The Terrorist Attacks in Paris: Lesson of Enantiodromia

By Alexander Dugin

Ex: http://katehon.com

A series of terrorist attacks in Paris that took place on Friday, November 13, 2015, can be, for many reasons, a point of reference of a new period of modern European history. Will it or will not is an open question, because it all depends on how these events will be interpreted by the French and European society, and what conclusions they will draw.

The development of events is well known: in different spots in Paris a well- organized and coordinated group of people shouting Islamic prayer formula (Allah Akbar etc.) started firing at civilians sitting in the bars and cafes that evening preparing to celebrate the weekend. In conjunction suicide bomber attacked the Paris stadium Stade de Paris when French and German teams were playing a football match. At the same time, a group of terrorists rushed to the concert hall Bataclan where a concert of American band Eagles of Death Metal should just begin, and started firing at the crowd, taking them all as hostages. As a result, about two hundred people were killed and many more sustained various injuries. Islamic State said to be responsible for the terrorist attacks.

Details and versions of the events will be continuously updated, but it is important not only to understand the distinction, but also to figure out the meaning of them.

"Islam" Society of the Spectacle: Welcome to our Horror-Show

The terrorist organization ISIS is different from other trends of modern Islamic fundamentalism not only by the activity scope and success in controlling the large territory of Iraq and Syria, by branched networks in other Islamic countries and the effective coordination, but first of all, by grotesque arrangement of actions usually of a terrorist nature. Its executions of hostages are always conducted by the ISIS members as a theatrical play: the victim wears the orange uniform, the executioners cutting the head off and scoffing at the body in front of camera. The professional operators work, precisely chosen lighting and well-directed heartbreaking scenes surpassing Hollywood movies like Hostel or forbidden snuff-video, where the violence is real. Christians are crucified in public. Ancient priceless monuments of archaic Middle East cultures which are very valuable for the whole civilization are mercilessly smashed. Homosexuals are dropped from roofs and their execution is carefully filmed. Captured women and girls are brutally raped and turned into slaves. Children from early ages are taught to cut throat of their teddy bears with a knife. Again, all that is filmed and methodically published in the Internet. The ISIS speakers add in their videos straight extreme threat to all their opponents, promising them to be killed, raped, dismembered, enslaved, humiliated and trampled, and their value to be turn to dust. All that is based on the classical Islamist ideas of extreme Salafi persuasion, but theology does not seem to ISIS as main aspect: there is something different than a classic Islamic fundamentalism; it is Islam society of the spectacle, disgusting Islamist snuff-show. No more boring preachers, raging Salafi theologians, only black bulldozer of entertainment industry fully adopted those models created by the modern Hollywood culture with dominating horror and hard porn with all the characteristics of reality shows.

It distinguishes the ISIS style. It is kind of post-modernism; it is postmodern fundamentalist terrorism. It has more common traits with the western visual culture rather than with the traditional religious societies that ISIS pretends to promote waging the war. Religion is an instrument, serving politics, and even more entertainment. The ISIS is first of all the show, the horrible show. It seems that it is what the Western countries really expected.

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris are fully arranged in this way. Friday the 13th is the common prejudice of modern Western culture; it is considered as ominous date, bearing bad luck. Made in the USA TV series about the maniac in a hockey mask Friday the 13th made this omen extremely notorious among the mass audience that even caused advent of a specific psychiatric diagnosis, more and more widespread, a phobia of Friday 13th. But the Friday the 13th is frightening only for Western people: Americans and Europeans. In Islamic culture, there is no similar legend. It is not without purpose that the date of the spectacular terrorist attacks was chosen like that, it fits perfectly into the strategy of the Society of the Spectacle. Do you want us to scare you? We do it for real. It is the logic of any horror film trying to pretend more real. It's hard to imagine something more real than terrorists covering their face, driving around the Paris streets on Friday 13, beginning their frivolous weekend, and shooting first got cafes and bars visitors. It is fictional maniac Jason Voorhees who has come to you, the man who drowned in the Crystal Lake camp. Maniac drowned man who adopted Salafism.

 

What did the ISIS want to say? The same thing as at the previous grotesque actions. And what exactly? The same thing that the whole Society of Spectacle wants to say: the postmodern has no more sense, there are only feelings, and if the society is provoked only by the most strong, rough and radical feelings as animal fear, terror of imminent death, sudden fall in the situation of ultimate humiliation and helplessness, etc., so much the worse for them: nothing personal, just show business. Bloody? So what else have them to do, if all the softer feelings do not touch anybody more?

