Lecture 10: Distinctiveness (II):
Shockwave Effect & the Virtual War
26th February 2003 (Wednesday)
Structure of Lecture 10:
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Concept of a “Psychological War”
Stage Setting of 911
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“Military-Industrial-Media-Entertainment Network”
(MIME-NET) (I):
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Osama Bin Laden’s Side
MIME-NET (II):
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Its Psychological Meanings
The American Side
Conclusion: Metamorphism of 911 by MIME-NET
PART I
Concept of a
Psychological War
Sigmund Freud
(1856-1939)
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Founder of Modern Psychology
 “Ancient Psychology” at
Temple Street
The Interpretation of Dreams
The Observation of Human
Consciousness
The Hidden Concept of Human
Sub-consciousness
The World of Sex
Psychological Studies of
International Relations
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Theorizing the International Relations by
Psychology
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Abnormal Psychology: Chairman Mao
Prospect Theory: Gambling Behaviors of Risktaking and Risk-aversion
Generational Politics
Direct Psychological Assault on your Enemies:
911
Ronald Rumsfeld
(US Defense Minister)
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Pearl Harbor Incident
Rumsfeld Sr. in the Pacific Army
Against any “Rogue States”
Fans of President Theodore Roosevelt
“The best prize life offers is
to work hard at work worth doing.”
– President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09)
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Rumsfeld: eradicating rogue states is the
work worth doing
Generational Politics
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bh/1773951.stm
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PART II
Symbolic Meanings
of 911
“911” in the American Mindset
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Emergency number (= 999 in HK)
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First numerical sequence to be taught in childhood
Concept of Generational Politics
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The most secured number  the most insecure
number
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Upside-down of the Concept of Security
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No more safe havens in the World?!
Numerical Scary
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Magical Values of Numbers
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The 666 Analogy
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The Gipsy Culture and the fortune-tellers
Crystal Ball and Taro Cards
“Story” of Bill Gates and Microsoft
The 1999 End of World Prophecy
“Y2K” Numerical Problems
911…911…911…
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Ability of the enemy to understand the numerical importance to the
Americans
Ability of the enemy to demonstrate their CONTROL over the magical
numbers
Symbolic Meanings of
“Twin Towers”
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Twin Towers, World Trade Centers
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Bible: The Tower of Babel
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Build 1966-1977
Height: 110 stories
Signal of contempt against the Heaven
“Twin Towers” ~ “Twin of Rome”?!
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Legendary Twin-Founder of Rome:
Romulus and Remus
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Comparison between
“Pax Americana” and
the Roman Empire
Armageddon?!
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Christian Prophecy:
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Armageddon, Final
Judgment by Jesus
2000: the Millennium
Menace
2001-911: technical
delay only?
Flooding of Ghost
Stories…
The Nostradamus Prophecy
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Nostradamus (1503-1566):
 French Astrologer
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The Centuries (1553):
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Prophecy of 10 centuries
Distortion of Original Order
“Successful” Foretold: French
Revolution, American Revolution, WWI,
WWII, JFK Murder, Gulf War…
1999 as the end of the world?
Nostradamus Prophecy on 911?
“The sky will burn at forty-five degrees latitude,
Fire approaches the great new city
Immediately a huge, scattered flame leaps up
When they want to have verification from the Normans.”
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(45 degrees/ “the great new city” – New York )
"In the City of God there will be a great thunder,
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos, while the fortress
endures, the great leader will succumb,”
“The third big war will begin when the big city is burning.”
– Author: College student named Neil Marshall
Messages from
the Psychological Attack
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Expecting Armageddon: Essential
Readings in Failed Prophecy (Jon Stone
Ed.)
911世紀恐慌末日解構 (雲海)
Implications:
 Radical American Response after 911
 The American Psychology is
Vulnerable
 Next Attack against USA Might be
More Psychologically Planned and
Executed
PART III
“MIME-NET”:
American Side
Assigned Readings
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Main Text: James Der Derian:
“In Terrorem: Before and
After 9/11” (B&D P.118-127)
Supplementary Text: Brian
Jerkins: “The Organization
Men – Anatomy of a Terrorist
Attack” (H&R P.1-14)
James Der Derian’s Argument
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Professor, Institute of International Studies, Brown
University
Military-Industrial-Media-Entertainment Network (MIMENET)
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911 fully revealed MIME-NET’s Modern Capacity.
MIME-NET as real shaper of the world order.
