion of the sa!e into the i!age of the othe#, &hi h is the sa!e thing as a onfusion and a o##uption of all the i!ages..

,inall$, it is the invention of a fe!ininit$ &hi h #ende#s &o!en supe#fluous, the invention of a diffe#en e &hi h is nothing !o#e than a dive#ted opulation &ith one%s dou'le. In the final anal$sis [au fond], an$ en ounte# &ith othe#ness [alte#ite] is !ade i!possi'le -'$ the &a$, it &ould 'e inte#esting to 0no& &hethe# the#e has eve# 'een a h$ste#i al ounte#pa#t to this pheno!enon f#o! the fe!inine side in the onst#u tion of vi#ile and phalli !$thologies. ,e!inis! is in fa t an e"a!ple of h$ste#i i3ation of the !as uline '$ &o!en, a h$ste#i al p#oBe tion of thei# !as ulinit$ &hi h follo&s e"a tl$ the h$ste#i al p#oBe tion '$ !en of thei# fe!ininit$ in the !$thi al i!age of a &o!an..
4ut the#e still #e!ains a diss$!!et#$ in this fo# ed allo ation to diffe#en e. /nd this is &h$ I &as sa$ing, in a pa#ado"i al &a$, that !en a#e !o#e diffe#ent f#o! &o!en than a tuall$ &o!en a#e f#o! !en. This !eans that, in the onte"t of se"ual diffe#en e, !en a#e a'ove all diffe#ent &he#eas the#e is so!e #e!nant of #adi al othe#ness &ithin &o!en, a #adi al othe#ness of &o!en &hi h p#e edes the deg#aded status of [!as uline] diffe#en e. In sho#t, in this e"t#apolation p#o ess of the 1a!e in the p#odu tion of the *the#, in this h$ste#i al invention of the se"ual othe# as a t&in '#othe# o# siste# -if the issue of t&inning is so up-to-date, it is 'e ause it #efle ts this ve#$ !ode of li'idinal loning., the#e is a p#og#essive assi!ilation of the se"es &hi h goes f#o! diffe#en e to a lesse# diffe#en e, and f#o! the#e to a visual inve#sion and non-diffe#entiation of the se"es &hi h, in the last anal$sis, tu#ns the se"ual fun tion into so!ething totall$ useless. In the loning p#o ess, useless se"ual 'eings &ill 'e #ep#odu ed. The$ a#e useless sin e se"ualit$ is no longe# ne essa#$ to thei# #ep#odu tion.

The #eal &o!an see!s to disappea# in that h$ste#i al invention of fe!ininit$ -'ut she has !an$ !o#e &a$s to #esist that., in that invention of se"ual diffe#en e &he#e'$ the !as uline side is f#o! the 'eginning the p#ivileged pole and th#ough &hi h all the ideologi al and fe!inist st#uggles &ill 'e doo!ed to #e onst#u t eithe# that ve#$ p#ivilege o# that un#e on iled diffe#en e. 4ut, at the sa!e, the so- alled !as uline desi#e also 'e o!es, th#ough the sa!e invention, o!pletel$ p#o'le!ati sin e it is no longe# a'le to p#oBe t in an othe# its o&n i!age, and thus to 'e o!e pu#el$ spe ulative. /ll this nonsense a'out the phallus and the se"ual p#ivilege of !as ulinit$ !ust also 'e #ee"a!ined. The#e is a so#t of t#ans ending Busti e in this p#o ess of se"ual non-diffe#entiation, a Busti e &hi h d#ives 'oth se"es to ine"o#a'l$ ul!inate in total non-diffe#entiation &he#e the$ lose thei# singula#it$ and thei# othe#ness [alte#ite]. This is the e#a of T#ansse"ualis! &he#e all the st#uggles lin0ed to se"ual ?iffe#en e

a#e pe#petuated &ell afte# an$ #eal se"ualit$ o# an$ t$pe of #eal othe#ness has disappea#ed.
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884aud#illa#d :H ontinued >=>99 This -su essful@. !e#ge# of a !as ulinel$ p#oBe ted h$ste#ia onto fe!ininit$ is #ene&ed '$ eve#$ individual -!an o# &o!an. on thei# o&n 'odies. /n identifi ation and an app#op#iation of the 'od$ as if it &as a p#oBe tion of the self, of a self no longe# seen as othe#ness o# destin$. In the fa ial t#aits, in se", in illnesses, in death, identit$ is onstantl$ Nalte#ed.N The#e is nothing $ou an do a'out it) that%s destin$. 4ut it is p#e isel$ that &hi h !ust 'e e"o# i3ed at an$ ost th#ough an identifi ation &ith the 'od$, th#ough an individual app#op#iation of the

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'od$, of $ou# desi#e, of $ou# loo0, of $ou# i!age) plasti su#ge#$ all ove# the pla e. If the 'od$ is no longe# a pla e of othe#ness [alte#ite], a dual #elationship, 'ut is #athe# a lo us of identifi ation, &e then !ust #e on ile to it, &e !ust #epai# it, pe#fe t it, !a0e it an ideal o'Be t. Eve#$one uses thei# 'od$ li0e !an uses &o!an in the p#oBe tive !ode of identifi ation des #i'ed 'efo#e. The 'od$ is invested as a fetish, and is used as a fetish in a despe#ate atte!pt at identif$ing oneself. The 'od$ 'e o!es the o'Be t of an autisti ult and of a (uasiin estuous !anipulation. /nd it is the li0eness [#esse!'lan e] of the 'od$ &ith its !odel &hi h then 'e o!es a sou# e of e#oti is! and of N&hiteN [fa0e, vi#gin, neut#al,...] self-sedu tion to the e"tent that this li0eness vi#tuall$ e" ludes the *the# and is the 'est &a$ to e" lude a sedu tion &hi h &ould e!e#ge f#o! so!e&he#e else. +an$ !o#e things pa#ta0e of that p#odu tion of the *the#, of that h$ste#i al and spe ulative p#odu tion) li0e #a is!, fo# instan e, &ith its develop!ent th#oughout !ode#nit$ and &ith its u##ent out'u#sts. Fogi all$, #a is! should have di!inished than0s to Enlighten!ent%s p#og#ess. 4ut, the !o#e &e 0no& that a geneti theo#$ of #a e is unfounded, the !o#e #a is! is #einfo# ed. It is 'e ause #a is! is an a#tifi ial onst#u tion of the *the# 'ased on an e#osion of ultu#al singula#ities -of thei# othe#ness 'et&een one anothe#. and on an a eptan e of a fetishisti s$ste! of diffe#en e. /s long as the#e is othe#ness [alte#ite], st#angeness, and dual #elationships -event violent ones., the#e is p#ope#l$ spea0ing no su h thing as #a is!. This &as !o#e o# less the ase until the 1Ith entu#$, as anth#opologi al #epo#ts indi ate. *n e su h a Nnatu#alN #elationship is lost, one ente#s an e"ponential #elationship &ith an a#tifi ial *the#. /nd nothing in ou# ultu#e allo&s #a is! to 'e u#'ed sin e ou# enti#e ultu#al !ove!ent goes in the sa!e di#e tion [sens] &hi h is that of a f#en3ied diffe#ential onst#u tion of the *the# and of a pe#petual e"t#apolation of the 1a!e th#ough the *the#. /n autisti ultu#e &hi h ta0es the shape of a fa0e alt#uis!.

Eve#$one tal0s a'out alienation. 4ut the &o#st alienation is not to 'e dispossessed '$ the othe# 'ut to 'e dispossessed of the othe#, that is to sa$ to have to p#odu e the othe# in his a'sen e, and thus to 'e ontinuousl$ #efe##ed 'a 0 to oneself and to one%s i!age. If &e a#e toda$ onde!ned to ou# o&n
i!age - onde!ned to ultivate ou# 'od$, ou# loo0, ou# identit$, and ou# desi#e., this is not 'e ause of an alienation, 'ut 'e ause of the end of alienation and 'e ause of the vi#tual disappea#an e of the othe#, &hi h is a !u h &o#se fatalit$. In fa t, the pa#ado"i al li!it of alienation is to ta0e oneself as a fo al point [ o!!e point de !i#e], as an o'Be t of a#e, of desi#e, of suffe#ing, and of o!!uni ation . This final sho#t- i# uiting of the

othe# opens up an e#a of t#anspa#en $. Mlasti su#ge#$ [la hi#u#gie estheti(ue] 'e o!es unive#sal. That su#ge#$ of the fa es and 'odies is onl$ the s$!pto! of a !o#e #adi al one) that of othe#ness and destin$. What is the solution@ Well, the#e is none to this e#oti !ove!ent of an enti#e ultu#e, none to su h a fas ination, to su h an a'$ss of denial of the othe#, of denial of st#angeness and negativit$. The#e is none to that fo#e losing of evil and to that #e on iliation a#ound the 1a!e and his p#olife#ated e"p#essions) in est, autis!, t&inning, loning. We an onl$ #e!e!'e# that sedu tion lies in not #e on iling &ith the *the# and in salvaging the st#angeness of the *the#. We !ust not 'e #e on iled &ith ou# o&n 'odies o# &ith ou# selves. We !ust not 'e #e on iled &ith the *the#. We !ust not 'e #e on iled &ith natu#e. We !ust not 'e #e on iled &ith fe!ininit$ -and that goes fo# &o!en too.. The se #et to a st#ange att#a tion lies he#e.

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,xtend audrillard !H. 6ere)s the argument.

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.mplosion of the /tate

The idea of the state vanishing through revolution and people refusing to accept it is +ust a pipe3dream * it doesn)t fit the modern era. 1ather, the state will implode through overrregulation, like a system with too much feedback * the plan)s action is a step in this direction. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. 7P-7<]
4eau'ou#g annot even 'u#n, eve#$thing is fo#eseen. ,i#e, e"plosion, dest#u tion a#e no longe# the i!agina#$ alte#native to this t$pe of 'uilding. It is i!plosion that is the fo#! of a'olishing the N(uate#na#$N &o#ld, 'oth $'e#neti and o!'inato#$. 1u've#sion, violent dest#u tion is &hat o##esponds to a !ode of p#odu tion. To a unive#se of net&o#0s, of o!'inato#$ theo#$, and of flo& o##espond #eve#sal and implosion. The sa!e fo# institutions, the state, po&e#, et . The d#ea! of seeing all that e"plode '$ dint of ont#adi tions is p#e isel$ nothing 'ut a dream. What is p#odu ed in #ealit$ is that the institutions i!plode of the!selves, '$ dint of #a!ifi ations, feed'a 0, ove#developed ont#ol i# uits. Mo&e# i!plodes, this is its u##ent !ode of disappea#an e. 1u h is the ase fo# the it$. ,i#es, &a#, plague, #evolutions, #i!inal !a#ginalit$, atast#ophes) the &hole p#o'le!ati of the anti it$, of the negativit$ inte#nal o# e"te#nal to the it$, has so!e a# hai #elation to its t#ue !ode of annihilation. Even the s ena#io of the unde#g#ound it$-the Dhinese ve#sion of the 'u#ial of st#u tu#es-is naive. The it$ does not #epeat itself an$ longe# a o#ding to a s he!a of #ep#odu tion still dependent on the gene#al s he!a of p#odu tion, o# a o#ding to a s he!a of #ese!'lan e still dependent on a s he!a of #ep#esentation. -That is ho& one still #esto#ed afte# the 1e ond Wo#ld Wa#.. The it$ no longe# #evives, even deep do&n-it is #e!ade sta#ting f#o! a so#t of geneti ode that !a0es it possi'le to #epeat it indefinitel$ sta#ting &ith an a u!ulated $'e#neti !e!o#$. Aone even the 4o#gesian utopia, of the !ap oe"tensive &ith the te##ito#$ and dou'ling it in its enti#et$) toda$ the si!ula #u! no longe# goes '$ &a$ of the dou'le and of dupli ation, 'ut '$ &a$ of geneti !iniatu#i3ation. End of #ep#esentation and i!plosion, the#e also, of the &hole spa e in an infinitesi!al !e!o#$7 &hi h fo#gets nothing, and &hi h 'elongs to no one. 1i!ulation of an i!!anent, in #easingl$ dense, i##eve#si'le o#de#, one that is potentiall$ satu#ated and that &ill neve# again &itness the li'e#ating e"plosion. We &e#e a ultu#e of liberating violen e -#ationalit$.. Whethe# it 'e that of apital, of the li'e#ation of p#odu tive fo# es, of the i##eve#si'le e"tension of the field of #eason and of the field of value, of the on(ue#ed and oloni3ed spa e in luding the unive#sal-&hethe# it 'e that of the #evolution, &hi h anti ipates the futu#e fo#!s of the so ial and of the ene#g$ of the so ial-the s he!a is the sa!e) that of an e"panding sphe#e, &hethe# th#ough slo& o# violent phases, that of a li'e#ated ene#g$-the i!agina#$ of #adiation. The violen e that a o!panies it is that of a &ide# &o#ld) it is that of p#odu tion. This violen e is diale ti al, ene#geti , atha#ti . It is the one &e have lea#ned to anal$3e and that is fa!ilia# to us) that &hi h t#a es the paths of the so ial and &hi h leads to the satu#ation of the &hole field of the so ial. It is a violen e that is dete#!ined, anal$ti al, li'e#ating. / &hole othe# violen e appea#s toda$, &hi h &e no longe# 0no& ho& to anal$3e, 'e ause it es apes the t#aditional s he!a of e"plosive violen e) i!plosive violen e that no longe# #esults f#o! the e"tension of a s$ste!, 'ut f#o! its saturation and its retraction, as is the ase fo# ph$si al stella# s$ste!s. / violen e that follo&s an ino#dinate densifi ation of the so ial,
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the state of an overregulated s$ste!, a net&o#0 -of 0no&ledge, info#!ation, po&e#. that is ove#en u!'e#ed, and of a h$pe#t#ophi ont#ol investing all the inte#stitial path&a$s. This violen e is unintelligi'le to us 'e ause ou# &hole i!agina#$ has as its a"is the logi of e"panding s$ste!s. It is inde iphe#a'le 'e ause undete#!ined. Me#haps it no longe# even o!es f#o! the s he!a of indete#!ina $. 4e ause the aleato#$ !odels that have ta0en ove# f#o! lassi al !odels of dete#!ination and ausalit$ a#e not funda!entall$ diffe#ent. The$ t#anslate the passage of defined s$ste!s of e"pansion to s$ste!s of p#odu tion and e"pansion on all levels-in a sta# o# in a #hi3o!e, it doesn%t !atte#-all the philosophies of the #elease of ene#g$, of the i##adiation of intensities and of the !ole ula#i3ation of desi#e go in the sa!e di#e tion, that of a satu#ation as fa# as the inte#stitial and the infinit$ of net&o#0s. The diffe#en e f#o! the !ola# to the !ole ula# is onl$ a !odulation, the last pe#haps, in the funda!ental ene#geti p#o ess of e"panding s$ste!s. 1o!ething else if &e !ove f#o! a !illennial phase of the li'e#ation and dis onne tion of ene#gies to a phase of i!plosion, afte# a 0ind of !a"i!u! #adiation -see 4ataille%s on epts of loss and e"penditu#e in this sense, and the sola# !$th of an ine"hausti'le #adiation, on &hi h he founds his su!ptua#$ anth#opolog$) it is the last e"plosive and #adiating !$th of ou# philosoph$, the last fi#e of a#tifi e of a funda!entall$ gene#al e ono!$, 'ut this no longe# has an$ !eaning fo# us., to a phase of the #eve#sion of the so ial-giganti #eve#sion of a field on e the point of satu#ation is #ea hed. The stella# s$ste!s also do not ease to e"ist on e thei# #adiating ene#g$ is dissipated) the$ i!plode a o#ding to a p#o ess that is at fi#st slo&, and then p#og#essivel$ a ele#ates-the$ ont#a t at a fa'ulous speed, and 'e o!e involutive s$ste!s, &hi h a'so#' all the su##ounding ene#gies, so that the$ 'e o!e 'la 0 holes &he#e the &o#ld as &e 0no& it, as #adiation and indefinite ene#g$ potential, is abolished.

