Spirit of Terorrism Analysis

Jean Baudrillard wrote the “The Spirit of Terrorism” two months after the attacks of September 11th, 2001. The essay talks about how 9/11 was the “mother of all events” and that it was a symbolic event which 18 suicide attackers unleashed a collapse of the global system. He shows that globalization leads to a vulnerable countries. Another one of his main points was that people have a desire within them to destroy a monopoly of power. He uses this to support his theory that people all dreamed about the attacks of 9/11. Baudrillard compares terrorism to a virus. He said that the “internal fraility” of the United States system lend a helping hand to the attack.

I believe that this essay by Jean Baudrillard and the close timing to the attacks was insensitive and controversial. However, he has blunt realistic theories that people especially in the US do not want to think about right after this horrendous event. The theory that “the increase in the power of power heightens the will to destroy it” is a main concept that Baudrillard uses to explain the basic reasoning of the terrorists in 9/11. People dream of the destruction of a superpower. He said that we have all dreamed of the United States being attacked. He refers to the terrorists as they who did it, but it was we who wanted it. This is a disturbing and cynical quote by Baudrillard. It makes the United States and other powerful countries look vulnerable. He has a revolutionary sense to his piece. Baudrillard compares terrorism to a virus. I agree with half of this statement. I agree that there are thousands of terrorist organizations around the world that are more and less threatening than others, just like there are many strong and weak strains of viruses. This theory can be also used to explain how viruses cannot be cured with medication just like terrorists cannot be exterminated by force. The best way to eradicate them is to ignore them, but that is something that the world cannot risk to do. However, although this may be true but it is a dangerous startegy to utilize. Therefore, I believe that we as a world need to stay on the offensive against terrorist groups. This essay, “The Spirit of Terrorism”, by Jean Baudrillard, is a realistic analyzation of the world after 9/11 although it may not be the most comforting piece after such a tragic event, it is a controversial one that can spark deeper thinking and argumentation on the subject.

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