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Political debates are characterized by more than just discussions between private individuals; they have a theatrical aspect. Political actors behave like magicians, pretending one reality while living another. The central element of political confrontations is the “claque,” the applause-givers, whom the arguments do not target because they are already factored into the political discourse. The claque is part of the staging, as political disputes are always a form of theater.
A typical element of political conflicts is the creation of the “Other,” the political opponent who must be fought at all costs. In liberal democracies, this battle takes place on a sublimated level of verbal confrontation. However, this symbolically conducted struggle always contains the element of physical destruction and, therefore, the element of war.
In our modern Western democracies, the element of war is becoming increasingly evident in political discourse. It begins with the ruthless battle for dominance over all communication channels and ends with the inability to listen to the political opponent. To avoid listening to them, the strategy of dehumanization is often employed. The political opponent is stigmatized, for example, as a “Nazi.” Dehumanization in any conflict is, however, the first step toward war.
A typical element of political conflicts is the creation of the “Other,” the political opponent who must be fought at all costs. In liberal democracies, this battle takes place on a sublimated level of verbal confrontation. However, this symbolically conducted struggle always contains the element of physical destruction and, therefore, the element of war.
In our modern Western democracies, the element of war is becoming increasingly evident in political discourse. It begins with the ruthless battle for dominance over all communication channels and ends with the inability to listen to the political opponent. To avoid listening to them, the strategy of dehumanization is often employed. The political opponent is stigmatized, for example, as a “Nazi.” Dehumanization in any conflict is, however, the first step toward war.
Joas Nebe is an artist, curator, and academic with a background in psychology, media studies, literature, and theatre from the University of Hamburg. He also trained in traditional art techniques at a private art school. After graduating, Nebe lectured on film analysis at Hamburg University and analyzed election campaigns for Reemtsma. Since 2000, he has worked as an artist and freelance curator, with projects shown in Berlin, Milan, and Tehran. Notable exhibitions include "Climate Change Cartoons" at the 2011 UN Climate Change Conference in Durban and "Machine Fair" at Moscow's Museum of Modern Art in 2012. His films have been featured in international festivals such as Les Instants Video in Cairo, Videoformes Festival, Sustain Our Africa, Madatac in Madrid, and Papy Gyros Nights in Hong Kong. Nebe's work has been shown at the Biblioteca Alexandrina, ART_TECTURE, and SHIFT:ibpcpa's "In 24hours: Future Visions." He has received numerous awards, stipends, and residencies from various countries, contributing to his diverse artistic perspective and body of work. https://joasnebe.arthttps://www.instagram.com/joas.nebe
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