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.mperialism as -nti3.mperialism
The &est thinks it is assimilating and dominating other cultures, when in fact the inclusion of those cultures is what makes their destruction impossible, and ultimately leads to the death of the &est)s dominance through internal collapse. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. ;7-;:]
It !ight see! that the flo& of &ealth and a'undan e !oving f#o! West to East &ins out ove# the opposite flo&. 4ut &hat flo&s f#o! West to East is hiefl$ the illusion of vi to#$. What is !oving in the othe# di#e tion is !o#e su'tle and !o#e deadly) the vi#us of &ea0ness, the !ultiple fo#!s of disaffe tion, the end of all de!o #ati illusions. In sho#t, nothing is de ided and no one an sa$ &ho &ill &in, &ho &ill 'e fi#st to desta'ili3e the othe#, the #i h, 'usiness-li0e ount#ies o# those t#ained '$ +a#"is! in a'ulia and o##uption@ 1la 0ness o# effi ien $@ ,atal apath$ o# high pe#fo#!an e levels@ The aptive hell of pa#adise o# the aptive pa#adise of hell@ The t&o &o#lds no& stand opposed not &ith &eapons o# ideas, 'ut !entall$ in the a#tifi ial p#o!is uit$ of the 2e& Wo#ld *#de#. This is &he#e the t#anspa#en e of Evil 'egins. This is &he#e &e shall see, on e all the onditions fo# o#de# a#e fulfilled, ho& i##esisti'le is diso#de#7 on e all the onditions fo# Aood a#e fulfilled, ho& i##esisti'le is Evil, ho& it i# ulates in the sa!e a#te#ial s$ste! as Aood and feeds off it, in all inno en e, in all pe#ve#sit$. It is ?#a ula against 1no& White -the ?#a ula !$th is gathe#ing st#ength all a#ound as the ,austian and M#o!ethean !$ths fade.. We have a good idea &ho is going to su 0 the othe#%s 'lood on e thei# glass offins a#e '#o0en open. It is in Ae#!an$ that these t&o &o#lds a#e teles oped togethe#, &ith 4e#lin as the epi ent#e, sin e the#e, pa#ado"i all$, it is f#o! #eunifi ation that the antagonis! a#ises. It is not the onf#ontation 'ut the #app#o he!ent of t&o &o#lds &hi h p#odu es violen e and the lash of !entalities. The histo#i al failu#e of the one, &hen fa ed &ith the da33ling su ess of the othe#, !a$ tu#n to defian e, and those ve#$ people &ho e$ed the &ealth enviousl$ &hen it &as still fo#'idden !a$ ve#$ &ell tu#n thei# 'a 0s enti#el$ on the Weste#n !odel !e#el$ to #e!ain onsistent &ith the!selves. In the ou#se of thei# !isfo#tunes, the people of Easte#n Eu#ope have e#tainl$ a (ui#ed an opinion on histo#$ and its pe#ve#se effe ts. /gainst all theo#eti al p#edi tions, out of the t&o opposed &o#lds of Dapital and Fa'ou#, it is that of Fa'ou# the$ have seen ollapse. Fogi all$, the$ !ust have d#a&n f#o! this a lesson of non-la'ou# and olle tive i##esponsi'ilit$. 6o&eve# this !a$ 'e, it &ill e#tainl$ not 'e eas$ to onve#t the! to the li'e#al ult of pe#fo#!an e. This is ho& the reversal of Weste#n values 'egins. 2ot !e#el$ '$ the infilt#ation into the !et#opolitan hea#tland of a ,ou#th Wo#ld &hi h, unli0e the Thi#d, has no othe# te##ito#$ than the one it desta'ili3es f#o! &ithin, 'ut also '$ the os!osis of an Easte#n Eu#opean &o#ld &hi h is de o!posing, and !a0ing of that de o!position if not a st#ateg$ then at least a t#ap, a de o$, a politi(ue du pi#e. 2o&, &e 0no& that one of the ha#a te#isti s of the West, #ep#esented to pe#fe tion '$ the /!e#i ans in the #e ent Aulf Wa#, is a tenden $ to shoot at de o$s. The d#ip-feeding of Weste#n values 'ehind the I#on Du#tain gives &a$ toda$ to the pe# olation, the su##eptitious infilt#ation of the i!poten e, sla 0ness, te hnologi al, e ono!i and de!o- g#aphi ill-&ill of anothe# &o#ldN, that &as long onside#ed #esidual, 'a 0&a#d, unde#-developed and &hi h is #ising up toda$ as a full$ fledged p#otagonist, an e(ual p#otagonist and pe#haps even a supe#io# one to the e"tent that its
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potential of i!poten e is supe#io# to ou# potential of poten $. 2o&, ont#a#$ to the appa#ent fa ts &hi h suggest that all ultu#es a#e penet#a'le '$ the West - that is, o##upti'le '$ the unive#sal - it is the West &hi h is e!inentl$ penet#a'le. The othe# ultu#es -in luding those of Easte#n Eu#ope., even

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&hen the$ give the i!p#ession of selling the!selves, of p#ostituting the!selves to !ate#ial goods o# Weste#n ideologies, in fa t #e!ain i!penet#a'le 'ehind the !as0 of p#ostitution. The$ an 'e &iped out ph$si all$ and !o#all$, 'ut not penet#ated. This alienness is lin0ed to thei# o!pli it$ &ith the!selves. The West, fo# its pa#t, is alien to itself, and an$one an Bust &al0 #ight in. The logi of this hallenge is alien to that of the e ono!i and li'e#al 2e& Wo#ld *#de#. In the o#de# of po&e# and &ealth, one desi#es the death of the othe# so as to ta0e his pla e. 4$ ont#ast, &hat these #ef#a to#$, in o!pati'le ultu#es &ant, &hat the$ de!and, is not to ta0e the pla e 'ut to see the death of the West, even at the #is0 of d$ing the!selves. The West, naive as eve#, 'elieves it is #esented fo# its po&e# and &ealth and, even !o#e naivel$, 'elieves in the o!pati'ilit$ of all ultu#es. 4ut even &hen the %othe#s% see! to 'e de!anding thei# sha#e of the a0e, this is still an allego#i al &a$ of desi#ing its death. The West is dis ove#ing the Easte#n 'lo ount#ies, &ea0 and d#ained, as on e it dis ove#ed the su#vivo#s of the on ent#ation a!ps. The dange# is to feed the! too (ui 0l$, sin e this 0ills the!. 4ut, in an$ ase, &hethe# o# not the$ a#e saved, the$ live in anothe# spa e - shatte#ed '$ atast#ophe. The$ &ill neve# o!e 'a 0 into ou#s. De#tainl$, &e shall do all &e an to &ipe this past f#o! thei# !e!o#ies. 4ut in vain. It is the$, '$ ont#ast, &ho &ill su 0 us into thei# empty space, Bust as the dead and the su#vivo#s of the a!ps have su 0ed ou# last vague desi#es fo# ultu#e, la& and !o#alit$ into the e!pt$ spa e and i!potent !e!o#$ of e"te#!ination. The att#a tion of the void is i##esisti'le. The %vi to#$% of the West is not unli0e a dep#essu#i3ing of the West in the void of o!!unis!, in the void of histo#$.

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Communism)s collapse has caused it to integrate into the &est and infect it with its own values. The combination of communism and capital gains the benefits of both and ultimately achieves the goal of the communist revolution. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. ;;-;7]
It is lea# that the ulti!ate dete##en e has o!e f#o! the East -no longe# that of the 'alan e of te##o#, &hi h, fo# fo#t$ $ea#s, p#evented the event of ato!i &a# f#o! o!ing a'out, 'ut of the i!'alan e of te##o#, &hi h p#events the onf#ontation itself f#o! o!ing a'out. ?ete##en e '$ self-dissolution, de!olition, de-es alation, unilate#al disa#!a!ent, auto-desta'ili3ation &hi h o!pletel$ desta'ili3es the opponent - a st#ateg$ of &ea0ness, an une"pe ted, unp#edi ta'le st#ateg$ even fo# the p#otagonists the!selves, 'ut all the !o#e effe tive fo# that. / st#ateg$ of disappea#an e, dispe#sion, disse!ination, onta!ination, vi#ulen e '$ f#ag!entation. ,o# not onl$ a#e the &eapons, ha#d&a#e and '#ains of the fo#!e# C11J going to tu#n up allove# the &o#ld, 'ut the !odel of disinteg#ation is going to #adiate out also, !o#e effe tive than a thousand ato! 'o!'s. Integ#al, totalita#ian o!!unis! ould 'e sealed up and neut#ali3ed. ?isinteg#ated o!!unis! 'e o!es vi#al7 it 'e o!es apa'le of passing th#ough its o&n &all and infe ting the &hole &o#ld, not '$ ideolog$ o# '$ its !odel of fun tioning, 'ut '$ its !odel of d$sfun tioning and of sudden, violent destructuring. De#tainl$, &e !ight as0 &hethe# this is still o!!unis!@ Whateve# the ans&e#, it is e"e#ting an influen e ove# the &o#ld &hi h it ould neve# !uste# '$ a#!s o# '$ thought, an influen e ove# the &hole &o#ld '$ the event of its disappearance. In that sense, it !ight 'e said that it is t#iu!phant, sin e pe#fe t o!!unis!, the full$ #eali3ed o!!unis!, li0e the full$ #eali3ed utopia, is the one &hi h has disappea#ed. In that sense, too, the onse(uen es of o!!unis!%s sudden self-dissolution a#e pe#haps even !o#e in al ula'le than those of its appea#an e at the da&n of this entu#$. 2ot th#ough ideolog$, 'ut th#ough the auto-da-fe of its o&n p#in iples, the un onditional a ting out of apitulation. In te#!s of ideas, it had opened up a !onolithi , totalita#ian path7 &ith its inve#ted a ting out, it opens up the path of dislo ation fo# all st#u tu#es and e!pi#es. The East &ill have vi to#iousl$ ounte#ed apital &ith capitulation. It is Dhe#no'$l that &ill tu#n out to have 'een the #eal sta#ting point in this involunta#$, 'ut '#illiant st#ategi inve#sion &hi h has desta'ili3ed the ve#$ on ept of #elations of fo# e, #eating out of this a st#ateg$ of #elations of &ea0ness and o!pletel$ hanging the #ules of the ga!e. Cp to that point, things &e#e f#o3en) no !ilita#$, offensive a ting-out &as possi'le. Eve#$thing ul!inated in 1ta# Wa#s, an i!possi'le s ena#io) o#'ital 'o!'s a#e vi#tual7 the$ do not e"plode. The onl$ t#ue 'o!' e"plodes o# i!plodes - on the spot, '$ supe#fusion) Dhe#no'$l, an a idental a ting-out. It &as the Easte#n 'lo that e"ploded that 'o!' in its o&n hea#t and it &as that 'o!' &hi h, in the fo#! of the fi#st ato!i loud, #ossed the Wall and f#ontie#s &ithout en ounte#ing an$ opposition, inaugu#ating the fusion 'et&een the t&o &o#lds '$ #adioa tive infilt#ation. 1o the initial e"plosion of the 2e& Wo#ld *#de# &ill indeed have o!e f#o! the East, and the onta!ination has passed f#o! East to West. /fte# Dhe#no'$l, the 4e#lin Wall no longe# e"ists. 1$!'oli all$, it is the#efo#e nu lea# fusion, afte# all, &hi h p#esides ove# the politi al, t#anspoliti al onfusion of the 'lo s. 4$ the sui idal a ident of Dhe#no'$l, the fo#!e# C11J 'oth ad!its its i!poten e, its &ea0ness, and at the sa!e ti!e passes the &hole lot ove# to the West, o'liging it to !anage the ollapse, to !anage a &hole &o#ld gone 'an0#upt. That of o!!unis! to 'egin &ith, 'ut soon, su'tl$,
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the &o#ld of apital itself. Cp to no&, o!!unis! had sought out the &ea0est lin0 in the apitalist hain. 1uddenl$, it dis ove#ed that it &as the &ea0est lin0 and, '$ dest#o$ing itself, '$ #a 0ing up

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al!ost a identall$, it sent the othe# &o#ld hu#tling to its doo!, fo# ed it to den$ itself as ene!$, onta!inated its defen es, e"po#ted its o&n e ono!i and politi al sui ide. The aptive hell of o!!unis! found itself li'e#ated. ,#o! this point on, the 'a##ie# sepa#ating hell f#o! heaven is li(uidated. /nd in this ase, of ou#se, the li(uefa tion is gene#al, and hell al&a$s su'!e#ges heaven. 1ol3henits$n &#ites -against 1a0ha#ov and his idea of having the t&o hostile 'lo s onve#ge so as to unite thei# !utual (ualities.) %What an o!e of t&o so ieties affli ted &ith su h #edhi'ito#$ vi es &hen the$ o!e lose# togethe# and a#e t#ansfo#!ed '$ the onta t 'et&een the!@ / so iet$ t&i e as i!!o#al.% The d#ea! of plu#alit$ is indeed p#e isel$ this) diffe#en es a#e to 'e e" hanged as positive (ualities. Whe#eas &hat al&a$s &ins out in the e" hange of diffe#en es, in dialogue, is the e" hange and addition of negative (ualities. ,usion al&a$s tu#ns into onfusion - onta t into contamination. We have an e"a!ple of this toda$ &ith /I?1 and the fatal potentialit$ th#eatening eve#$ se"ual en ounte#. 4ut the sa!e goes fo# o!pute#s) !a"i!u! inte# onne tedness '#ings !a"i!u! vulne#a'ilit$ of all net&o#0s -the t#end no& is to&a#ds stand-alone o!pute#s7 it see!s in fa t that net&o#0s t#ans!it vi#uses even faste# than info#!ation.. Aeneti onfusion #uns in this sa!e di#e tion. It is one of the aspe ts of the p#in iple of Evil that it al&a$s p#o eeds !o#e (ui 0l$ than Aood. 1o 1ol3henits$n, fo# his pa#t o'Be ting to this i!!o#al onfusion, is #ight and 1a0ha#ov &#ong. 4ut &e have nothing against vi e and i!!o#alit$. If the$ have to 'e in #eased in the onfusion of the t&o &o#lds, then pe#haps that is 'ette#, all in all, than the auste#e, pu#itani al o#de# of dete##en e and the 'alan e of te##o#. Wh$ not a &o#ld so iet$ &hi h is enti#el$ o##upt, a single e!pi#e &hi h is the e!pi#e of onfusion, a 2e& Wo#ld ?iso#de# &hi h o!'ines the filte#a'le vi#uses of o!!unis! &ith the dis #eet ha#! of the #ights of !an and natu#e@

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-s power is critici<ed and disappears, it seeks even harder to reaffirm its existence and delay its death * this overfascination with power in societies that are losing it results in fascism. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. <<-<>]
/s long as the histo#i al th#eat a!e at it f#o! the #eal, po&e# pla$ed at dete##en e and si!ulation, disinteg#ating all the ont#adi tions '$ dint of p#odu ing e(uivalent signs. Toda$ &hen the dange# o!es at it f#o! si!ulation -that of 'eing dissolved in the pla$ of signs., po&e# pla$s at the #eal, pla$s at #isis, pla$s at #e!anufa tu#ing a#tifi ial, so ial, e ono!i , and politi al sta0es. ,o# po&e#, it is a (uestion of life and death. 4ut it is too late. When e the ha#a te#isti h$ste#ia of ou# ti!es) that of the p#odu tion and #ep#odu tion of the #eal. The othe# p#odu tion, that of values and o!!odities, that of the 'elle epo(ue of politi al e ono!$, has fo# a long ti!e had no spe ifi !eaning. What eve#$ so iet$ loo0s fo# in ontinuing to p#odu e, and to ove#p#odu e, is to #esto#e the #eal that es apes it. That is &h$ toda$ this N!ate#ialN p#odu tion is that of the h$pe##eal itself. It #etains all the featu#es, the &hole dis ou#se of t#aditional p#odu tion, 'ut it is no longe# an$thing 'ut its s aled-do&n #ef#a tion -thus h$pe##ealists fi" a #eal f#o! &hi h all !eaning and ha#!, all depth and ene#g$ of #ep#esentation have vanished in a hallu inato#$ #ese!'lan e.. Thus eve#$&he#e the h$pe##ealis! of si!ulation is t#anslated '$ the hallu inato#$ #ese!'lan e of the #eal to itself. Mo&e# itself has fo# a long ti!e p#odu ed nothing 'ut the signs of its #ese!'lan e. /nd at the sa!e ti!e, anothe# figu#e of po&e# o!es into pla$) that of a olle tive de!and fo# signs of po&e#-a hol$ union that is #e onst#u ted a#ound its disappea#an e. The &hole &o#ld adhe#es to it !o#e o# less in te##o# of the ollapse of the politi al. /nd in the end the ga!e of po&e# 'e o!es nothing 'ut the #iti al o'session &ith po&e#-o'session &ith its death, o'session &ith its su#vival, &hi h increases as it disappea#s. When it has totall$ disappea#ed, &e &ill logi all$ 'e unde# the total hallu ination of po&e#-a haunting !e!o#$ that is al#ead$ in eviden e eve#$&he#e, e"p#essing at on e the o!pulsion to get #id of it -no one &ants it an$!o#e, eve#$one unloads it on eve#$one else. and the pani 0ed nostalgia ove# its loss. The !elan hol$ of so ieties &ithout po&e#) this has al#ead$ sti##ed up fascism, that ove#dose of a st#ong #efe#ential in a so iet$ that annot te#!inate its !ou#ning.

