Friday, May 13, 2005
Stating the Obvious
I'm only mentioning this because I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else: but the reason the rogue plane/Capitol evacuation story the other day was such an important story, is because it once again allowed TV-viewing Americans to come in tantalizing proximity with what has long been* their deepest collective desire: to experience the fantasy of personally dying a spectacular, sensational death. Not an anonymous, quiet, mournful, invisible death: but a death where everyone is running through the streets, the whole world might be coming to an end, and there might even be gigantic explosions. (Although some people may, in fact, wish to die, the desire I am describing is not a desire to actually die, which would presumably involve pain; but rather to somehow live out a fantasy of personal and collective death; virtual death, or death as a spectacle of mass death.)
*It should be noted that although this collective fantasy has probably existed for a long time (who could say how long?), it erupted through to consciousness, slightly, on 9/11/01, and since then has been the sole ground of electoral politics in the United States.
P.S.--Happy Friday the 13th.
posted by Blicero : 5/13/2005 02:40:00 AM
*It should be noted that although this collective fantasy has probably existed for a long time (who could say how long?), it erupted through to consciousness, slightly, on 9/11/01, and since then has been the sole ground of electoral politics in the United States.
P.S.--Happy Friday the 13th.
posted by Blicero : 5/13/2005 02:40:00 AM
