Here’s the revised blog post with the inclusion of Bourdieu’s work on language and power in the references section:

Why Semantic Terrorism is a Form of Terrorism

Introduction

I have written extensively about semantic terrorism. A common counter-argument is that it isn’t actually terrorism because it doesn’t involve physical harm. In this post, I will respond to this argument and present my own counterarguments.

Symbolic Violence: Bourdieu’s Perspective

To begin, I reference Pierre Bourdieu. He was a French neo-Marxist sociologist. Bourdieu combined the ideas of Marx and Weber to create the concept of symbolic violence. Symbolic violence is not physical. Bourdieu refers to language as a form of “symbolic capital.” This allows the bourgeoisie to maintain their superiority. They achieve this by controlling the narrative around the unjust division of labor and capital. This promotes “false consciousness” among the poor, effectively excluding them from institutions of power such as government and academia. By using symbolic capital in the form of language, brute force to control capital is often unnecessary. This technique makes control more efficient.

Existential Terror and Individual Struggles

Beyond the class battle, I believe in the individual struggle to find meaning in life through interpretations of lived experience. Without these interpretations, we risk succumbing to actual terror. This includes the fear of our mortality and isolation. It also involves living in a world devoid of meaning. Traditionally, culture, authority, institutions, social norms, and symbols serve as defense mechanisms against existential terror.

However, the days when religious and secular authority provided us with security about what is true and false are gone. We now inhabit a globalized, interconnected world where crafting absolute truths from chaos and conflicting narratives is increasingly difficult.

In this sense, semantic terrorism may not be terrorism in the traditional sense. However, it is an orchestrated attack on our ability to construct unique interpretations of life. It also affects our ability to discern right from wrong. This sense of terror is symbolic, drawing from the works of existential theorists like Sartre and Frankl. Frankl (1985) argues that without meaning, individuals are left grappling with existential angst, creating a vulnerability that can be exploited.

Mass Gaslighting and Semantic Terrorism

Semantic terrorism, therefore, can be understood as a form of mass gaslighting—feeding society deliberately false narratives or “fake news.” This manipulation takes advantage of how algorithms work and intentionally employs charged language. As Sinha (2020) notes, these tactics target innocent civilians for political gain, undermining their capacity for independent thought. By exploiting human vulnerability, semantic terrorism induces feelings of existential terror. It also recruits individuals to nefarious causes like extremism and hate speech, often without their awareness.

Real-World Examples: Conspiracy Theories and the Anti-Vaccination Movement

A stark illustration of this phenomenon is found in the anti-vaccination movement. Klein (2023) highlights how conspiracy theorists utilize loaded language to manipulate public perceptions and erode trust in scientific authority. This strategy exploits the existential terror that arises from uncertainty and fear, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Conspiracy theorists exploited the immediate fear of death. They framed the virus as part of a sinister plot. Their narrative aimed to poison the population through vaccines.

Conclusion

The exploitation of human vulnerability to existential terror is another factor. This is a reason to label semantic terrorism as a form of terrorism. Semantic terrorists undermine our ability to navigate truth and reality. They create an environment ripe for confusion and fear. This scenario is reminiscent of gaslighting dynamics. Understanding this relationship allows us to recognize and resist the manipulative narratives that threaten our epistemic autonomy and societal cohesion.

References

• Bourdieu, P. (1991). Language and Symbolic Power. Polity.
• Claridge, E. L. (2017). Psychoanalysis and Modernity: A Failure to Find Relief from Existential Terror. CUNY Academic Works. Link
• Klein, E. (2023). Loaded Language and Conspiracy Theorizing (Doctoral dissertation, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute).
• Sinha, G. A. (2020). Lies, Gaslighting and Propaganda. Buffalo Law Review, 68, 1037.
• Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man’s Search for Meaning. Simon and Schuster.