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,xtend audrillard =>. 6e argues that their criticism causes more problems than it solves * they try to resist power influencing our lives, but this is the exact cycle power requires in order to exist, by granting the fear of its collapse that requires its continued existence. Their resistance is coproductive with the structures they try to critici<e, and their actions are already coopted by the system, so it will never solve anything. -lso, as the grip of power is weakened, it responds by tightening its grip, leading to fascism, which turns all their impacts.

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The D./. debt has entered the realm of the virtual, absent any real signifier. The debt will never be paid, and the only danger is from allowing it to reenter the real, which would bring the world of signs crashing down around us.
audrillard in !E [Jean, 2ove!'e# 16, NAlo'al ?e't and Ma#allel Cnive#seN]
In fa t, the de't &ill neve# 'e paid. 2o de't &ill eve# 'e paid. The final ounts &ill neve# ta0e pla e. If ti!e is ounted [si le te!ps nous est o!pte], the !issing !one$ is 'e$ond ounting [au-dela de toute o!pta'ilite]. The Cnited 1tates is al#ead$ vi#tuall$ una'le to pa$, 'ut this &ill have no onse(uen e &hatsoeve#. The#e &ill 'e no Budg!ent da$ fo# this vi#tual 'an0#upt $. It is si!ple enough to ente# an e"ponential o# vi#tual !ode to 'e o!e f#ee of an$ #esponsi'ilit$, sin e the#e is no #efe#en e an$!o#e, no #efe#ential &o#ld to se#ve as a !easu#ing no#!. The disappea#an e of the #efe#ential unive#se is a '#and ne& pheno!enon. When one loo0s at the 'ill'oa#d on 4#oad&a$, &ith its fl$ing figu#es, one has the i!p#ession that the de't ta0es off to #ea h the st#atosphe#e. This is si!pl$ the figu#e in light $ea#s of a gala"$ that vanishes in the os!os. The speed of li'e#ation of the de't is Bust li0e one of ea#th%s satellites. That%s e"a tl$ &hat it is) the de't i# ulates on its o&n o#'it, &ith its o&n t#aBe to#$ !ade up of apital, &hi h, f#o! no& on, is f#ee of an$ e ono!i ontingen $ and !oves a'out in a pa#allel unive#se -the a ele#ation of apital has e"one#ated !one$ of its involve!ents &ith the eve#$da$ unive#se of p#odu tion, value and utilit$.. It is not even an o#'ital unive#se) it is #athe# e"-o#'ital, e"- ente#ed, e"- ent#i , &ith onl$ a ve#$ faint p#o'a'ilit$ that, one da$, it !ight #eBoin ou#s. That%s &h$ no de't &ill eve# 'e paid. /t !ost, it an 'e 'ought ove# at a 'a#gain p#i e to late# 'e pla ed 'a 0 on a de't !a#0et -pu'li de't, national de't, glo'al de't. &he#e it &ill have 'e o!e a u##en $ of e" hange. 1in e the#e is no li0el$ settle!ent date, the de't has an in al ula'le [inesti!a'le] value. /s long as it hangs li0e that ove# ou# heads &ith no #efe#en e &hatsoeve#, it also se#ves as ou# onl$ gua#antee against ti!e. Cnli0e the ountdo&n &hi h signifies the end of ti!e, an indefinitel$ defe##ed de't is the gua#antee that even ti!e is ine"hausti'le... /nd &e #eall$ need a vi#tual ti!e insu#an e sin e ou# futu#e is a'out to dissipate in #eal ti!e. Dlea#ing the de't, settling the a ounts, an elling the pa$!ents '$ the Thi#d Wo#ld... ?on%t even thin0 a'out itL We onl$ live 'e ause of this un'alan e, of the p#olife#ation and the p#o!ise of infinit$ #eated '$ the de't. The glo'al o# planeta#$ de't has, of ou#se, no !eaning in the lassi al te#!s of sto 0 o# #edit. 4ut it a ts as ou# t#ue olle tive #edit line, a s$!'oli #edit s$ste! &he#e'$ people, o#po#ations, nations a#e atta hed to one anothe# '$ default. Meople a#e tied to ea h othe# -this goes fo# the 'an0s too. '$ !eans of thei# vi#tual 'an0#upt $, Bust as a o!pli es a#e tied '$ thei# #i!e. Eve#$one is e#tain to e"ist fo# the othe# in the shado& of an una!enda'le and insolva'le de't fo#, as of toda$, the total a!ount of the glo'al de't is !u h la#ge# than the total a!ount of availa'le apital. Thus, the de't no longe# has an$ !eaning 'ut to unite all ivili3ed 'eings to a sa!e destin$ se#ved on #edit. / si!ila# thing ta0es pla e &ith nu lea# &eapons &hose glo'al apa it$ is !u h 'igge# than &hat is needed to dest#o$ the enti#e planet. Eet, it #e!ains as a &a$ of uniting all of hu!an0ind to a sa!e destin$ !a#0ed '$ th#eat and dete##en e. /t least, it is easie# no& to unde#stand &h$ the /!e#i ans a#e so eage# to adve#tise thei# do!esti de't in su h a spe ta ula# !anne#. The Ti!es 1(ua#e initiative is designed to !a0e the state feel guilt$ a'out the &a$ it #uns the ount#$, and intended to &a#n the iti3ens a'out the i!!inent ollapse of the finan ial and pu'li sphe#es. 4ut, of ou#se, the e"o#'itant figu#e dep#ives the 'ill'oa#d of an$ !eaning -even figu#es have lost thei# #edit line.. In fa t, this is nothing !o#e than a giganti adve#tising a!paign and, '$ the &a$, this is &h$ the neon N'ill'oa#dN is !ade to loo0 li0e a t#iu!phant sto 0 e" hange (uotation that has gone ove# the

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884aud#illa#d :6 ontinued99 top. /nd people sta#e at it, fas inated '$ the spe ta le of a &o#ld pe#fo#!an e -in the !eanti!e, people #a#el$ loo0 at the nu!e#i al ti!e lo 0 at 4eau'ou#g to &itness the g#adual ending of this entu#$.. Meople a#e olle tivel$ in the sa!e situation as that Jussian test pilot &ho, until the ve#$ last se ond, &as a'le to see his ai#plane d#op and #ash on the video s$ste! of his Tupolev Bet. ?id he have the ulti!ate #efle" to loo0 at the i!age 'efo#e d$ing@ 6e ould have i!agined his last living !o!ents in vi#tual #ealit$. ?id the i!age su#vive the pilot, even fo# a tenth of a se ond, o# vi e ve#sa@ ?oes vi#tual #ealit$ live on afte# the atast#ophe of the #eal &o#ld@ *u# t#ue a#tifi ial satellites a#e the glo'al de't, the flo&s of apital, and the nu lea# loads that i# le a#ound the ea#th in an o#'ital dan e. /s pu#e a#tifa ts, &ith a side#eal velo it$ and an instantaneous apa it$ of #eve#sal, the$ have found thei# t#ue pla e. This pla e is even !o#e e"t#ao#dina#$ than the 1to 0 E" hange, 'an0s, o# nu lea# sto 0piles) it is that of the o#'it, &he#e the$ #ise and set li0e a#tifi ial suns. 1o!e of the !ost #e ent of these e"ponentiall$ developing pa#allel &o#lds a#e the Inte#net and the !an$ &o#ld&ide &e's of info#!ation. Ea h da$, in #eal ti!e, the i##esisti'le g#o&th -o# outg#o&th pe#haps. of info#!ation ould 'e !easu#ed the#e, &ith nu!'e#s #ep#esenting the !illions of people and the 'illions of ope#ations that the$ ove#. Info#!ation no& e"pands to su h an e"tent that it no longe# has an$thing to do &ith gaining 0no&ledge. Info#!ation%s i!!ense potential &ill neve# 'e #edee!ed and it &ill neve# 'e a'le to a hieve its finalit$. It%s Bust li0e the de't. Info#!ation is Bust as insolva'le as the de't and &e%ll neve# 'e a'le to get #id of it. Dolle ting data, a u!ulating and t#anspo#ting info#!ation all ove# the &o#ld a#e the sa!e thing as o!piling an unpa$a'le de't. /nd he#e too, sin e p#olife#ating info#!ation is la#ge# than the needs and apa ities of an$ individual, and of the hu!an spe ies in gene#al, it has no othe# !eaning 'ut that of 'inding hu!an0ind to a destin$ of e#e'#al auto!ation and !ental unde#develop!ent. It is lea# that if a s!all dose of info#!ation #edu es igno#an e, a !assive dose of a#tifi ial intelligen e an onl$ #einfo# e the 'elief that ou# natu#al intelligen e is defi ient. The &o#st thing that an happen to an individual is to 0no& too !u h and, thus, to fall 'e$ond 0no&ledge. It is e"a tl$ the sa!e thing &ith #esponsi'ilit$ and e!otional apa it$. The pe#petual inti!ation of the !edia in te#!s of violen e, suffe#ing, and atast#ophe, fa# f#o! e"alting so!e so#t of olle tive solida#it$, onl$ de!onst#ates ou# #eal i!poten e and d#ives us to pani and #esent!ent. Daught in thei# autono!ous and e"ponential logi , all these pa#allel &o#lds a#e li0e ti!e 'o!'s. It is !o#e o'vious &ith nu lea# &eapons, 'ut it is also t#ue of the de't and apital flo&s. The s!allest int#usion of these &o#lds into ou#s, the least noti ea'le en ounte# 'et&een thei# o#'its and ou#s, &ould i!!ediatel$ dis#upt the f#agile e(uili'#iu! of ou# e" hanges and e ono!ies. This &ould -o# &ill. 'e the sa!e &ith the total li'e#ation of info#!ation, &hi h ould t#ansfo#! us into f#ee #adi als despe#atel$ sea# hing fo# ou# !ole ules in a s ant$ $'e#spa e. Jeason &ould p#o'a'l$ insist that &e in lude these &o#lds into ou# ho!ogeneous unive#se) nu lea# &eapons &ould have a pea eful use, all the de'ts &ould 'e e#ased, all the flo&s of apital &ould 'e #einvested in te#!s of so ial &ell-'eing, and info#!ation &ould ont#i'ute to 0no&ledge. This is, no dou't, a dange#ous utopia. Fet these &o#lds #e!ain pa#allel to ou#s, let thei# th#eats hang up in the ai#) thei# e"- ent#i it$ is &hat p#ote ts us. ,o#, no !atte# ho& pa#allel and e"- ent#i the$ !a$ 'e, the$ a#e in fa t ou#s. We a#e the ones &ho #eated the! and pla ed the! 'e$ond ou# #ea h, as an e#sat3 of t#ans enden e. We a#e the ones &ho pla ed the! on thei# o#'its as so!e so#t of atast#ophi i!agina#ies. /nd it is pe#haps 'ette# this &a$. *u# so iet$ &as on e solidified '$ a utopia of p#og#ess. It no& e"ists 'e ause of a atast#ophi i!agina#$.

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,xtend the audrillard !E card. 6e says that the D/ deficit doesn)t matter anymore * it has no relation to reality, it)s +ust a really big hypothetical number that is already impossible to repay. The debt exists in a parallel universe, separate and above the world we actually live in, and it ties all the people and countries in the world together through their mutual debt. .n this formulation is harmless. Their disad scenario is what makes the debt dangerous. &hen they treat the debt as something real that we need to worry about, it unbalances all the forms of exchange based on it. -s long as the threat hangs in the air, it draws us to together * once it)s drawn back down, it pushes everyone apart as repayment is demanded. That)s what causes their impact evidence to come true, not an excessive amount of money owed by the government, turning their whole scenario.

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The media creates the political world and actors in an abstract world of hyperreality with no relation to actual reality. 1ather than the events creating the images of them, the images create the events.

audrillard in != [Jean, 1epte!'e# <>, NIn the 1hado& of the +illenniu!N] We 0no& the anal$sis that +a#" gave of 2apoleon III, the Ns!alle#N 2apoleon, as a g#otes(ue dupli ate of the fi#st 2apoleon. 6e is li0e a pa#od$, a deg#aded in ident o!pa#ed &ith the o#iginal. 6isto#$ uses this te hni(ue of the dupli ate to go fo#&a#d &he#eas in fa t it is going 'a 0&a#d. 6isto#$ #ep#odu ing itself 'e o!es fa# e. /nd &e ould add) ,a# e #ep#odu ing itself 'e o!es histo#$. The u##ent pe#iod offe#s !ultiple e"a!ples of this deg#aded and e"hausted dupli ation of the fi#st events of !ode#nit$. /s su h, the u##ent e#a ould indeed 'e alled Npost!ode#n.N It is Npost!ode#nN in the sense that its ondition is that of a si!ulation o# spe t#alit$ of events &hose onl$ stage is the ne&s !edia. The post!ode#n events a#e li0e se onda#$ p#odu ts. The$ a#e the events of a histo#$ &hi h an no longe# #ene& itself, an un#eal histo#$, in &hi h a to#s a#e nothing !o#e than e"t#as. The &a# in 4osnia gave us a d#a!ati e"a!ple of su h a ondition. It &as no longe# an event. It &as #athe# the s$!'ol of histo#$%s o&n i!poten e. It &as a stasis, a Nst#i0e of events,N as +a edonio ,e#nande3 put it. What does the !etapho# of the Nst#i0e of eventsN !ean@ It !eans that histo#$%s &o#0fo# e has 'een fo# ed out of &o#0. 4ut it also !eans that a &o#0 of !ou#ning 'egins, and often that the &o#0 of the ne&s !edia ta0es ove#. The !edia have to ta0e ove# and !a0e the event, Bust as apital ta0es ove# to p#odu e la'o#. This is a pa#ado"i al #eve#sal of all ou# lassi al pe#spe tives. / o#ding to this ne& onfigu#ation, &hen la'o# is the p#odu t of apital, the ve#$ a t of &o#0ing loses its !eaning -and the han e it !a$ have had to upset apital%s o#de#.. 1i!ila#l$, the event p#odu ed '$ the !edia no longe# has an$ histo#i al signifi an e. It no longe# onve$s an$ fo#! of politi al #esolution. The onl$ #esolution that is left is the visual #esolution of the !edia. The event 'e o!es vi#tual. Eve#$&he#e, vi#tualit$ -the !ediati h$pe#-spa e &ith its !ultiple inte#fa es. e#adi ates &hat &e ould all, if it still !eant an$thing at all, the #eal !ove!ent of histo#$. /t this point, &e ente# the do!ain of the t#anspoliti al o# the t#anshisto#i al. It is a do!ain &he#e events no longe# ta0e pla e in #ealit$ 'e ause of thei# o&n p#odu tion and deplo$!ent in %#eal ti!e.% The$ an si!pl$ 'e aptu#ed t#anspoliti all$. /s t#anspoliti al events, the$ a#e lost in a va uu! of info#!ation. The info#!ational do!ain is a spa e &he#e, afte# all the events have 'een e!ptied of thei# su'stan e, an a#tifi ial g#avit$ is #esto#ed, and the events a#e sent 'a 0 into o#'it &he#e the$ an 'e seen in #eal ti!e. *#, to put it diffe#entl$, afte# losing thei# histo#i al vitalit$, the events an no& 'e #e'#oad ast on the t#anspoliti al stage of the ne&s !edia. It is the sa!e thing as &hat happens in !a0ing a !ovie. If histo#$ is a !ovie -&hi h indeed it has 'e o!e th#ough its i!!ediate #et#op#oBe tion., the %t#uth% in the ne&s !edia is nothing !o#e than the post-s$n h#oni3ing, the du''ing, and the su'-titling of the fil!. We ould also tal0 a'out the t#anse ono!i do!ain. It &ould 'e the do!ain &hi h e!e#ges afte# lassi al e ono!i s is lost in the e!pt$ vo#te" of sto 0 e" hange va illations -Bust as histo#$ is lost in the vo#te" of info#!ation.. Ki#tual and spe ulative e ono!i t#ansa tions !a#0 the end of an$ fo#! of politi al e ono!$. T#ade#s and
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Aolden 4o$s no longe# have an$thing to do &ith the logi of p#odu tion, the !a#0et, apitalist p#ofit. 1o!ething else is at sta0e) %#eal-ti!e% e ono!i s, the instantaneous fluidit$ of apital, the o#'ital dan e of !one$. Di# ulating a#ound itself at an in #easingl$ fast speed, !one$ 'e o!es a st#angel$ !agneti agent. /s an un ont#olla'le hain #ea tion, it t#ans ends #eal e ono!i s and goes th#ough #ealit$ f#o! one end to the othe# si!ila# to the nu lea# #ea to# in ove#-d#ive of Dhina 1$nd#o!e &hi h &as a'le to go th#ough the glo'e f#o! end to end. In / D#iti(ue of Moliti al E ono!$, +a#" states that N!an0ind onl$ poses p#o'le!s that it an solve... We noti e that a p#o'le! a#ises &hen the !ate#ial onditions of its solution al#ead$ e"ist o#, at least, &hen the$ a#e a'out to e"ist.N 4ut it is not li0e this an$!o#e. *u# Bu!p into the vi#tual &o#ld unsettles all the !ate#ial onditions that +a#" &as tal0ing a'out, and dep#ives histo#i al onditions of an$ diale ti al solution. In a sense, the vi#tual is histo#$%s final solution and the end #esult of #eal onfli ts. Toda$, this !eans that hu!an0ind -o# those &ho thin0 on its 'ehalf. onl$ o!es up &ith p#o'le!s &hen the$ have al#ead$ 'een solved. The$ have 'een vi#tuall$ su#passed, o# the s$ste! has displa ed the! '$ a'so#'ing thei# o u##en e. 4ut &asn%t it al#ead$ li0e this in +a#"%s ti!e@ The e!e#gen e of the notions of lass and st#uggle, the 'i#th of a histo#i al ons ien e) a#en%t these indi ative of the !o!ent &hen hu!an0ind eased to 'e violent and i##edu i'le@ This is #e!inis ent of ,ou ault and his anal$sis of po&e#. When he sta#ts to anal$3e po&e#, isn%t it al#ead$ the sign that po&e# no longe# has an$ politi al !eaning, that it has lost its o'Be t@ When ethnolog$ loo0s at p#i!itive so ieties, it !eans that the$ have al#ead$ disappea#ed. /nal$sis itself is pa#t of the p#o ess of disappea#an e. D#iti al ons iousness, and pe#haps thought in gene#al, a#e li0e 5af0a%s !essiah) the$ al&a$s a##ive too late, afte# the fa t, at dus0, li0e the *&l of +ine#va. D#iti al ons iousness is nothing !o#e than a #et#ospe tive p#ophe $, #e!inis ent of Mlato%s figu#ines and thei# shado&s on the 'a 0 &all - a &all of events. in the ave -he#e, histo#$%s o&n ave.. /s /pollinai#e used to sa$, &hen people tal0 a'out ti!e, it !eans that it has al#ead$ vanished. 6isto#$ does not se#ve se ond ou#ses. *nl$ anal$sis does. Is the#e #oo!, then, fo# anothe# thought, a pa#ado"i al thought, &hi h, unli0e &hat +a#" said, &ould onl$ pose insolva'le (uestions, definitel$ insolva'le p#o'le!s@ Is the#e a thought &hose !ate#ial onditions of #esolution a#e not al#ead$ p#esent, and &ill neve# 'e@ Who &ould #e-p#o'le!ati3e all the al#ead$ dis ove#ed solutions and, in so doing, &ould 0eep the &o#ld in an enig!ati suspense@ 2o'od$ 0no&s. Isn%t the #is0$ destin$ of thought to finall$ 'e o!e the vi ti! of its o&n p#ophe $, Bust as histo#$%s fate is to fall fo# its o&n t#ap@

