[lit-ideas] Re: Five Years Ago

  • From: Chris Bruce <bruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 10:52:46 +0200


On 11. Sep 2006, at 20:45, John Wager wrote:

Andreas Ramos wrote:

What are your thoughts on five years ago?
Why? Was the U.S. really so hollow in its military capabilities? …

There has been much talk in the German media about the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001. Several comments stick out in my mind; one that is perhaps relevant here is (by my rough tranlation):


'The infrastructure of terrorism is in [their] heads.'

The word 'hollow' in John's eloquently expressed searching seems to resonate with that quotation, a formulation of which relevant to statements about (relevant and successful) responses to or actions against the 'infrastructure of terrorism' is left as an exercise for the reader's imagination.

There was some query about the 'consolation(s) of philosophy' following the Sept 11, 2001 attacks to which i attempted a couple of answers (which I continue to critically examine and revise). I have found consolation - and more - in that discipline (particularly by critically engaging with the writings of, and writings about, Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Freud, Adorno and Arendt, among others) with regards to inquiry about 'the infastructure of terrorism' (as conceived in the above quotation).

But I must admit that I have grown very cynical - and very depressed - when searching for consolation with regards to the (in some senses far worse than) 'hollow' counters to that 'infrastructure' proposed and undertaken by the (supposed) centers of the 'Western' civilization(s) and culture(s) that are the (supposed) 'birthplace' and 'leading proponents' of that (supposedly ongoing) philosophical tradition.

Chris Bruce
Kiel, Germany
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