Society of Spectacle
By Sean at 14 August, 2007, 6:08 pm
RFE/RL calls the two minute video, which isn’t the first of its kind, a “hate crime video.” I call it a political snuff film. Some like Aleksandr Belov, the leader of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration claims that the video is a fake and a “provocation.” “There are two versions. This is either committed by someone who sincerely considers that this is how it is necessary to fight non-residents or this is a provocation to discredit the Russian idea and stir up a fight against its supporters,” Belov told Kommersant. Belov also noted that the video may be connected to the detention of Maksim Martsinkevich, aka “Tesak,” the leader of the Nazi group Format-18, during his trial in a Moscow city court.
Also speaking to Kommersant, Aleksandr Berkhovskii, an expert at SOVA, thinks that the video is the real deal. “It doesn’t look like this clip was staged. It’s very natural and looks genuine.” He also admitted to the Associated Press that “I’ve never seen anything that blatant.”
The identities of the two men are still unknown.
The Russian MVD has opened an investigation into the video, but a spokesperson stated that it was too soon to determine if the video was real or not. Legally the authenticity of the video is not as much an issue for it violates several statues of the Russian extremist law. Under the law, any representation that seeks to insight racial or ethnic violence is considered criminal.
Is the video real or a fake? That is the question that has made the video one of the most discussed topics on Russian Live Journal. The video has since been removed from most websites.
Writing on his site, ZheZhe user aleke writes, “It makes absolutely no difference to me who did the executing, who was executed, or whether it was an execution at all. . . Nationalism has shown for a long time now nationalism doesn’t mean love for one’s country but hated toward others. Can there be talk about some kind of “Russian nationalism” if Russians are only mentioned in slogans and speeches and at the center of attention are Caucasians?”
Another ZheZhe user, dimantrump, dismissed the video as a provocation by the FSB. “What is the motive?” he asks. “It still turns the screws. Still more strongly enslaves the Russian people. In the end, as past experience has shown that such incidents ultimately play into the hands of the occupiers.”
I personally think that the question of its “reality” isn’t important beyond the need to bring the murders to justice. After all, given the sophistication of media technology is there any absolutely sure way to authenticate such a video? Granted, I have not watched it, nor do I intend to. But to me this video’s political resonance says something more about spectacle of violence that inhabits our modern lives rather than anything specific about nationalism or fascism in Russia. As far as I’m concerned the members of “National Socialism/White Power” are merely reproducing what has already become a staple in our media diet. From the “real” videos of Chechens beheading Russian soldiers, Beslan, Daniel Pearl, Abu Ghraib, suicide bombings, and school and workplace shootings (and the media’s obsession over them) to the “fake” torture scenes of shows like 24 and other films, hasn’t the gap between the real and the fake long collapsed, making their distinction merely academic. What is important is the connection between politics and extreme violence, or really the use of extreme violence as political spectacle. After all, has not the previously virtually unknown National Socialism/White Power made an instant name for itself with nothing more than a two minute commercial?
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Comments
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Reality does matter in the sense that it might not have been a murder at all. Is it a crime if there was no murder? I suppose it might be under Russia’s amended extremist laws.
The Neo-Nazi or fascist message definitely resonates with a certain element in Russia now. The Russian government would be wise to prosecute such types to the fullest extent of the law, when they overstep the law. Perhaps that goes without saying – but too often in the past it has seemed that the Russian government, either federal or local, has played footsie with outlaws of all varieties, giving criminals the impression that they actually can do such acts without consequence.
It is really quite difficult to fake a snuff video. The sounds and motions that the human body (or any animal for that matter) goes through is pretty difficult for an actor to recreate.
The first snuff video I ever saw was of some poor russian soldier getting beheaded slowly by some Chechen savage. I don’t thing I have ever seen anything that disturbing before or since. It wasn’t the viscera that was so disturbing as was the facial expressions and sounds the kid made as the life slowly ebbed from his face and his eyes went dark. No way an actor could ever give such a performance. A few other friends, who are not the emotional types and have seen plenty of horror movies, etc., also saw the video and then commented that they seriously wished they had never seen it.
I guess the point of my post is that you can tell on a subliminal level when death is real and when it is faked. Otherwise, nobody would ever go to see movies which have people die in them.
The Russians are definitely one of the most virulently racist nations on the planet. Even during Communism, the African and Asian students at the Lenin Institute knew that to venture more than two blocks away from the Institute was a near certain death sentence.