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.ncreasing information through the media is a destructive process * the images devour the real content and create ambivalence and alienation from actual events. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. IP-I1]
The thi#d h$pothesis is the !ost inte#esting 'ut flies in the fa e of eve#$ o!!onl$ held opinion. Eve#$&he#e so iali3ation is !easu#ed '$ the e"posu#e to !edia !essages. Whoeve# is unde#e"posed to the !edia is deso iali3ed o# vi#tuall$ aso ial. Eve#$&he#e info#!ation is thought to p#odu e an a ele#ated i# ulation of !eaning, a plus value of !eaning ho!ologous to the e ono!i one that #esults f#o! the a ele#ated #otation of apital. Info#!ation is thought to #eate o!!uni ation, and even if the &aste is eno#!ous, a gene#al onsensus &ould have it that neve#theless, as a &hole, the#e 'e an e" ess of !eaning, &hi h is #edist#i'uted in all the inte#sti es of the so ial-Bust as onsensus &ould have it that !ate#ial p#odu tion, despite its d$sfun tions and i##ationalities, opens onto an e" ess of &ealth and so ial pu#pose. We a#e all o!pli itous in this !$th. It is the alpha and o!ega of ou# !ode#nit$, &ithout &hi h the #edi'ilit$ of ou# so ial o#gani3ation &ould ollapse. Well, the fa t is that it is ollapsing, and fo# this ve#$ #eason) 'e ause &he#e &e thin0 that info#!ation p#odu es !eaning, the opposite o u#s. Info#!ation devours its o&n ontent. It devou#s o!!uni ation and the so ial. /nd fo# t&o #easons. I. Jathe# than #eating o!!uni ation, it e"hausts itself in the a t of staging o!!uni ation. Jathe# than p#odu ing !eaning, it e"hausts itself in the staging of !eaning. / giganti p#o ess of si!ulation that is ve#$ fa!ilia#. The nondi#e tive inte#vie&, spee h, listene#s &ho all in, pa#ti ipation at eve#$ level, 'la 0- !ail th#ough spee h) NEou a#e on e#ned, $ou a#e the event, et .N +o#e and !o#e info#!ation is invaded '$ this 0ind of phanto! ontent, this ho!eopathi g#afting, this a&a0ening d#ea! of o!!uni ation. / i# ula# a##ange!ent th#ough &hi h one stages the desi#e of the audien e, the anti theate# of o!!uni ation, &hi h, as one 0no&s, is neve# an$thing 'ut the #e $ ling in the negative of the t#aditional institution, the integ#ated i# uit of the negative. I!!ense ene#gies a#e deplo$ed to hold this si!ula #u! at 'a$, to avoid the '#utal desi!ulation that-&ould onf#ont us in the fa e of the o'vious #ealit$ of a #adi al loss of !eaning. It is useless to as0 if it is the loss of o!!uni ation that p#odu es this es alation in the si!ula #u!, o# &hethe# it is the si!ula #u! that is the#e fi#st fo# dissuasive ends, to sho#t- i# uit in advan e an$ possi'ilit$ of o!!uni ation -p#e ession of the !odel that alls an end to the #eal.. Cseless to as0 &hi h is the fi#st te#!, the#e is none, it is a i# ula# p#o ess-that of si!ulation, that of the h$pe##eal. The h$pe##ealit$ of o!!uni ation and of !eaning. +o#e #eal than the #eal, that is ho& the #eal is a'olished. Thus not onl$ o!!uni ation 'ut the so ial fun tions in a losed i# uit, as a lu#e-to &hi h the fo# e of !$th is atta hed. 4elief, faith in info#!ation atta h the!selves to this tautologi al p#oof that the s$ste! gives of itself '$ dou'ling the signs of an unlo ata'le #ealit$. 4ut one an 'elieve that this 'elief is as a!'iguous as that &hi h &as atta hed to !$ths in an ient so ieties. *ne 'oth 'elieves and doesn%t. *ne does not as0 oneself, NI 0no& ve#$ &ell, 'ut still.N / so#t of inve#se si!ulation in the !asses, in ea h one of us, o##esponds to this si!ulation of !eaning and of o!!uni ation in &hi h this s$ste! en loses us. To this tautolog$ of the s$ste! the !asses #espond &ith a!'ivalen e, to dete##en e the$ #espond &ith disaffe tion, o# &ith an al&a$s enig!ati 'elief. +$th e"ists, 'ut one !ust gua#d against thin0ing that people 'elieve in it) this is the t#ap of #iti al thin0ing that an onl$ 'e e"e# ised if it p#esupposes the naivete and stupidit$ of the !asses.

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Fear and demoni<ation of the 7new right8 is what gives it its power * the more the right is opposed and scapegoated, the more legitimacy and political authority it gains. .nstead of fighting for ideology, we need to reali<e that the line between right and left is meaningless and unhelpful.
audrillard in !I [Jean, +a$ 7, / DonBu#ation of I!'e iles] The#e has 'een a shatte#ing #efo#!ulation. The #ight used to e!'od$ !o#al values and the left, '$ ont#ast, used to #ep#esent an antagonisti !ode of histo#i al and politi al e"igen $. 4ut toda$ the left is dep#ived of its politi al ene#g$. It has 'e o!e a pu#el$ !o#alisti la&-!a0ing st#u tu#e, a #ep#esentative of unive#sal values, a sa #ed holde# of the #eign of Ki#tue, and an in a#nation of anti(uated values su h as Aood o# T#uth. It no& a ts as a Bu#isdi tion &hi h as0s eve#$one to a t #esponsi'l$ &hile still g#anting itself the #ight to #e!ain irresponsible. The politi al illusion of the left -&hi h had #e!ained f#o3en du#ing t&ent$ $ea#s of opposition. tu#ned into a platfo#! of histo#i al !o#alit$ -and not of histo#i al di#e tion. on e it a!e to po&e#. It then 'e a!e the holde# of a !o#alit$ of t#uthfulness, 'asi #ights, and good ons ien e, having thus #ea hed a 3e#o deg#ee on the politi al s ale and, undou'tedl$, the lo&est point of the genealog$ of !o#als. Its !o#ali3ation of all values !a#0ed its histo#i al failu#e -and the failu#e of thin0ing in gene#al.. 1in e then, even #ealit$, the p#in iple of #ealit$, has 'e o!e an a t of faith. T#$ to (uestion the #ealit$ of &a#, fo# e"a!ple, and $ou i!!ediatel$ 'e o!e a 'et#a$e# of !o#al la&. With the left and the t#aditional #ight 'oth dep#ived of politi al su'stan e, &he#e has the politi al gone to@ Well, si!pl$, it has !oved to the fa# #ight. /s 4#uno Fatou# so a u#atel$ noted the othe# da$ in Fe +onde, the onl$ politi al dis ou#se toda$ in ,#an e is that of Fe Men%s ,#ont 2ational. /ll the #est is !o#al and pedagogi dis ou#se, tea he#s% lessons and le tu#e#s% ti#ades, !anage#s% #heto#i and p#og#a!!e#s% Ba#gon. 4$ ont#ast, having given hi!self to evil and i!!o#alit$, Fe Men has 'een a'le to ta0e ove# all of the politi al, the #e!nant of &hat has 'een a'andoned o# voluntarily re+ected '$ a politi al ideolog$ of Aood deeds and Enlighten!ent values. The !o#e he is antagoni3ed '$ a !o#al oalition -a sign of politi al i!poten e., the !o#e he enBo$s the 'enefits of politi al i!!o#alit$, the 'enefits &hi h o!e &ith 'eing the onl$ one on the side of evil. In the past, &heneve# the t#aditional #ight de ided to i!ple!ent an ideolog$ of !o#alit$ and o#de#, $ou ould al&a$s ount on the left, al&a$s atte!pting to antagoni3e those so- alled !o#al values in the na!e of politi al lai!s. 4ut toda$, the left is e"pe#ien ing the sa!e ondition that on e ha#a te#i3ed the t#aditional #ight. 1uddenl$ #esponsi'le fo# the defense of !o#al o#de#, the left has no hoi e 'ut to &itness the slippage of a'andoned politi al ene#gies to&a#d politi al fo# es &hi h do not hesitate to antagoni3e its ne&l$ #eated o#de#. Donve#sel$, the left 0eeps on #ea tivating the sou# e of evil '$ ontinuing to e!'od$ the #ule of vi#tue, &hi h of ou#se is nothing !o#e than the #ule of sup#e!e h$po #is$. If Fe Men did not e"ist, &e &ould have to invent himL Indeed, it is than0s to hi! that &e an get #id of ou# evil sha#e, of &hat is the &o#st pa#t of us. It is as su h that &e an u#se Fe Men. If he &e#e to disappea#, ho&eve#, &e &ould 'e left 'egging fo# pit$L We &ould 'e left st#uggling &ith ou# o&n #a ist, se"ist, and nationalist -eve#$one%s fate. vi#uses. 1i!pl$, &e &ould 'e a'andoned to the !u#de#ous negativit$ of so iet$. /s su h, Fe Men is the pe#fe t !i##o# of the politi al lass &hi h uses hi! to onBu#e up its o&n evils, Bust as eve#$
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individual uses the politi al lass to ast a&a$ an$ fo#! of o##uption inhe#ent to so iet$ -'oth a#e si!ila# t$pes of o##upt and atha#ti fun tions.. T#$ing to put an end to this, t#$ing to pu#if$ so iet$ and !o#ali3e pu'li life, t#$ing to e#adi ate &hat lai!s to e!'od$ evil is a o!plete !isunde#standing of the &a$ evil ope#ates, of the &a$ politi s itself ope#ates. *pting fo# a !ode of unilate#al denun iation, and igno#ing the ve#$ p#in iple of #eve#si'ilit$ of evil, antiFe Men suppo#te#s have left hi! &ith a !onopolisti ont#ol ove# the evil sha#e. 6aving thus 'een ast a&a$, Fe Men an no longe# 'e dislodged. 4$ de!oni3ing hi! in the na!e of vi#tue, the politi al lass si!pl$ offe#s hi! a !ost o!fo#ta'le situation. Fe Men si!pl$ has to pi 0 up and #e $ le the dis ou#se of a!'ivalen e, of denial of evil, and of h$po #is$ that his opponents onstantl$ th#o& at hi! in the ou#se of thei# 'attle fo# the defense of la& o# the defense of a good ause. Fe Men%s ene!ies p#ovide hi! &ith the ene#g$ he needs. Too eage# to dis #edit hi!, the$ si!pl$ t#ansfo#! his !ista0es into -his o&n. vi to#ies. The$ do not see that good neve# o!es f#o! a pu#ifi ation of evil -evil al&a$s #etaliates in a fo# eful &a$., 'ut #athe# f#o! a su'tle t#eat!ent &hi h tu#ns evil against itself. /ll this sho&s us that Fe Men !a$ 'e the e!'odi!ent of &o#thlessness and idio $. 2o dou'tL 4ut he is a'ove all the s$!pto! of his opponents% stupidit$. The i!'e iles a#e those &ho, '$ denoun ing hi!, 'latantl$ #eveal thei# o&n i!poten e and idio $ and gla#ingl$ de!onst#ate ho& a'su#d it is to antagoni3e hi! fa e to fa e. The$ si!pl$ have not unde#stood the #ules of evil that his ga!e of !usi al hai#s follo&. 4$ ontinuing to antagoni3e hi!, the i!'e iles give life to thei# o&n ghosts, thei# negative dou'les. This sho&s, indeed, a te##if$ing la 0 of lu idit$ on thei# pa#t. 4ut &hat d#ives su h a pe#ve#se effe t, the fa t that the left #e!ains t#apped in a dis ou#se of denun iation &he#eas Fe Men !aintains a p#ivilege of enun iation@ What pushes one to gain all the p#ofits f#o! the #i!e &hile the othe# suffe#s the negative effe ts of #e #i!ination@ What auses one to Nget offN [s%e latant] &ith evil &hen the othe# gets lost &ith the vi ti!@ Well, it%s (uite si!ple. 4$ in a# e#ating Fe Men in a ghetto, it is in fa t the de!o #ati left &hi h 'e o!es in a# e#ated and &hi h affi#!s itself as a dis #i!inato#$ po&e#. It 'e o!es e"iled &ithin its o&n o'session and auto!ati all$ g#ants a p#ivilege of Busti e to &hat it de!oni3es. /nd, of ou#se, Fe Men neve# !isses an oppo#tunit$ to lai! #epu'li an legalit$ and fai#ness on his 'ehalf. 4ut it is a'ove all on the i!agina#$ 'ut ve#$ p#egnant figu#e of the #e'el and pe#se uted soul that he esta'lishes his p#estige. Thus, he an enBo$ the onse(uen es of 'oth legalit$ and illegalit$. / vi ti! of ost#a is!, Fe Men has an in #edi'le f#eedo! of language and an deplo$ an un!at hed a##ogan e of Budge!ent, so!ething that the left has dep#ived itself of. Fet%s give an e"a!ple of su h a !agi al thought that toda$ stands in fo# politi al thought. Fe Men is 'la!ed fo# the senti!ent of #eBe tion and e" lusion of i!!ig#ants in ,#an e. 4ut this is Bust a d#op in an o ean of so ial e" lusion that has ove#&hel!ed all of so iet$ -#e entl$, e" lusion itself, as &ell as the Nso ial '#ea0do&nN that politi ians li0e to !ention, &e#e all e" luded '$ the de #ee signed '$ the M#esident of the Jepu'li to dissolve the 2ational /sse!'l$.. We a#e all 'oth #esponsi'le and vi ti! at the sa!e ti!e of this ine"t#i a'le and o!ple" p#o ess of e" lusion. The#e is so!ething t$pi all$ !agi al in the
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need to onBu#e up this vi#us, &hi h is eve#$&he#e to 'e found -it is a di#e t fun tion of ou# so ial and te hni al Np#og#essN., and in the desi#e to e"o# ise the u#se of e" lusion -and ou# i!poten e '$ the sa!e to0en. th#ough the figu#e of a hated !an, institution, o# o#gani3ation, no !atte# &ho o# &hat the$ a#e. It is as if &e &e#e fa ed &ith a tu!o# in need of e"t#a tion &he#eas, in fa t, the !etastases have al#ead$ e"panded eve#$&he#e. The ,#ont 2ational si!pl$ follo&s the ou#se of the so ial !etastases, and is all the !o#e vi#ulent sin e people thin0 that the$ have e#adi ated the disease &hen, in fa t, it has al#ead$ infe ted the enti#e 'od$. 2ot to !ention that this p#o ess of !agi al p#oBe tion of the ,#ont 2ational ta0es pla e along the sa!e lines as this pa#t$%s o&n p#o ess of de!oni3ation of i!!ig#ants. *ne !ust al&a$s 'e suspi ious of the #use of onta!ination, a #use &hi h, '$ !eans of the t#anspa#en $ of evil, !utates positivit$ into negativit$, and a de!and fo# li'e#t$ into Nde!o #ati despotis!.N /s usual, it is a (uestion of #eve#si'ilit$, of a su'tle en i# le!ent of evil &hose #ational intelligen e is neve# suspe ted. While !ode#n patholog$ tells us a lot a'out the ph$si al 'od$, &e do not pa$ attention to this !ode of anal$sis &hen it o!es to the so ial 'od$. To #e!ain &ithin the politi al, &e !ust step a&a$ f#o! ideolog$ and loo0 at things th#ough the lens of so ial ph$si s. *u# de!o #ati so iet$ is a stasis. Fe Men is a !etastasis. Alo'al so iet$ is d$ing of ine#tia and i!!une defi ien $. Fe Men is si!pl$ the visi'le t#ans #iption of su h a vi#al ondition7 he is the spe ta ula# p#oBe tion of the vi#us. This happens in d#ea!s too. Fe Men is a 'u#les(ue, hallu inato#$ figu#ation of a latent state, of a silent ine#tia aused '$ fo# ed integ#ation and s$ste!ati e" lusion. 1in e the hope of finall$ u#ing so ial ine(ualities has t#ul$ disappea#ed -'$ and la#ge., it is no su#p#ise if #esent!ent has !oved to the level of #a ial ine(ualit$. The failu#e of the so ial e"plains the su ess of the #a ial -and of all the othe# fatal st#ategies.. /s su h, Fe Men is the onl$ savage anal$st in toda$%s so iet$. The fa t that he is pla ed on the fa# #ight is !e#el$ the sad #esult of the fa t that anal$sts a#e no longe# to 'e found on the left o# the fa# left. Judges, intelle tuals no longe# anal$3e. *nl$ the i!!ig#ants pe#haps, as pola# opposites, ould 'e o!e anal$sts too. 4ut the$ al#ead$ have 'een #e $ led '$ a good and #esponsi'le hu!anita#ian thought. Fe Men is the onl$ one &ho ope#ates a #adi al e#asu#e of the so- alled distin tion 'et&een #ight and left. This is, no dou't, an e#asu#e '$ default. 4ut the ha#sh #iti is! of this onventional distin tion &hi h &as unleashed in the 1:6Ps -and ul!inated in 1:6I. has unfo#tunatel$ disappea#ed f#o! the politi al s ene toda$. Fe Men si!pl$ #e upe#ates a de fa to situation that the politi al lass #efuses to onf#ont -it even uses ele tions to den$ it., 'ut &hose e"t#e!e onse(uen es &ill 'e felt so!e da$. If, one da$, politi al i!agination, politi al &ill, and politi al de!and hope to #e'ound, the$ &ill have to ta0e into a ount the #adi al a'olition of the anti(uated and a#tifi ial distin tion 'et&een #ight and left, &hi h, in fa t, has 'een la#gel$ da!aged and o!p#o!ised ove# the past de ades, and &hi h onl$ holds toda$ th#ough so!e so#t of o!pli it o##uption on 'oth sides. This distin tion is dead in p#a ti e 'ut, '$ !eans of an in u#a'le #evisionis!, is onstantl$ #eaffi#!ed. Thus, Fe Men is the onl$ one &ho !a0es up the ne& politi al s ene, as if eve#$one else had al#ead$ ag#eed to dest#o$ &hat%s left of de!o #a $, pe#haps to p#odu e the #et#ospe tive illusion that it a tuall$ used to !ean so!ething.