How do the bloody PR and perverse snuff relate to Islam? Practically in no way. The terrorist attack in Paris has no hint of the religious conflict or of the clash of civilizations. The ISIS is such a Islam as Freddy Krueger or Jeepers Creeper. It is pure made in Hollywood with perfect style, a horror reality show of the new generation.

Enantiodromia of the Middle East

Paris nightmare, however, is inscribed in the geopolitical frame of reference, since it is an episode of the events that happen in the Middle East. There is a continuing bloody chaos, launched with the support of the United States and Europe (including France) to overthrow the established regimes of the past decade. The overthrow and the resulting civil war, which formally comes under the slogan of "deepening democracy" according to American plan of Greater Middle East, were openly announced by Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, in Tel Aviv in 2006. It began with the 2010 Arab Spring and continuing now. During that processes lunched by the Americans, sometimes accompanied by direct invasion of the US or the NATO forces in the Arab World, a series of bloody political and religious conflicts began in different countries: Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Bahrain, Syria, etc. In this complex regional game the United States, however, did not place a bet on the liberal-democratic forces that didn’t even exist in the region, but Islamic fundamentalists that the CIA and other US intelligence agencies (in particular, the DIA) had been working closely since the days of the Cold War when they were used to fight pro-Soviet socialist or secular-nationalist regimes and parties (such as the Baath Party ruled before the start of the latest developments in Iraq, Libya and Syria just where now bloody wars flared up). The Islam fundamentalism has its main centers in Saudi Arabia and Qatar where the ruling powers are in general pro-American, practicing an extreme (Salafi) version of fundamentalist (Sunni) Islam. Similar forces are very strong in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Washington, therefore, uses Islamic fundamentalism for its own interests for deepening democracy (that shows a serious conceptual contradictions, which, however, in the postmodern era can be ignored) and makes its weak-willed (and sometimes it seems that the weak-minded) European "partners"(vassals) to do the same way. But even with all the logical inconsistencies of such a policy, it is clear that the purpose of the United States can’t be putting in head of the Arab and even the whole Islamic world t radical Islamists. So here is an postmodernism effect in the Middle East geopolitics: the Americans, on the one hand, supporting and arming Islamic extremists to make then destroying the existing system of government, on the other hand, actively demonized them, representing them as "the devil creatures" and the sinister caricature (as the ISIS PR-company). Such a strategy can be called "enantiodromia" when simultaneously two active and intensive process of opposite direction are running out. The US base and the tools in the Middle East are things that they describe as "pure evil."

The question arises: why is it done? What is the ultimate American goal? It has the most important sense for suffering from the terrorist attack Paris, at least for the few people in France and in modern Europe who still have an ability to think rationally and sensibly. Now they are being killed mercilessly and ruthlessly on their own territory. May we ask why? What’s the reason?

There is no evident answer. The rational analysis leads inexorably to the conclusion that Washington, persistently and consistently using its own geopolitical enantiodromia, has no positive goal. The regimes which were overthrown with the support of Americans, had no threat to the United States in general and used to agree with Washington more or less. There was no urgent need to destroy them in such a way. Especially when Assad’s Syria or Gaddafi's Libya were much closer socially, culturally and valuably to the United States and Europe than the extremist Salafis. One fact must be recognized: the United States does not have no positive goal, and no longer is able to offer anything to the world where they are still the main pole and the center of power, its begins to export chaos, massacres and civil war as a goal itself. They are not interested in what will happen in future, but what is happening now. This means that they are satisfied with the process enantiodromia that they do not seek to overcome the contradiction, but are ready to aggravate it, make the chaos as natural environment. And in this environment, being normal, it is possible to put certain local tactical goals, objectives, etc. As Trotskyists were taught about the "permanent revolution", the modern strategy of Washington adopted the concept of "permanent chaos." There is no goal to win in the new war (sometimes called "hybrid"). The process of providing it is the goal.

 

The US fight against the ISIS the same way as it is fights for it and together with it. Russia still follows “outdated” ideas: either one or another, either for or against. It explains Russian policy in Syria. It is there to defeat its enemy. Moscow does not understand or does not accept enantiodromia. Russia is clearly lags in the postmodernism, cleaving to the classical logic, including the war and politics logic.
Europe, including France, is in an intermediate position of American geopolitics of Middle East chaos. On the one hand, Washington obliges Europe to follow its politics (enantiodromia), on the other hand, the example of Russia, following a more classical models of logic, sobering and returns minds of European leaders to the usual questions of goals, means, cause, effect, the balance of power, interests and, finally, values.

