Who are we in times of war? Plea for a social debate

The grammar of war, it is inscribed in many technologies that accompany us every day. They are very familiar to us, became part of our everyday life and actively shape it. In most cases, we do not know whether parts of the small devices in our pockets will also be used in war. Which technologies can be classified as war technologies, and which can be classified as civil technologies. The concept of DUAL USE was lost in public perception, but today it can be found again, especially in public funding terminology under the term „security technology“. We learn such new terms by talking, by speaking to our fellow human beings, thus „using“ them to put it in Wittgenstein’s words: The meaning of a word is „the way in which this use intervenes in life“ (Wittgenstein, 65). Before that, they are wordless words. ()

read full Article (german) in Berliner Gazette here: https://berlinergazette.de/wer-sind-wir-in-zeiten-des-krieges-plaedoyer-fuer-eine-gesellschaftliche-auseinandersetzung/


This article is an extended excerpt from the ground zero Newsletter »Word begets image & image is virus« from October ’22.