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,xtend the audrillard !I evidence. 6ere)s the argument. The classical left3 wing of politics has become useless * it tries to defend classical morality, and portrays the right as immoral, a reversal of their classical roles. 6owever, the more the left says the right is immoral, the more power the right gains, because it can utili<e it)s outsider status to generate concern and support. For example, if an -ryan parade is shut down, the organi<ers go claim their freedom of speech has been violated, and so get people who otherwise would disagree with their ideology to support them. Their arguments perpetuate the same problem. The left also demands the existence of a right, so that we can cast all our fears and social concerns onto it to purge ourselves of them and feel pure and moral in ourselves. /capegoating the right gives it more power, because it can use its immoral status to gain a sort of demonic appeal, and if the right were ever destroyed we would have to recreate it to avoid facing our own political demons. Their effort to avoid the rise of the new right ends up +ust giving it more power and ensuring it will continue to dominate. The way out is to recogni<e that the division between left and right has become fundamentally meaningless and impairs our understanding politics. 1e+ect the artificial distinction they draw in order to solve the impacts they claim.

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The real is being replaced by the hyperreal, a giant metaphorical 0isney &orld, where images replace reality and become eternal and infinitely repeating in the virtual universe, where the real has become a spectacle, but instead of being outside looking in, we are the spectacle, constant participants in a reality show of violence.
audrillard in !E [Jean, +a# h ;, N?isne$&o#ld Do!pan$N] 4ut the ?isne$ ente#p#ise goes 'e$ond the i!agina#$. ?isne$, the p#e u#so#, the g#and initiato# of the i!agina#$ as vi#tual #ealit$, is no& in the p#o ess of aptu#ing all the #eal &o#ld to integ#ate it into its s$ntheti unive#se, in the fo#! of a vast N#ealit$ sho&N &he#e #ealit$ itself 'e o!es a spe ta le [vient se donne# en spe ta le], &he#e the #eal 'e o!es a the!e pa#0. The t#ansfusion of the #eal is li0e a 'lood t#ansfusion, e" ept that he#e it is a t#ansfusion of #eal 'lood into the e"sanguine unive#se of vi#tualit$. /fte# the p#ostitution of the i!agina#$, he#e is no& the hallu ination of the #eal in its ideal and si!plified ve#sion. /t ?isne$ Wo#ld in *#lando, the$ a#e even 'uilding an identi al #epli a of the Fos /ngeles ?isne$land, as a so#t of histo#i al att#a tion to the se ond deg#ee, a si!ula #u! to the se ond po&e#. It is the sa!e thing that D22 did &ith the Aulf Wa#) a p#otot$pi al event &hi h did not ta0e pla e, 'e ause it too0 pla e in #eal ti!e, in D22%s instantaneous !ode. Toda$, ?isne$ ould easil$ #evisit the Aulf Wa# as a &o#ld&ide sho&. The Jed /#!$ hoi#s have al#ead$ ele'#ated Dh#ist!as at Eu#o ?isne$. Eve#$thing is possi'le, and eve#$thing is #e $ la'le in the pol$!o#phous unive#se of vi#tualit$. Eve#$thing an 'e 'ought ove#. The#e is no #eason &h$ ?isne$ &ould not ta0e ove# the hu!an geno!e, &hi h, '$ the &a$, is al#ead$ 'eing #ese(uen ed, to tu#n it into a geneti sho&. In the end [au fond], the$ &ould cryogeni<e the enti#e planet, Bust li0e Walt ?isne$ hi!self &ho de ided to 'e #$ogeni3ed in a nit#ogen solution, &aiting fo# so!e 0ind of #esu##e tion in the #eal &o#ld. 4ut the#e is no #eal &o#ld an$!o#e, not even fo# Walt ?isne$. If one da$ he &a0es up, he%ll no dou't have the 'iggest su#p#ise of his life. +ean&hile, f#o! the 'otto! of his nit#ogen solution he ontinues to oloni3e the &o#ld - 'oth the i!agina#$ and the #eal - in the spe t#al unive#se of vi#tual #ealit$, inside &hi h &e all have 'e o!e e"t#as [figu#ants]. The diffe#en e is that &hen &e put on ou# digital suits, plug in ou# senso#ial apto#s, o# p#ess the 0e$s of ou# vi#tual #ealit$ a# ade, &e ente# live spe t#alit$ &he#eas ?isne$, the genial anti ipato#, has ente#ed the vi#tual #ealit$ of death. The 2e& Wo#ld *#de# is in a ?isne$ !ode. 4ut ?isne$ is not alone in this !ode of anni'alisti att#a tion. We sa& 4enetton &ith his o!!e# ial a!paigns, t#$ing to #e upe#ate the hu!an d#a!a of the ne&s -/I?1, 4osnia, pove#t$, apa#theid. '$ t#ansfusing #ealit$ into a 2e& +ediati ,igu#ation -a pla e &he#e suffe#ing and o!!ise#ation end in a !ode of inte#a tive #esonan e.. The vi#tual ta0es ove# the #eal as it appea#s, and then #epli ates it &ithout an$ !odifi ation [le #e #a he tel (uel], in a p#et-a-po#te# -#ead$-to-&ea#. fashion. If this ope#ation an 'e so su essful in #eating a unive#sal fas ination &ith onl$ a tint of !o#al disapp#oval, it is 'e ause #ealit$ itself, the &o#ld itself, &ith its f#en3$ of loning has al#ead$ 'een t#ansfo#!ed into an inte#a tive pe#fo#!an e, so!e 0ind of Funapa#0 fo# ideologies, te hnologies, &o#0s, 0no&ledge, death, and even dest#u tion. /ll this is li0el$ to 'e loned and #esu##e ted in a Buvenile !useu! of I!agination o# a vi#tual !useu! of Info#!ation.
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1i!ila#l$, it is useless to 0eep sea# hing fo# o!pute# vi#uses sin e &e a#e all aught in a vi#al hain of net&o#0s an$&a$. Info#!ation itself has 'e o!e vi#al7 pe#haps not se"uall$ t#ans!issi'le $et, 'ut !u h !o#e po&e#ful th#ough its nu!e#i al p#opagation. /nd so it does not ta0e !u h &o#0 fo# ?isne$ to s oop up #ealit$, su h as it is. N1pe ta ula# In .,N as Au$ ?e'o#d &ould sa$. 4ut &e a#e no longe# in a so iet$ of spe ta le, &hi h itself has 'e o!e a spe ta ula# on ept. It is no longe# the ontagion of spe ta le that alte#s #ealit$, 'ut #athe# the ontagion of vi#tualit$ that e#ases the spe ta le. ?isne$land still 'elonged to the o#de# of the spe ta le and of fol0lo#e, &ith its effe ts of ente#tain!ent [dist#a tion] and distan iation [distan e]. ?isne$ Wo#ld and its tenta ula# e"tension is a gene#ali3ed !etastasis, a loning of the &o#ld and of ou# !ental unive#se, not in the i!agina#$ 'ut in a vi#al and vi#tual !ode. We a#e no longe# alienated and passive spe tato#s 'ut inte#a tive e"t#as [figu#ants inte#a tifs]7 &e a#e the !ee0 l$ophili3ed !e!'e#s of this huge N#ealit$ sho&.N It is no longe# a spe ta ula# logi of alienation 'ut a spe t#al logi of disin a#nation7 no longe# a fantasti logi of dive#sion, 'ut a o#pus ula# logi of t#ansfusion and t#ansu'stantiation of all ou# ells7 an ente#p#ise of #adi al dete##en e of the &o#ld f#o! the inside and no longe# f#o! outside, si!ila# to the (uasi-nostalgi unive#se of apitalisti #ealit$ toda$. 4eing an e"t#a [figu#ant] in vi#tual #ealit$ is no longe# 'eing an a to# o# a spe tato#. It is to 'e out of the s ene [ho#s-s ene], to 'e o's ene. ?isne$ &ins at $et anothe# level. It is not onl$ inte#ested in e#asing the #eal '$ tu#ning it into a th#eedi!ensional vi#tual i!age &ith no depth, 'ut it also see0s to e#ase ti!e '$ s$n h#oni3ing all the pe#iods, all the ultu#es, in a single t#aveling !otion, '$ Bu"taposing the! in a single s ena#io. Thus, it !a#0s the 'eginning of #eal, pun tual and unidi!ensional ti!e, &hi h is also &ithout depth. 2o p#esent, no past, no futu#e, 'ut an i!!ediate s$n h#onis! of all the pla es and all the pe#iods in a single atemporal virtuality. Fapse o# ollapse of ti!e) that%s p#ope#l$ spea0ing &hat the fou#th di!ension [la (uat#ie!e di!ension] is a'out. It is the di!ension of the vi#tual, of #eal ti!e7 a di!ension &hi h, fa# f#o! adding to the othe#s, e#ases the! all. /nd so it has 'een said that, in a entu#$ o# in a !illenniu!, gladiato# !ovies &ill 'e &at hed as if the$ &e#e authenti Jo!an !ovies, dating 'a 0 to the e#a of the Jo!an e!pi#e, as #eal do u!enta#ies on /n ient Jo!e7 that in the John Maul Aett$ +useu! in +ali'u, a pasti he of a Mo!peian villa, &ill 'e onfused, in an ana h#onisti !anne#, &ith a villa of the thi#d entu#$ 4.D. -in luding the pie es inside f#o! Je!'#andt, ,#a /ngeli o, eve#$thing onfused in a single #ush of ti!e.7 that the ele'#ation of the ,#en h Jevolution in Fos /ngeles in 1:I: &ill #et#ospe tivel$ 'e onfused &ith the #eal #evolutiona#$ event. ?isne$ #eali3es de fa to su h an ate!po#al utopia '$ p#odu ing all the events, past o# futu#e, on si!ultaneous s #eens, and '$ ine"o#a'l$ !i"ing all the se(uen es as the$ &ould o# &ill appea# to a diffe#ent ivili3ation than ou#s. 4ut it is al#ead$ ou#s. It is !o#e and !o#e diffi ult fo# us to i!agine the #eal, 6isto#$, the depth of ti!e, o# th#ee-di!ensional spa e, Bust as 'efo#e it &as diffi ult, f#o! ou# #eal &o#ld pe#spe tive, to i!agine a vi#tual unive#se o# the fou#th di!ension [la (uat#ie!e di!ension].