The terrorist attack in Paris on November 13, 2015, is the moment of a sharp aggravation of contradictions. The Frenchmen faced the challenged that they can’t fight under existing Atlantic enantiodromia, at the same time, they can’t even describe it equally in term of polite correctness. It means that the attack is not the last one. Paris will not be able to respond to it equally because it is not able to understand it equally, even to describe it equally.

So ISIS rules. After all, anyone can’t and doesn’t want to stop him. So it will go on, the Society of the Spectacle has its own logic, the perverse logic of grotesque entertainment.

Domestic politics in France is dealing with the same postmodern enantiodromia as with geopolitics in the Middle East. Only this time it is also an ideological dimension associated with the ideas of liberalism.

Free actions of the ISIS terrorists, committed the attack on Friday 13 in Paris, is connected largely to the situation that had formed in French society because of mass immigration, consisting of the people from the Middle East and Maghreb (mostly Muslims) and now “the ninth wave” of refugees, rapidly leaving the most bloody zones (Syria, Iraq, Yemen, etc.). The ISIS PR-campaign adds fuel to the fire, as not all Muslims find something good in the parody on extremist sect, nothing more than a serial killer, however everyone knows hypnotic Stockholm syndrome when hostages sincerely stand up for terrorists. Allowing immigrants to freely enter the territory of France and found there their social enclaves (often having nothing to do with the lifestyle and values of native French) requires the ideology of liberalism, "human rights", "civil society" which is the ruling and the official ideology of modern society, no less than Communism in the Soviet Union. So while maintaining the status quo of liberal democracy (that no one in whole Europe won’t give up and don’t even think to do it) the growth of immigration and the expansion of Islam cultural centers is guaranteed. In addition to it, native Europeans (especially the French), under the ruling liberalism, have no right to assert its own identity and to demand respect for European values from immigrants (today it is equal to the "fascism") the assimilation of immigrants into European society is simply excluded at the very beginning. The European society in terms of liberalism has purely negative identity: modern Europe doesn’t want to have anything with the old Europe, Christianity, nations, estates, patriarchy, traditional morality, etc. In contrast, the "European" is declared everything that most separates itself from its roots.

Against the backdrop of not only weakening but even forbidden for ideological reasons European identity immigration (mainly Islamic) is automatically create their own policies and religious and value of the program. The program can’t be organic and historical continuity, because Islam came in modern Europe artificially and from different regions often with very different ethnic, cultural and religious traditions. So Islamic immigrants are almost doomed to arrange an ersatz ideology not Islamic, but Islamist, not traditional, but modern and even postmodern, not natural, but artificial. Thus, the Islam Society of the Spectacle with the dominance of liberal ideology in Europe is practically inevitable, and it can only become stronger. It is guaranteed: the number of immigrants will only grow, European identity will only become weaker, and the increase of post-modern Islamism will accelerate.

The Paris attacks were simply impossible without already formed stable Islamist environment in France, funded long before the current wave of refugees. Of course, among the refugees ISIS activists could arrive to the country, and it is possible that they were the direct participants of the attacks. But the breeding ground for it was prepared much earlier, in the first of all ideologically. Liberalism, encouraging immigration (it is openly stated by George Soros, one of the most consistent follower of liberalism and scale practician) and consistently blurring European identity (under the pretext of "anti-fascism"), has created all the necessary conditions.

Is it realistic to expect that after the massacre in Paris, the situation will change? To make it happen, the French authorities should seriously reconsider their attitude to the main ideology: only it will provide the basis for regulation of the migration and consolidation of the French. But it is simply impossible. Neither Hollande nor the main political forces of France, except openly illiberal National Front of Marine Le Pen, will give up the liberal ideology under any circumstances. So until the final collapse of liberalism in Europe, all the processes that led to the attacks will continue to grow. The risks won’t reduce, but will rise.

