War, Terrorism, and Spectacle

Carl Schmitt argues that the concept of the political is founded on the identification of the enemy... "this discursive practice amounts to nothing less than identifying the terrorist as enabling other of the state." (Sam Weber "War, Terrorism, and Spectacle," 452)

gee, that's almost like the same story I heard this May at the conference of English lit soc in Japan. But no one mentioned Schmitt.

I always love Sam Weber's logic, tension, and rhythm:

"Whether inside, in a theater (of whatever kind), or outside, in the open, a spectacle must be placed in order to be seen (and heard). But the place, and taking-place of a spectacle is no ordinary locality---not at least in the way place has traditionally been defined; namely as a stable, self-contained container." (453)
Today, we are deprived of the sense of placeness. We are always somewhere between here and there, like here in this spaceless writing space, unable to pin down our place, hovering like ghosts.