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The criticism is its own meaning * language will never be a reference to the real. .nstead, it should be used to further distance from the real, and return it more dis+ointed and confused than it is now.
audrillard in !H [Jean, /p#il 1:, NJadi al ThoughtN]
*u# point is not to defend #adi al thought. /n$ idea that an 'e defended is p#esu!ed guilt$. /n$ idea that does not sustain its o&n defense dese#ves to pe#ish. 4ut &e have to fight against ha#ges of un#ealit$, la 0 of #esponsi'ilit$, nihilis!, and despai#. Jadi al thought is neve# dep#essing. This &ould 'e a o!plete !isunde#standing. / !o#ali3ing and ideologi al #iti(ue, o'sessed '$ !eaning and ontent, o'sessed '$ a politi al finalit$ of dis ou#se, neve# ta0es into a ount &#iting, the a t of &#iting, the poeti , i#oni , and allusive fo#! of language, the pla$ &ith !eaning. This #iti(ue does not see that the #esolution of !eaning is #ight he#e, in the fo#! itself, in the fo#!al !ate#ialit$ of an e"p#ession. /s fo# !eaning, it is al&a$s unfo#tunate. /nal$sis is '$ its ve#$ definition unfo#tunate sin e it is 'o#n out of a #iti al disillusion. 4ut language on the ont#a#$ is fo#tunate -happ$., even &hen it designates a &o#ld &ith no illusion, &ith no hope. This &ould in fa t 'e he#e the ve#$ definition of #adi al thought) an intelligen e &ithout hope, 'ut a fo#tunate and happ$ fo#!. D#iti s, al&a$s 'eing unfo#tunate -unhapp$. in thei# natu#e, hoose the #eal! of ideas as thei# 'attle field. The$ do not see that if dis ou#se al&a$s tends to p#odu e !eaning, language and &#iting on the ont#a#$ a#e al&a$s a !atte# of illusion. Fanguage and &#iting a#e the living illusion of !eaning, the #esolution of the !isfo#tune of !eaning ope#ated th#ough the good fo#tune of language. This is the only politi al o# t#anspoliti al a t that a &#ite# an a o!plish. Eve#$one has ideas, even !o#e than the$ need. What !atte#s is the poeti singula#it$ of anal$sis. *nl$ this &it3, this spi#itualit$ of language, an Bustif$ &#iting. 2ot a !ise#a'le #iti al o'Be tivit$ of ideas. The#e &ill neve# 'e a solution to the ont#adi tion of ideas, e" ept inside language itself, in the ene#g$ and fo#tune -happiness. of language. 1o the loneliness and sadness in Ed&a#d 6oppe#%s paintings a#e t#ansfigu#ed '$ the ti!eless (ualit$ of light, a light &hi h o!es f#o! so!e pla e else and gives to the &hole pi tu#e a totall$ non-figu#ative !eaning, an intensit$ &hi h #ende#s loneliness un#eal. 6oppe# sa$s) NI do not paint sadness o# loneliness7 I onl$ see0 to paint light on this &all.N In an$ ase, it is 'ette# to have a despai#ing anal$sis in a happ$ language than an opti!isti anal$sis in despai#ingl$ 'o#ing and de!o#ali3ingl$ plain language. Whi h is too often the ase. The fo#!al 'o#edo! that is se #eted '$ an idealist thought on values, o# '$ a goal-o#iented thought on ultu#e, is the se #et sign of despai# fo# this thought - not despai# &ith the &o#ld, 'ut despai# to&a#d its o&n dis ou#se. This is &he#e the #eal dep#essing thought e!e#ges. It e!e#ges &ith those people &ho onl$ tal0 a'out a t#ans enden e o# a t#ansfo#!ation of the &o#ld, &hile the$ a#e totall$ unable to t#ansfigu#e thei# o&n language. Jadi al thought is in no &a$ diffe#ent f#o! #adi al usage of language. This thought is the#efo#e alien to an$ #esolution of the &o#ld &hi h &ould ta0e the di#e tion of an o'Be tive #ealit$ and of its de iphe#ing. Jadi al thought does not de iphe#. It anathe!ati3es and Nanag#a!ati3esN on epts and ideas, e"a tl$ &hat poeti language does &ith &o#ds. Th#ough its #eve#si'le haining, it si!ultaneousl$ gives an a ount of
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!eaning and of its funda!ental illusion. Fanguage gives an a ount of the ve#$ illusion of language as a definite st#atage! and th#ough that notes the illusion of the &o#ld as an infinite t#ap, as a sedu tion of the !ind, as a stealing a&a$ of all !ental apa ities. While 'eing a t#anspo#te# of !eaning, language is at the sa!e ti!e a sup#a- ondu to# of illusion and of the a'sen e of !eaning. Fanguage is onl$ signifi ation%s unintentional a o!pli e. 4$ its ve#$ fo# e, it alls fo# the spi#itual i!agination of sounds and #h$th!s, fo# the dispe#sion of !eaning in the event of language, si!ila# to the #ole of the !us les in dan e, si!ila# to the #ole of #ep#odu tion in e#oti ga!es. 1u h a passion fo# the a#tifi ial, a passion fo# illusion, is the sa!e thing as the sedu tive Bo$ -Bouissan e. to undo a too pe#fe t onstellation of !eaning. It is also a Bo$ -Bouissan e. to #ende# t#anspa#ent the i!postu#e of the &o#ld, that is to sa$ the enig!ati fun tion of the &o#ld, and its !$stifi ation &hi h supposedl$ is its se #et. ?oing this &hile pe#haps #ende#ing its i!postu#e t#anspa#ent) de eiving #athe# than validating !eaning. This passion N&insN in the f#ee and spi#itual usage of language, in the spi#itual ga!e of &#iting. /nd it onl$ disappea#s &hen language is used fo# a li!ited finalit$, its !ost o!!on usage pe#haps, that of communication. 2o !atte# &hat, if language &ants to Nspea0 the languageN of illusion, it !ust 'e o!e a sedu tion. /s fo# Nspea0ing the languageN of the #eal, it &ould not know how to do it -p#ope#l$ spea0ing. 'e ause language is never real. Wheneve# it appea#s to 'e a'le to designate things, it a tuall$ does so '$ follo&ing un#eal, ellipti , and i#oni paths. *'Be tivit$ and t#uth a#e !etapho#i in language. Too 'ad fo# the apodi ti ians o# the apodida ti iansL This is ho& language is, even un ons iousl$, the a##ie# of #adi al thought, 'e ause it al&a$s sta#ts f#o! itself, as a t#ait d%esp#it vis-a-vis the &o#ld, as an ellipse and a sou# e of pleasu#e. Even the onfusion of languages in the To&e# of 4a'el, a po&e#ful !e hanis! of illusion fo# the hu!an #a e, a sou# e of non- o!!uni ation and an end to the possi'ilit$ of a unive#sal language, &ill have appea#ed, finall$, not as a divine punish!ent 'ut as a gift f#o! Aod. Diphe#ing, not de iphe#ing. *pe#ating illusions. 4eing illusion to 'e event. Tu#ning into an enig!a &hat is lea#. +a0ing unintelligi'le &hat is fa# too intelligi'le. Jende#ing un#eada'le the event itself. Wo#0ing all the events to !a0e the! unintelligi'le. / entuating the fa0e t#anspa#en $ of the &o#ld to sp#ead a te##o#isti onfusion, to sp#ead the ge#!s o# vi#uses of a #adi al illusion, that is to sa$ ope#ating a #adi al disillusion of the #eal. / vi#al and delete#ious thought, &hi h o##upts !eaning, and is the a o!pli e of an e#oti pe# eption of #ealit$%s t#ou'le. E#asing in oneself an$ #e!aining t#a e of the intelle tual plot. 1tealing the N#ealit$ fileN to e#ase its on lusions. 4ut, in fa t, it is #ealit$ itself &hi h fo!ents its o&n ont#adi tion, its o&n denial, its o&n loss th#ough ou# la 0 of #ealit$. 6en e, the inte#nal feeling that all this affai# - the &o#ld, thought, and language - has e!e#ged f#o! so!e pla e else and ould disappea# as if '$ !agi . The &o#ld does not see0 to have !o#e e"isten e, no# does it see0 to pe#sist in its e"isten e. *n the ont#a#$, it is loo0ing fo# the !ost spi#itual &a$ to es ape #ealit$. Th#ough thought, the &o#ld is loo0ing fo# &hat ould lead to its o&n loss. The a'solute #ule, that of s$!'oli e" hange, is to #etu#n &hat $ou #e eived. 2eve# less, 'ut al&a$s !o#e. The a'solute #ule of thought is to #etu#n the &o#ld as &e #e eived it) unintelligi'le. /nd if it is possi'le, to #etu#n it a little 'it !o#e unintelligi'le. / little 'it !o#e enig!ati .

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&e reali<e debate is a game designed to foster argument and education. 6owever, it)s more important to consider how we)re playing the game than who is winning within it * the imaginary impacts of their case don)t matter until they +ustify the rhetoric used to +ustify it. That)s best for debate because2 First, it)s realistic. Fiat doesn)t really exist, the plan won)t be passed at the end of the round regardless of which way you vote. The burden of proof is on them to show that this is uniquely good for debate. /econd, fiat3centered debate encourages ridiculous and anti3educational strategies, like politics disadvantages and the race to the most nuclear war impacts, which have nothing to do with the real world and detracts from focus on the affirmative case, where the most deep and educational clash lies. Third, speaking in abstraction about what form the world should take through fiat ignores and marginali<es all the people who would be affected. $ayar in !! [Ja$an, ,all, 1 hool of Fa&, Cnive#sit$ of Wa#&i 0 T#ansnational Fa& O Donte!po#a#$ M#o'le!s *#de#s of Inhu!anit$]
Fo ated &ithin a site of p#ivilege, and ha#ged to #efle t upon the g#and (uestions of &o#ld-o#de# and the hu!an ondition as the thi#d Dh#istian +illenniu! da&ns, &e a#e te!pted to tu#n the !ind to the tas0 of a'st#a t i!aginings of N&hat ould 'eN of ou# N&o#ld,N and Nho& should &e o#gani3eN ou# Nhu!anit$.N Me#haps su h onte!plations a#e a ne essa#$ antidote to $ni is! and s0epti is! #ega#ding an$ possi'ilit$ of hu!an 'ette#!ent, a ne essa#$ #evitali3ation of #iti al and #eative ene#gies to he 0 the o!pla en ies of the state of things as the$ a#e. n1 6o&eve#, i!agining [Q6P1] possi'ilities of a'st#a tions--N&o#ld-o#de#,N Ninte#national so iet$,N Nthe glo'al village,N Nthe fa!il$ of hu!an0ind,N et .--does a##$ &ith it a #is0. The NtotalN vie& that is the ta0e-off point fo# dis ou#ses on p#efe##ed N&o#ld-o#de#N futu#es #is0s defle tion as the a'st#a ted p#oBe tions it p#ovo0es !ight entail little onse(uen e fo# the fa es and the na!es of the hu!anit$ on &hose 'ehalf &e !ight spea0. 1o, &hat do &e do@

Fourth, our criticism is an attack on the +ustifications for their fiat impacts, which is like attacking the warrant behind a claim. They can)t say the claim will be true or outweigh until they +ustify the warrant for it by refuting our criticism. Fifth, we make teams responsible for their discourse. .f fiat impacts could outweigh, there)d be no way to critici<e teams for using sexist, racist, or otherwise offensive language because they could claim their nuclear war impacts are more important. -s members of the debate community, we have an obligation to be sure our activity isn)t used to marginali<e others, which is what fiat allows.

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/ixth, fiat encourages a spectator mentality where real events become tools in our game of academic debate, which is politically and intellectually unhelpful. 9itchell in != [Ao#don J., /sso iate M#ofesso#, Cnive#sit$ of Mitts'u#gh, ME?/A*AID/F
M*11I4IFITIE1 ,*J /JAC+E2T/TIKE /AE2DE I2 /D/?E+ID ?E4/TE /#gu!entation O /dvo a $, Kol. >H Issue <, p;1-6P]
While an isolated a ade!i spa e that affo#ds students an oppo#tunit$ to lea#n in a p#ote ted envi#on!ent has signifi ant pedagogi al value -see e.g. Dove#stone 1::H, p. I-:., the notion of the a ade!i de'ate tou#na!ent as a ste#ile la'o#ato#$ a##ies &ith it so!e distu#'ing i!pli ations, &hen the !etapho# is e"tended to its li!it. To the e"tent that the a ade!i spa e 'egins to ta0e on ha#a te#isti s of a la'o#ato#$, the 'a##ie#s de!a# ating su h a spa e f#o! othe# sphe#es of deli'e#ation 'e$ond the s hool g#o& taller and less pe#!ea'le. When su h 'a##ie#s #ea h insu#!ounta'le di!ensions, a#gu!entation in the a ade!i setting unfolds on a pu#el$ simulated plane, &ith students p#a ti ing #iti al thin0ing and advo a $ s0ills in st#i tl$ h$potheti al thoughtspa es. /lthough the$ !a$ #esea# h and t#a 0 pu'li a#gu!ent as it unfolds outside the onfines of the la'o#ato#$ fo# #esea# h pu#poses, in this app#oa h, students &itness a#gu!entation 'e$ond the &alls of the a ade!$ as spe tato#s, &ith little o# no appa#ent #e ou#se to di#e tl$ pa#ti ipate o# alte# the ou#se of events -see +it hell 1::H7 1::I.. The sense of deta h!ent asso iated &ith the spe tato# postu#e is highlighted du#ing episodes of alienation in &hi h de'ate#s cheer ne&s of hu!an suffe#ing o# !isfo#tune. Instead of fo using on the vis e#al negative #esponses to ne&s a ounts of hu!an death and !ise#$, de'ate#s ove# o!e &ith the o!petitive 3eal of ontest #ound o!petition sho& a tenden $ to on ent#ate on the !eanings that su h eviden e !ight hold fo# the st#ength of thei# a ade!i de'ate a#gu!ents. ,o# e"a!ple, ne&s #epo#ts of !ass sta#vation !ight tid$ up the Nuni(ueness of a disadvantageN o# 'olste# the Ninhe#en $ of an affi#!ative aseN -in the te hni al pa#lan e of de'ate-spea0.. +u# hland atego#i3es ultivation of this Nspe tato#N !entalit$ as one of the !ost politically debilitating failu#es of onte!po#a#$ edu ation) NEdu ational institutions have failed even !o#e g#ievousl$ to p#ovide the 0ind of ivi fo#u!s &e need. In fa t, one ould easil$ on lude that the p#in iple pu#poses of ou# s hools is to dep#ive su esso# gene#ations of thei# ivi voi e, to tu#n the! into !ute and un o!p#ehending spe tato#s in the d#a!a of politi al lifeN -1::1, p. I..

Gastly, note that our argument is not that fiat impacts shouldn)t be in debate. 1ather, they +ust need to be evaluated after we discuss the discursive level, so their arguments aren)t offense unless they +ustify why fiat should be at the same level as the discourse.

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6ere are the key points on the framework debate. ,xtend the J>2 fiat isn)t real. That means the burden of proof is on them to show that it)s a helpful practice for debate. .f there)s any doubt in your mind, err negative because our interpretation is more intuitive and applicable. %ur J" is game over * our critique is an attack on the mindset and images they use to +ustify their policy impacts, which is like attacking the warrant to the claim on an argument. %f course their case will seem like a good idea if you grant them all the +ustifications they provide for it. 6owever, once the warrant is removed, the claim is no longer an argument, +ust like the case is no longer a reason to vote aff. Their theory issues are irrelevant to this, because it doesn)t matter how good fiat is for debate if they can)t defend the mindset that +ustifies their case. -lso, our evidenced arguments are more important than any theoretical whines they have * fairness ceases to be an issue when we show that their framework is destructive to the activity and the real world. ,xtend our J5, the $ayar !! card. 6e says that creating the image of an ideal world we can act on, like they do with fiat, ignores the people around us and those who will be impacted by the case. ecause their focus is on a distant worldview, they don)t see the people who are being harmed now, which marginali<es any contribution those people might have to the political world. That)s terrible for debate because it encourages an elitist worldview where only the opinions of people in our academic game matter, and is irresponsible to the rest of the world. ,xtend our JE, 9itchell !=, which specifically talks about debate and fiat. 9itchell says that fiat creates a spectator mentality where we observe events in the real world without considering our ability to change them, and where tragic events become +ust another tool in a debate round instead of a reason to go do something about them, which creates political apathy in debaters and destroys any real value to the activity. -lso, this accesses our audrillard impacts, because fiat encourages debaters to cheer bad things happening to others for our simulated disads and case arguments. %ur collective en+oyment of this suffering guarantees we)ll never do anything to resolve it in their framework, which is a reason to re+ect it. $ow for the theoretical issues. ,xtend our J#, fiat requires stupid and annoying strategies like politics where everything ends in nuclear war, so we never talk or learn about the case, where the resolution is actually focused. ,xtend JH2 if fiat is weighed on the same level as discourse, teams can use terrible rhetoric and claim it doesn)t matter because their case has big impacts, which +ustifies horrible racist or sexist language that excludes people from the activity. Finally, extend the JI. Kou can still get all the benefits of fiat in debate through our framework, it +ust comes after the discourse, so none of their offense applies and they lose on our critique.

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-ff 0oesn)t 4et to (ick Framework

%ur interpretation is that the affirmative may present a framework, but then they must defend it. That)s best for debate because2 >. .t)s consistent with other debate practice * the only rule of debate is that there are no rules? teams can argue over whether certain arguments are theoretically legitimate and so on. Teams should be able to argue over what framework is used as well? this constant questioning gives the best depth of argumentation and education. #. Their interpretation destroys negative ground * affs could +ust specify their framework to get out of negative arguments they know their case is vulnerable to Alike they +ust didB, which destroys legitimate debate over whether it)s the best policy. For example, an aff could run a framework saying whites are the master race, and a plan to throw all the minorities into the ocean to prevent the fish from starving. The framework would prevent us from making our best arguments against the plan. 5. The inherent vagueness of frameworks makes this abuse effectively infinite * what exactly is a framework' . don)t know, neither do they, it)s hard to define. That means teams could reinterpret the framework in new ways every round to dodge arguments if we can)t challenge it. ". They)re unpredictable for the negative * we don)t know what framework they)ll use and which of our arguments will apply until part way through the >-C, which makes pre3round prep and disclosure useless, so we can never be prepared. H. &e increase clash * there)s argument on the framework too, hence more possible clash and education.