European liberalism will inevitably lead to the same situation as in the Middle East. The US is learning to live in conditions of controlled moderated chaos. It is not enough to have a loyal to the US leader in every country. It calls for the “deepening of democracy." It is enantiodromic claim. But it seems now to be addressed to Europe too. Since liberals are guaranteed to be in power in Europe, it is guaranteed to have the growth of immigration and the escalation of ethnic and cultural conflicts. It is also guaranteed to have the rise of terrorism and the popularity of the postmodern ISIS. In the end, we have a civil war in Europe, preparing now actively. The terrorist attacks in Paris shows how it will happen. Bashar Assad rightly noted that the French experiences of November 15, 2015, are the same events that the Syrians are going through in recent years, only in a much larger scale. On Friday 13 we saw a rehearsal of the European future: the French celebrating and drinking in bars at the weekend and armed group of Islamic terrorists having no control over them shooting people. And no one will draw any conclusions, and will even dare to describe the situation properly. In this case, those who are represented today as a group of maniacs, Islamist version of Freddy Krueger, tomorrow will become European moderate opposition and fighters for the minorities’ rights for democracy. It is possible that they will have in their hands whole European regions, and perhaps the entire countries, if political correct Europeans continue to drink cocktails, go to the stadiums and to concerts of heavy metal bands. The heaviest of the metals is a bullet, flying from the scene instead of loud voices of American degenerates under the cry of "Allah Akbar!" The hardest ever.

Giving up the liberalism or face same problems

What lesson can we get out of this tragedy?

1. We are living in the decisive moment when Western civilization is approaching its end. Such terroristic acts as that of Paris 13.11 show it clearly and unmistakably. The West we knew doesn’t exist any longer. Can’t exist any longer. One upon a time there was a certain West. With patriarchic heroic values, Christian identity, deep and exquisite culture with Greek-Roman roots. The West of God, man and nature. There is nothing like that in sight. The ruins. The weak and poisonous liberal civilization based on self-indulgence and at the same time on self-hatred. With no identity but purely negative one. Peopled by humans egoistic and ashamed of themselves. It can have the future. In front of brutal post-modern ISIS-fighters it can’t affirm anything, can’t oppose anything, can’t suggest anything. The West can’t be any longer Western. It is loosing itself. It is drowning. France is not worse place. All the rest of the Europe and USA themselves go the same way. The West is afraid. Not of ISIS, of itself, of its void, of its nihilism. If the West survive it will be no the same West we knew. Or it will change into a clone of the Middle East in blood in fire with no way out, or into the totalitarian system obsessed with the security. ISIS is not real danger it is rather symptom of utter decay. The worms can’t cause the death. They come when it is all over. If you deny That Who has risen from the dead and has saved the other, the death is the real end. So it is the dooms day.

2. Those who understand the gravity of situation should run and seek the salvation. There are few places in the world that try to escape from the nihilism of Modernity in its final turn. The blamed and permanently criticized Russia is one of such places. Russia is far from being ideal or optimal country. There are many failures and weal point. But she hold still. She doesn’t accept the full portion of poison. She refuses to suicide herself as the West does. So she resist. Russian conservatism beware Russians from falling in the same trap: when you are attacked and murdered in your home and obliged to smile and keep silence. Hillary Clinton confessed that USA have conceived ISIS but ISIS has evaded and went mad. The West experiment with suicide forms. It will continue. Russia and some other countries fight to live and survive the inevitable End of the West. So Russia is open as Arch to all. She loves Europe. Not of today. The other Europe. Original one. Christian, Roman, Greek. Traditional Europe peopled by Europeans. As before, as always. In the ancient times Russia was shield of Europe. Now the roles have changed. The Europe is rather shield of Russia. But this time the shield is not so good. The invasion comes. Russia needs Europe and wish it were a good shield. So there are at least some common interests if not common values. Russia would be happy to save Europe. Without it is quite impossible. I don’t judge if it is still possible with. But nevertheless we all need the common front. We need fight to the End and with the End.

3. European elites will extract no conclusions of the Paris 13.11 shooting and bombing. More immigrants, more liberalism, more love parades and gender politics. More tolerance. More liberalism. That will be answer. Such elites are completely mad. If Europe want be saved it needs new ones. Now it is time to seriously fight for Tradition, for Christ, for Identity, for restoration of Sovereignty lost. The mad liberal elites are much more fearsome and dangerous than ISIS. With the firm will there is no problem to win the ISIS and stop the aggression and occupation of Europe. But the problem is ISIS is the creation of the liberal elite. Partly of USA geopolitical strategy partly of the natural void. The liberalism is the name of the Death. Dawn with it and there will be may be the chance. With it – no chances at all.