Information Technology, War and Peace Project
http://www.watsoninstitute.org/infopeace/
Bias:
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Only emphasized MIME-NET on the American side
MIME-NET on the Muslim side of 911 was equally significant
Iron Triangle
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President Eisenhower (1960):
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Military (the Producer) –
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to make weapons for war
Industrial (the Rich People) –
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Military-Industrial-Executive = “Iron Triangle”
to earn money from selling new weapons
Executive (the Eagles) –
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to receive donations and gain support from the military
and industrial
MIME-NET = “Iron Pentagon”
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Iron Triangle +
Media (CNN; Silicon Valley)
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CNN War Against Terror
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.
center
Setting 911 in the HEAVIEST Tone
Division of Labor in the “Iron Pentagon”
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Media: Political Role
Entertainment: Social Role
Hollywood and 911
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Hollywood and International Politics
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What can you tell from “Dr. Evil” and “Mini Me” in the
Hollywood Series of Austin Powers?
Hollywood and 911:
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Parallels of 911 Patriotism and Everyday Life and
Entertainments
Echoed the CNN Theme in the SOFTEST Tone
American History in Patriotic Sound and Music
http://www.wavethemes.org/%7Eusa/index.html
“God Bless America” by Celine Dion
American Battles against
MIME-NETs of its Enemies
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In addition to the Propaganda War…
War against Taliban (2001)
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NATO War against Yugoslavia (1999)
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America Attack of Al-Jazerra (Qatar Gulf TV)’s
Television Station
“Accidental Bombing” of Chinese Belgrade Embassy
Xinhua Agency Reporters and their “Neutral” Reports
on the Yugoslavian Reactions
Chinese hackers Vs American official websites
PART IV
MIME-NET:
Osama Bin Laden’s Side
Qatar’s Gulf TV
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Al-Jazeera Television Network of Qatar
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“Arab World’s CNN”
35 million daily watchers in the Middle East
Only media established direct conversation with
Osama Bin Laden
Report on the “Truths” against American Perspectives
and anti-war protests in the West
Expansion in the CNN-way
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http://www.aljazeera.net/
English Channel 2002
Beijing Office 2002
PR Gimmicks of Al-Qaeda
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Osama Bin Laden and his
colleagues inside Al-Qaeda
assumed the roles of the
Executive, Industrial, Military
and Entertainer already…
Image of Simplicity
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Mullah Omar of Taliban:
“Standard Photo” of Mingling with
Fellow Followers
Osama Bin Laden:
Arabic Clothing and Horses
Caves of Afghanistan
Tapes of Osama Bin Laden
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Osama Bin Laden’s Speeches after 911
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October 7, 2001 (before USA bombed Afghanistan)
November 3, 2001 (midst of Afg. War)
December 13, 2001 (after Taliban collapsed)
December 26, 2001 (rumors of his death)
November 12, 2002 (East African Terrorism)
February 11, 2003 (on Iraqi Crisis)
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.cent
er/interactives.html
 Bin Laden’s Messages: “Terror on Tape”
Laden’s Message from the
Videos and Tapes
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Prophecy?
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Order and Instruction?
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“America will fall,” etc, etc…
Signal Al-Qaeda and Followers to Launch New Attack?
Secret Codes: Precedence of WWII
Western Censorship of Laden’s Videos
Itself as an Attack?
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Dash rumors of his death; proved inability of Bush; showed
infallibility of the American enemies…
PART V
Conclusion –
Metamorphism of the Original
911 Development?
Significance of the Psychological
Nature of the 911 Attack
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Muslims’ Embrace of MIME-NET
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Paradox:
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Previous Bias against Modern Technology
Previous Inability to Infiltrate into Western World
Against Islamic Preference of Non-propaganda
Against Fundamentalist Aspiration of Simplicity
Media: Leakage of American Dominance:
Relatively Competitive among Various Spheres
(political, economical, cultural…)
The Mimetic War of Images
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Wars and Conflicts of the Post-911 World
Order:
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Not Something that we can actually see,
understand, or even prove their existence
Wars and Conflicts on Cloned “Images” of
Both Sides:
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“Images” in international news forged by MIMENET of different sides
“Images” influence back the decision-making
process
“Images” further reinstated in the psychological
mindsets of fellow people
The Future…
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Before 21st century: statecentric wars
Since 21st century: networkcentric wars
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Computer War Games
Simulation
RPG
Networking
Virtual Reality influencing
back the Reality
~~The End~~
Thank you for attending