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The perm is literally impossible * radical thought and belief in the illusion of the real cannot be combined with an ob+ective interpretation of the world. Claiming they go together is a dangerous illusion that destroys both.

audrillard in !H [Jean, /p#il 1:, NJadi al ThoughtN] In an$ ase, the t&o o#de#s of thought a#e irreconcilable. The$ ea h follo& thei# o&n path &ithout 'lending into one anothe#. /t 'est, the$ slide on one anothe#, li0e te toni plates, and f#o! ti!e to ti!e thei# ollision o# thei# su'du tion #eates fault lines inside &hi h #ealit$ is engulfed. ,atalit$ is al&a$s at the #ossing point of these t&o lines. 1i!ila#l$, #adi al thought is at the violent #ossing point of sense and non-sense, of t#uth and non-t#uth, of the ontinuation of the &o#ld and the ontinuation of nothingness. In ont#ast to the dis ou#se of #ealit$ and #ationalit$, &hi h 'ets on the fa t that the#e is so!ething -so!e !eaning. #athe# than nothing, and &hi h, in the last anal$sis, &ants to 'e 'uilt on the p#ese#vative notion of an o'Be tive and de iphe#a'le &o#ld, #adi al thought 'ets on the illusion of the &o#ld. This thought &ants to 'e illusion, #estituting non-ve#a it$ to the fa ts, non- signifi ation to the &o#ld, and fo#!ulating the #eve#se h$pothesis that the#e !a$ 'e nothing #athe# than so!ething, t#a 0ing do&n this nothingness &hi h #uns unde# the appa#ent ontinuation of !eaning. The #adi al p#edi tion is al&a$s that of a non-#ealit$ of the fa ts, of an illusion of the fa tual. It !e#el$ sta#ts &ith the fo#e'oding of this illusion, 'ut never fuses &ith the o'Be tive state of things. /n$ fusion of this t$pe &ould 'e si!ila# to !ista0ing a !essenge# fo# his !essage, &hi h still toda$ onsists in 0illing the !essenge# &ho al&a$s '#ings the 'ad ne&s -fo# e"a!ple, the ne&s that all ou# values a#e null, that the #eal is un e#tain, that e#tain events do not Nta0e pla eN.. /n$ fusion of the thought -of &#iting, of language. &ith the #eal - a so- alled Nfaithfulness of the #ealN &ith a thought that has !ade the #eal e!e#ge in all of its onfigu#ations - is hallucinatory. It is !o#eove# the #esult of a total !isinte#p#etation of language, of the fa t that language is an illusion in its ve#$ !ove!ent, that it a##ies this ontinuation of e!ptiness o# nothingness at the ve#$ o#e of &hat it sa$s, and that it is in all its !ate#ialit$ a de onst#u tion of &hat it signifies. Just as the photog#aph -the i!age. onnotes an e#asu#e, the death of &hat it #ep#esents, that &hi h gives the photog#aph its intensit$, &hat gives intensit$ to &#iting, 'e it the &#iting of a fi tion o# the &#iting of a theo#eti al fi tion, is e!ptiness, an unde#l$ing nothingness, an illusion of !eaning, an i#oni di!ension of language, &hi h is o#olla#$ to an i#oni di!ension of the fa ts the!selves, &hi h a#e neve# &hat the$ a#e - in all !eanings) the$ a#e neve# !o#e than &hat the$ a#e, and the$ a#e al&a$s onl$ &hat the$ a#e - a pe#fe t a!phi'ol$. The i#on$ of the fa ts, in thei# !ise#a'le #ealit$, is p#e isel$ that the$ a#e onl$ &hat the$ a#e. /t least, that is &hat the$ a#e supposed to !ean) Nthe #eal is the #eal.N 4ut, '$ this ve#$ fa t -so to spea0., the$ a#e ne essa#il$ 'e$ond [t#uth] 'e ause fa tual e"isten e is i!possi'le) nothing is totall$ evidentia#$ &ithout 'e o!ing an enig!a. Jealit$, in gene#al, is too evident to 'e t#ue. It is this i#oni t#ansfigu#ation th#ough language &hi h onstitutes the event of language. /nd it is on a #estitution of this funda!ental illusion of the &o#ld and language that thought !ust &o#0, &ithout ho&eve# ta0ing language in its lite#alit$, &he#e the !essenge# is !ista0en fo# the !essage, and thus al#ead$ sa #ifi ed.

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-ny critical argument that is combined with reality is immediately robbed of its critical potential * the events are infinitely adaptable, and cynically morph to support any theory that might challenge them, which destroys the effectiveness of the theory. To be effective, the criticism must remain on the margin.
audrillard in !H [Jean, /p#il 1:, NJadi al ThoughtN]
+o#e su'tl$, #ealit$ also gets its #evenge f#o! those &ho hallenge it '$, pa#ado"i all$, p#oving that the$ a#e #ight. Wheneve# an$ #is0$ idea, an$ $ni al o# #iti al h$pothesis p#oves to 'e #ight, it in fa t tu#ns out to 'e a dirty trick. Eou a#e fooled and disa#!ed. Eou# a#gu!ents a#e la!enta'l$ onfi#!ed '$ a #ealit$ &ithout s #uples. 1o, $ou !a$ posit the idea of a si!ula #u!, and $et, se #etl$, not 'elieve in it, hoping that the #eal &ill avenge itself. The theo#$ is then not ne essa#il$ onvin ed of its o&n validit$. Cnfo#tunatel$, onl$ those &ho a#e #ealit$ fanati s #ea t negativel$. Jealit$ does not see! to 'e &illing to den$ itself, fa# f#o! it) all si!ula #a &ande# f#eel$. Jealit$ toda$ is nothing !o#e than the apo al$pse of si!ulation. Donse(uentl$, the #ealit$ suppo#te#s -&ho defend #ealit$ as if it &as a !o#al value o# a vi#tue. pla$, so to spea0, the pa#t of those &ho on e &e#e alled the fanati s of the /po al$pse. The idea of si!ula #u! &as a on eptual &eapon against #ealit$, 'ut it has 'een stolen. 2ot that it has 'een pillaged, vulga#i3ed, o# has 'e o!e o!!on-pla e-&hi h is t#ue 'ut has no onse(uen e., 'ut 'e ause si!ula #a have 'een a'so#'ed '$ #ealit$ &hi h has s&allo&ed the! and &hi h, f#o! no& on, is lad &ith all the #heto#i of si!ulation. /nd to ap it all, si!ula #a have 'e o!e #ealit$L Toda$, si!ula #a gua#antee the ontinuation of the #eal. The si!ula #u! no& hides, not the t#uth, 'ut the fa t that the#e is none, that is to sa$, the ontinuation of 2othingness. This is the ve#$ pa#ado" of an$ thought that #eveals the falsehood of the #eal) &hen #ealit$ steals $ou# on ept and #eali3es -fulfills. it, and '$ the sa!e to0en flies away f#o! an$ #iti is!. Events, dep#ived of an$ di#e tion, steal an$ possi'le !eaning. The$ adapt to the !ost fantasti h$potheses li0e natu#al spe ies and vi#uses adapt to the !ost hostile envi#on!ents. The$ sho& an e"t#ao#dina#$ !i!eti apa it$. The#e has 'een a #eve#sal he#e too) it is no longe# theo#ies that have to adapt to events, 'ut events that adapt to theories. In an$ ase, the$ !$stif$ us 'e ause a theo#$ that #eali3es itself is no longe# a theo#$. / #eali3ed h$pothesis is no longe# a h$pothesis. It is te##if$ing to see a h$pothesis 'e #eali3ed li0e this. It is te##if$ing to suddenl$ see the idea oin ide &ith #ealit$. This is the agon$ of the on ept. The epiphan$ of the #eal is the t&ilight of the on ept. We have lost the advan e that ideas had on the &o#ld, that distan e that !a0es an idea sta$ an idea. Thought !ust anti ipate, 'e e" eptional, and in the margin - the p#oBe ted shado& of the futu#e events. Eet, toda$, &e a#e lagging 'ehind the events. The$ !a$ so!eti!es give the i!p#ession that the$ #eg#ess, that the$ a#e not &hat the$ should 'e. In fa t, the$ have passed ove# us fo# a long ti!e. The si!ulated diso#de# of things has gone faste# than us. The effe t of #ealit$ has disappea#ed 'ehind the a ele#ation of things - an ana!o#phosis of speed. What happens to the hete#ogeneit$ of thought in a &o#ld that has 'een onve#ted to the #a3iest h$potheses and to an a#tifi ial deli#iu!@ In thei# a ele#ated o u##en e, the events have in a sense s&allo&ed thei# o&n inte#p#etation. Things have 'een leansed of thei# o&n !eaning. /nd onse(uentl$, the$ a#e li0e black holes and an no longe# #efle t. The$ a#e &hat the$ a#e, neve# too late fo# thei# o u##en e, 'ut al&a$s 'e$ond thei# !eaning. What is late #athe# is the inte#p#etation of things. Inte#p#etation is then !e#el$ a #et#o figu#e fo# an unp#edi ta'le event.

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- world in which thought and the real can be happily combined no longer exists * in the world of hyperreality, this ,nlightenment vision is outdated.
audrillard in !H [Jean, /p#il 1:, NJadi al ThoughtN] /ll this defines the insolu'le #elationship 'et&een thought and the #eal. / e#tain t$pe of thought is an a o!pli e of the #eal. It sta#ts &ith the h$pothesis that the#e is a #eal #efe#en e to an idea and that the#e is a possi'le NideationN of #ealit$. This is no dou't a o!fo#ting pe#spe tive, one &hi h is 'ased on !eaning and de iphe#ing. This is also a pola#it$, si!ila# to that used '$ #ead$-!ade diale ti al and philosophi al solutions. The othe# thought, on the ont#a#$, is e"- ent#i f#o! the #eal. It is an Ne"ente#ingN of the #eal &o#ld and, onse(uentl$, it is alien to a diale ti &hi h al&a$s pla$s on adve#sa#ial poles. It is even alien to #iti al thought &hi h al&a$s #efe#s to an ideal of the #eal. To so!e e"tent, this thought is not even a denial of the on ept of #ealit$. It is an illusion, that is to sa$ a Nga!eN pla$ed &ith desi#e -&hi h this thought puts Ninto pla$N., Bust li0e !etapho# is a Nga!eN pla$ed &ith t#uth. This #adi al thought o!es neithe# f#o! a philosophi al dou't no# f#o! a utopian t#ansfe#en e -&hi h al&a$s supposes an ideal t#ansfo#!ation of the #eal.. 2o# does it ste! f#o! an ideal t#ans enden e. It is the Nputting into pla$N of this &o#ld, the !ate#ial and i!!anent illusion of this so- alled N#ealN &o#ld - it is a non- #iti al, non-diale ti al thought. 1o, this thought appea#s to 'e o!ing f#o! so!e&he#e else. In an$ ase, the#e is an incompatibility 'et&een thought and the #eal. 4et&een thought and the #eal, the#e is no ne essa#$ o# natu#al t#ansition. 2ot an Nalte#nation,N not an alte#native eithe#) onl$ an Nalte#it$N 0eeps the! unde# p#essu#e. *nl$ f#a tu#e, distan e and alienation safegua#d the singula#it$ of this thought, the singula#it$ of 'eing a singula# event, si!ila# in a sense to the singula#it$ of the &o#ld th#ough &hi h it is !ade into an event. Things p#o'a'l$ did not al&a$s happen this &a$. *ne !a$ d#ea! of a happ$ onBun tion of idea and #ealit$, in the shado& of the Enlighten!ent and of !ode#nit$, in the he#oi ages of #iti al thought. 4ut that thought, &hi h ope#ated against a fo#! of illusion - supe#stitious, #eligious, o# ideologi al - is su'stantiall$ ove#. /nd even if that thought had su#vived its atast#ophi se ula#i3ation in all the politi al s$ste!s of the <Pth entu#$, the ideal and al!ost ne essa#$ #elationship 'et&een on ept and #ealit$ &ould in an$ ase have 'een dest#o$ed toda$. That thought disappea#ed unde# the p#essu#e of a giganti si!ulation, a te hni al and !ental one, unde# the p#essu#e of a p#e ession of !odels to the 'enefit of an autono!$ of the vi#tual, f#o! no& on li'e#ated f#o! the #eal, and of a
si!ultaneous autono!$ of the #eal that toda$ fun tions fo# and '$ itself - !otu p#opio - in a deli#ious pe#spe tive, infinitel$ self-#efe#ential. E"pelled, so to spea0, f#o! its o&n f#a!e, f#o! its o&n p#in iple, pushed to&a#d its e"t#aneit$, the #eal has 'e o!e an e"t#e!e pheno!enon. 1o, &e no longe# an thin0 of it as #eal. 4ut &e an thin0 of it as Ne"-o#'itated,N as if it &as seen f#o! anothe# &o#ld - as an illusion then. Fet%s ponde# ove# &hat ould 'e a stupef$ing e"pe#ien e) the dis ove#$ of anothe# #eal &o#ld, diffe#ent f#o! ou#s. *u#s, one da$, &as dis ove#ed. The o'Be tivit$ of this &o#ld &as dis ove#ed, Bust li0e /!e#i a &as dis ove#ed, !o#e o# less at the sa!e pe#iod. 4ut &hat &as dis ove#ed an neve# 'e #eated again. That%s ho& #ealit$ &as dis ove#ed, and is still #eated -o# the alte#nate ve#sion) this is ho& #ealit$ &as #eated, &hi h is still 'eing dis ove#ed.. Wh$ &ouldn%t the#e 'e as !an$ #eal &o#lds as the#e a#e i!agina#$ ones@ Wh$ &ould the#e 'e onl$ one #eal &o#ld@ Wh$ su h a !ode of e" eption@ In #ealit$, the notion of a #eal &o#ld e"isting a!ong

all othe# possi'le &o#lds is uni!agina'le. It is unthin0a'le, e" ept pe#haps as a dange#ous supe#stition. We !ust sta$ a&a$ f#o! that, Bust as #iti al thought on e sta$ed a&a$ -in the na!e of the #ealL. f#o! #eligious supe#stition. Thin0e#s, give it another tryL

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They)re missing a link * how exactly are we postmodern' &e say to re+ect them, but that doesn)t increase postmodernism in any way. /econd, that doesn)t refute any of the arguments we make. ,ven if postmodernism as a principle is bad, it doesn)t make the plan a good idea. Third, their argument is irrelevant unless they claim our discourse has impacts outside of the round, which is a postmodern idea about the impact of discourse, so they)re equally postmodern if their argument has any impact, putting them in a double bind. Fourth, postmodernism is a response to the current era, not the other way around. .t)s impossible to re+ect postmodernism, they have to engage our critique.
Feldman in !" [1tephen +. 1MJI2A, M#ofesso# of Fa&, Cnive#sit$ of Tulsa ?I/A2*1I2A
M*WEJ) M*1T+*?EJ2I1+ I2 FEA/F 1D6*F/J16IM /2? JC?IDI/F MJ/DTIDE 2o#th&este#n Cnive#sit$ Fa& Jevie&]
Most!ode#nists, in #esponse to this atta 0, !ight insist that the$ neithe# oloni3e no# depoliti i3e diffe#ent voi e s hola#ship7 #athe# -as al#ead$ dis ussed. post!ode#n theo#$ 'oth 'uilds upon and suppo#ts su h s hola#ship. Indeed -possi'l$ spea0ing fo# 1 hlag., one #eason &e no& (uestion the a'ilit$ of su'Be ts to hoose and pu#sue no#!ative goals is that diffe#ent voi e s hola#s have helped #eveal that the ve#$ on ept of the N hoosing su'Be tN #ep#esents a !anifestation of a do!inant !aBo#it$%s e"e# ise of po&e#. *f ou#se, so!e #iti s of post!ode#nis!, dis ounting su h post!ode#n #esponses, !ight #epl$ that the post!ode#n e!phasis on the antifoundationalist and anti-essentialist pla$ of signifie#s inevita'l$ leads to a Nslippe#$ slope of Ntotali3ing #iti(ue,% N n<6I &hi h leaves no standa#d fo# #iti i3ing opp#ession and do!ination. To 'e su#e, the p#o'le! of Bustif$ing #iti(ue loo!s as a #u ial diffi ult$ fo# post!ode#nists, n<6: 'ut post!ode#nis! is not !e#el$ so!e g#and theo#$ that &e an hoose to #eBe t 'e ause of so!e se#ious &ea0ness. Most!ode#nis!, at a !ini!u!, is a ultu#al e#a o# t#adition that in ludes o# !anifests itself in e#tain t$pes of theo#$. n<7P With this #e ognition, the p#o'le! of #iti(ue 'e o!es a hallenge that !ust 'e onf#onted, not a defe t that so!eho& Bustifies the i!possi'le -#eBe ting the post!ode#n.. n<71 [Q11PH]

Fifth, audrillard doesn)t say postmodernism is good, he +ust presents a way to look at life in a postmodern world. 1e+ecting his views is like re+ecting a path that helps guide us because we don)t like where we are now * their argument is more counter3productive than postmodernism itself could ever be.

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We have to e"a!ine the #ep#esentations 'ehind thei# a#gu!ents fi#st G the i!ages a#e used to Bustif$ thei# politi al ause. *f ou#se if &e assu!e thei# #ep#esentations a#e o##e t, &eUll o!e to the on lusion that thei# ause is a good idea7 thatUs &h$ the$ hose the i!ages the$ did. Igno#ing the i!ages !eans $ouU#e dodging the !ost #u ial (uestion.

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ThatUs #idi ulous. *u# a#gu!ent is a #iti is! of the assu!ptions and i!ages 'ehind the affi#!ativeUs p#esentation of thei# ase, not Bust the plan. The$ donUt give a te"t to thei# assu!ptions, 'e ause the$U#e found in the eviden e. *u# alte#native is effe tivel$ a set of ounte#-assu!ptions that #efute the affi#!ative, so the#eUs no &a$ &e an give a si!ple te"tual alte#native, and if the$ &ant to 0no& a'out ou# assu!ptions, the$ an #ead ou# eviden e, Bust li0e &e did to find thei#s. ?e'ate ente#ed on assu!ptions #athe# than &o#ding of the plan is 'ette# 'e ause) a. ,o uses on intent, not se!anti details G &e fo us on &hat the de'ate#s a#e a tuall$ sa$ing, #athe# than the H se ond sound 'ite the$ all the plan, &hi h p#ese#ves the value of all the othe# stuff the$ sa$ in thei# spee hes. '. Aives !o#e g#ound G &e an a#gue a'out all the assu!ptions p#esented, &hi h gives tons of g#ound to 'oth tea!s, &hi h is also ve#$ p#edi ta'le, 'e ause the$ should 0no& &hat thei# autho#s a#e sa$ing and &hat people sa$ in #esponse. . +o#e depth to de'ate, 'e ause instead of fo using on the supe#fi ial points, &e #e(ui#e de'ate#s to e"a!ine all the &a##ants and 'asis fo# thei# autho#Us a#gu!ents, &hi h gives 'ette# unde#standing and !o#e edu ation. 1e ond, he#eUs the te"tual alte#native G donUt vote aff. WeUll defend thei# advo a $ is a 'ad idea th#oughout the enti#e #ound. The$ get all the g#ound fo# t#$ing to sho& that itUs a good idea, &hi h is all the$ need. Thi#d, the#eUs no g#ound loss G an$ eviden e the$Ull have against ou# #iti is! &ill 'e fo used on ou# assu!ptions, so all thei# offense still applies. ?onUt 'u$ an$ !oving ta#get a#gu!ents until $ou see one in the #ound, and #oss-" &ill al&a$s he 0 'a 0 a'use7 itUs thei# fault if the$ didnUt as0 us to la#if$ &hat &e !eant.

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%bvious manipulation of the images demystifies news and catastrophe reporting, fostering detachment that is crucial to life in the modern age. audrillard in !" [Jean, The Illusion of the End p. 6P-61]
6e#e, then, is the inte#national ons iousness foiled '$ its o&n ideal, hoist &ith its o&n peta#d. The Aulf Wa# !e#el$ a entuated the disast#ous i!p#ession of ou# having 'een d#a&n so fa# into si!ulation that the (uestion of t#uth and #ealit$ annot even 'e posed, of ou# having 'een d#a&n so fa# into the %li'e#ation% of the !ediu! and the i!age that the (uestion of f#eedo! annot even 'e posed. 4ut an ne&s and the !edia #eall$ 'e put on t#ial no&@ /'solutel$ not, fo# the si!ple #eason that the !edia the!selves hold the 0e$ to the Budi ial en(ui#$. The#e an 'e no ontesting thei# inno en e sin e %disinfo#!ation% is al&a$s i!puted to an a ident of ne&s-gathe#ing [info#!ation]7 the guiding p#in iple itself is never questioned. /nd $et the#e &ill, nonetheless, have 'een a 0ind of ve#di t in this Jo!anian affai#, and the a#tifi ial heaps of o#pses &ill have 'een of so!e use, all the sa!e. *ne !ight as0 &hethe# the Jo!anians, '$ the ve#$ e" essiveness of this staged event and the si!ula #u! of thei# #evolution, have not se#ved as de!$stifie#s of ne&s and its guiding p#in iple. ,o#, if the !edia i!age has put an end to the #edi'ilit$ of the event, the event &ill, in its tu#n, have put an end to the #edi'ilit$ of the i!age. 2eve# again shall &e 'e a'le to loo0 at a television pi tu#e in good faith, and this is the finest olle tive demystification &e have eve# 0no&n. The finest #evenge ove# this ne& a##ogant po&e#, this po&e# to 'la 0!ail '$ events. Who an sa$ &hat #esponsi'ilit$ atta hes to the televisual p#odu tion of a false !assa #e -Ti!isoa#a., as o!pa#ed &ith the pe#pet#ating of a t#ue !assa #e@ This is anothe# 0ind of #i!e against hu!anit$, a hiBa 0ing of fantasies, affe ts and the #edulit$ of hund#eds of !illions of people '$ !eans of television- a #i!e of 'la 0!ail and si!ulation. What penalt$ is laid do&n fo# su h a hiBa 0ing@ The#e is no &a$ to #e tif$ this situation and &e !ust have no illusions) the#e is no pe#ve#se effe t, no# even an$thing s andalous in the %Ti!isoa#a s$nd#o!e%. It is si!pl$ the -i!!o#al. t#uth of ne&s, the se #et pu#pose [destination] of &hi h is to de eive us a'out the #eal, 'ut also to undeceive us a'out the #eal. The#e is no &o#se !ista0e than ta0ing the #eal fo# the #eal and, in that sense, the ve#$ e" ess of !edia illusion pla$s a vital disillusioning #ole. In this &a$, ne&s ould 'e said to undo its o&n spell '$ its effe ts and the violen e of info#!ation to 'e avenged '$ the #epudiation and indiffe#en e it engende#s. Just as &e should 'e un#ese#vedl$ than0ful fo# the e"isten e of politi ians, &ho ta0e on the!selves the #esponsi'ilit$ fo# that &ea#iso!e fun tion, so &e should 'e g#ateful to the !edia fo# e"isting and ta0ing on the!selves the t#iu!phant illusionis! of the &o#ld of o!!uni ations, the &hole a!'iguit$ of !ass ultu#e, the onfusion of ideologies, the ste#eot$pes, the spe ta le, the 'analit$ - soa0ing up all these things in thei# ope#ation. While, at the sa!e ti!e, onstituting a pe#!anent test of intelligen e, fo# &he#e 'ette# than on television an one lea#n to (uestion eve#$ pi tu#e, eve#$ &o#d, eve#$ o!!enta#$@ Television in ul ates indiffe#en e, distan e, s epti is! and un onditional apath$. Th#ough the &o#ld%s 'e o!ing-i!age, it anaestheti3es the i!agination, p#ovo0es a si 0ened a'st#a tion, togethe# &ith a su#ge of ad#enalin &hi h indu es total disillusionment. Television and the !edia &ould #ende# #ealit$ [Ie #eel] dissuasive, &e#e it not al#ead$ so. /nd this #ep#esents an a'solute advan e in the ons iousness - o# the $ni al un ons ious - of ou# age.

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,ven though the system is one of pure simulation, we still need to engage and act within it to avoid the paralytic fascination it forces on our lives. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. 1H<-1H;]
/tta 0ing #ep#esentation no longe# has !u h !eaning eithe#. *ne senses (uite lea#l$7 fo# the sa!e #eason, that all student onfli ts -as is the ase, !o#e '#oadl$7 on the level of glo'al so iet$. a#ound the #ep#esentation, the delegation of po&e# a#e no longe# an$thing 'ut phanto! vi issitudes that $et still !anage, out of despai#, to o up$ the fo#ef#ont of the stage. Th#ough I don%t 0no& &hat +o'ius effe t, #ep#esentation itself has also tu#ned in on itself, and the &hole logi al unive#se of the politi al is dissolved at the sa!e ti!e, eding its pla e to a t#ansfinite unive#se of si!ulation, &he#e f#o! the 'eginning no one is #ep#esented no# #ep#esentative of an$thing an$ !o#e, &he#e all that is a u!ulated is dea u!ulated at the sa!e ti!e, &he#e even the a"iologi al, di#e tive, and salvagea'le phantas! of po&e# has disappea#ed. / unive#se that is still in o!p#ehensi'le, un#e ogni3a'le, to us, a unive#se &ith a !alefi u#ve that ou# !ental oo#dinates, &hi h a#e o#thogonal and p#epa#ed fo# the infinite linea#it$ of #iti is! and histo#$, violentl$ #esist. Eet it is the#e that one !ust fight, if even fighting has an$ !eaning an$!o#e. We a#e si!ulato#s, &e a#e si!ula #a -not in the lassi al sense of Nappea#an eN., &e a#e on ave !i##o#s #adiated '$ the so ial, a #adiation &ithout a light sou# e, po&e# &ithout o#igin, &ithout distan e, and it is in this ta ti al unive#se of the si!ula #u! that one &ill need to fight-&ithout hope, hope is a &ea0 value, 'ut in defian e and fas ination. 4e ause one !ust not #efuse the in tense fas ination that e!anates f#o! this li(uefa tion of all po&e#, of all a"es of value, of all a"iolog$7 politi s in luded. This spe ta le, &hi h is at on e that of the death th#oes and the apogee of apital, su#passes '$ fa# that of the o!!odit$ des #i'ed '$ the situationists. This spe ta le is ou# essential fo# e. We a#e no longe# in a #elation to&a#d apital of un e#tain o# vi to#ious fo# es, 'ut in a politi al one, that is the phantas! of #evolution. We a#e in a #elation of defian e, of sedu tion, and of death to&a#d this unive#se that is no longe# one, p#e isel$ 'e ause all a"ialit$ that es apes it. The hallenge apital di#e ts at us in its deli#iu!-li(uidating &ithout sha!e the la& of p#ofit, su#plus value, p#odu tive finalities, st#u tu#es of po&e#, and finding at the end of its p#o ess the p#ofound i!!o#alit$ -'ut also the sedu tion. of p#i!itive #ituals of dest#u tion, this ve#$ hallenge !ust 'e #aised to an insanel$ highe# level. Dapital, li0e value, is i##esponsi'le, i##eve#si'le, inelu ta'le. *nl$ to value is apital apa'le of offe#ing a fantasti spe ta le of its de o!position onl$ the phanto! of value still floats ove# the dese#t of the lassi al st#u tu#es of apital, Bust as the phanto! of #eligion floats ove# a &o#ld no& long desa #ali3ed, Bust as the phanto! of 0no&ledge floats ove# the unive#sit$. It is up to us to again 'e o!e the no!ads of this desen, 'ut disengaged f#o! the !e hani al illusion of value. We &ill live in this &o#ld, &hi h fo# us has all the dis(uieting st#angeness of the dese#t and of the si!ula #u!, &ith all the ve#a it$ of living phanto!s, of &ande#ing and si!ulating ani!als that apital, that the death of apital has !ade of us-'e ause the dese#t of ities is e(ual to the dese#t of sand-the Bungle of signs is e(ual to that of the fo#ests-the ve#tigo of si!ula #a is e(ual to that of natu#e-onl$ the ve#tiginous sedu tion of a d$ing s$ste! #e!ains, in &hi h &o#0 'u#ies &o#0, in &hi h value 'u#ies value-leaving a vi#gin, sa #ed spa e &ithout path&a$s, ontinuous as 4ataille &ished it, &he#e onl$ the &ind lifts the sand, &he#e onl$ the &ind &at hes ove# the sand. What an one !a0e of all this in the politi al o#de#@ Ke#$ little. 4ut &e also have to fight against the p#ofound fas ination e"e#ted on us '$ the death th#oes of apital, against the staging '$ apital of its o&n death, &hen &e a#e #eall$ the ones in ou# final hou#s. To leave it the initiative of its o&n death, is to leave it all the p#ivileges of #evolution. 1u##ounded '$ the si!ula #u! of value and '$ the phanto! of apital and of po&e#, &e a#e !u h !o#e disa#!ed and i!potent than &hen su##ounded '$ the la& of value and of the o!!odit$, sin e the s$ste! has #evealed itself apa'le of integ#ating its o&n death and sin e &e a#e #elieved of the #esponsi'ilit$ fo# this death, and thus of the sta0e of ou# o&n life. This sup#e!e #use of the s$ste!, that of the si!ula #u! of its death, th#ough &hi h it !aintains us in life '$ having li(uidated th#ough a'so#ption all possi'le negativit$, onl$ a supe#io# #use an stop. Dhallenge o# i!agina#$ s ien e, onl$ a pataph$si s of si!ula #a an #e!ove us f#o! the s$ste!Us st#ateg$ of si!ulation and the i!passe of death in &hi h it i!p#isons us.

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-lternative Fails
1adical destruction of meaning is already useless * the system is already configured to where the resistance they advocate does nothing. audrillard in => [Jean, 1i!ula #a and 1i!ulation p. 16<-16;]
+elan holia is the '#utal disaffe tion that ha#a te#i3es ou# satu#ated s$ste!s. *n e the hope of 'alan ing good and evil, t#ue and false, indeed of onf#onting so!e values of the sa!e o#de#, on e the !o#e gene#al hope of a #elation of fo# es and a sta0e has vanished. Eve#$&he#e, al&a$s, the s$ste! is too st#ong) hege!oni . /gainst this hege!on$ of the s$ste!, one an e"alt the #uses of desi#e, p#a ti e #evolutiona#$ !i #olog$ of the (uotidian, e"alt the !ole ula# d#ift o# even defend oo0ing. This does not #esolve the i!pe#ious ne essit$ of he 0ing the s$ste! in '#oad da$light. This, onl$ te##o#is! an do. It is the t#ait of #eve#sion that effa es the #e!ainde#, Bust as a single i#oni s!ile effa es a &hole dis ou#se, Bust as a single flash of denial in a slave effa es all the po&e# and pleasu#e of the !aste#. The !o#e hege!oni the s$ste!, the !o#e the i!agination is st#u 0 '$ the s!allest of its #eve#sals. The hallenge, even infinitesi!al, is the i!age of a hain failu#e. *nl$ this #eve#si'ilit$ &ithout a ounte#pa#t is an event toda$, on the nihilisti and disaffe ted stage of the politi al. *nl$ it !o'ili3es the i!agina#$. If 'eing a nihilist, is a##$ing, to the un'ea#a'le li!it of hege!oni s$ste!s, this #adi al t#ait of de#ision and of violen e, this hallenge that the s$ste! is su!!oned to ans&e# th#ough its o&n death, then I a! te##o#ist and nihilist in theo#$ as the othe#s a#e &ith thei# &eapons. Theo#eti al violen e, not t#uth, is the onl$ #esou# e left us. 4ut su h a senti!ent is utopian. 4e ause it &ould 'e 'eautiful to 'e a nihilist, if the#e &e#e still a #adi alit$-as it &ould 'e ni e to 'e a te##o#ist, if death, in luding that of the te##o#ist, still had !eaning. 4ut it is at this point that things 'e o!e insolu'le. 4e ause to this a tive nihilis! of #adi alit$, the s$ste! opposes its o&n, the nihilis! of neut#ali3ation. The s$ste! is itself also nihilisti , in the sense that it has the po&e# to pou# eve#$thing, in luding &hat denies it, into indiffe#en e. In this s$ste!, death itself shines '$ vi#tue of its a'sen e. -The 4ologna t#ain station, the *0to'e#fest in +uni h) the dead a#e annulled '$ indiffe#en e, that is &he#e te##o#is! is the involunta#$ a o!pli e of the &hole s$ste!, not politi all$, 'ut in the a ele#ated fo#! of indiffe#en e that it ont#i'utes to i!posing.. ?eath no longe# has a stage, neithe# phantas!ati no# politi al, on &hi h to #ep#esent itself, to pla$ itself out, eithe# a e#e!onial o# a violent one. /nd this is the vi to#$ of the othe# nihilis!, of the othe# te##o#is!, that of the s$ste!. The#e is no longe# a stage, not even the !ini!al illusion that !a0es events apa'le of adopting the fo# e of #ealit$-no !o#e stage eithe# of !ental o# politi al solida#it$) &hat do Dhile, 4iaf#a, the 'oat people, 4ologna, o# Moland !atte#@ /ll of that o!es to 'e annihilated on the television s #een. We a#e in the e#a of events &ithout onse(uen es -and of theo#ies &ithout onse(uen es.. The#e is no !o#e hope fo# !eaning. /nd &ithout a dou't this is a good thing) !eaning is !o#tal. 4ut that on &hi h it has i!posed its ephe!e#al #eign, &hat it hoped to li(uidate in o#de# to i!pose the #eign of the Enlighten!ent, that is, appea#an es, the$, a#e i!!o#tal, invulne#a'le to the nihilis! of !eaning o# of non-!eaning itself. This is &he#e sedu tion 'egins.

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