Even I’m surprised by this though. The Russians have a long history of proto facist movements, like the Black Hundreds, etc. But any Russian who would call him/herself a National Socialist, venerate Hitler, and display the Swastika flag is not just racist, but stone stupid. Remember, Hitler thought you guys were subhuman too, and thought that feeding and sheltering Soviet prisoners of war was an unnecessary expense? I guess these bastards are trying to prove that he was right about one thing.
I’ve been thinking about this post on and off throughout the day since I read it this morning (Moscow time). I agree with you, Sean, that what’s remarkable and important is the connection between political violence and spectacle. But something about the tone of the last paragraph strikes me wrong. I couldn’t put my finger on it this morning, so I didn’t write anything. Then this afternoon, it occurred to me that part of my objection to the line “its ‘reality’ isn’t important beyond the need to bring the murders to justice” is that had I been murdered, the reality would matter — that is, that this line requires a certain distancing from the victim in which it reproduces the logic of the spectacle. I think some made the same critique of Baudrillard’s Gulf War essay, back in the day. My thinking here was more along the lines of the example that Michael Holquist presents in the preface to Bakhtin’s *Philosophy of the Act* (I’m working from a ten-year old memory, so feel free to correct me, should you like; I’ve got no library to speak of here in Moscow). Holquist notes that “decimation”–the selecting by lot of every tenth person for execution–is an abstract concept, a way of reducing a population for everyone except the tenth person. I worry that the tone of your last paragraph (even with the important caveat at the beginning) erases the perspective of that tenth person. It’s perhaps a small thing, but one I can’t help but mention.
AH, your comment just isn’t true. The story is far more complex than you hint at. You might look at biographies of Virendranath Chattopadhyay, M.N. Roy, Katayama Sen, Langston Hughes, Harry Haywood, William Patterson, George Padmore, Jomo Kenyatta, Ho Chi Minh, Paul Robeson, among others for a variety of different perspectives on Afro-Asian experiences in the Soviet Union. In the pre-Soviet period, there’s a little interesting work on Chinese workers on the railroads (and an article in this week’s Itogi on their “descendents” working on the Siberian-Pacific pipeline) and on African-American performers (from Irkutsk to Petersburg), etc. If you are really interested, I could go on and on. It’s sorta my bread and butter. Not to deny racism, but just to mention that the story is not so simple as “Russians are racist.”
The Russians are definitely one of the most virulently racist nations on the planet.
Pretty ignorant thing to say considering that Russia is comprised of about 160 different ethnic groups that live in relative peace and quiet. These bastards are despicable and should be brought to justice, no doubt. And I’ll be the first to admit that Russian’s culturally often have little or no western-style tact or manners when it comes to dealing with people they perceive as outsiders. And that environment can certainly be a breeding ground for racism, which appears to be a growing problem for the Russian nation. Statistics indicate that Europe is also experiencing a growth in violent hate-crimes.
However, I would stop short of saying Russia is “virulently racist”. At that point I think the commentary and analysis just becomes silly. There is a line between making a stereotypical comment or joke about a person’s race or ethnicity (which I’ve seen as common in Russia) – and having real hatred and wishing violence upon someone who is different (which I have seen as uncommon).
Statistics show that the U.S. is about as violent, hateful, and racist a culture as you are likely to find on the planet. In discussions in the past on this forum, I’ve linked to a website that lists the some 600+ known hate groups in the U.S. Good luck finding so many well-organized and funded racist hate-minded bigots in Russia. They have to operate well below the radar of police, particularly these days as more and more laws are targeted at neo-Nazi extremist groups. Hopefully this single act will do more to mobilize the law against neo-Nazi’s and those who would commit violent acts.
Sorry, I went a little over the top there, but this really pisses me off. I stand by the factual basis of most of what I said, but I would amend it slightly. I don’t really know if “Russia” or “Russians” are generally more racist than other people. I do have good anecdotal reasons to believe that racists have the upper hand in a way they don’t in, say, Western Europe. But then this may be a result of a general breakdown in the rule of law, a problem that I believe is quite prevalent in post-Soviet Russia, and one that gives the upper hand to all sorts of unpleasant types, whether ideologically motivated or not.
Also, I did not mean to imply that Russians in general were subhuman, although these scum certainly are. I don’t think even PETA would object to their swift exit from the scene.
That was much too civilized, ah.
You should have said “sigh. Wrong again, Shedd” and then proceeded to dissect my argument, point by point. Exaggerate, offer some comparisons of Putin to some really evil historical dictator or tyrant. (Might I suggest Genghis Khan? We don’t hear enough good Genghis Khan comparisons these days. And John Wayne portrayed him in film, so that would appeal to a certain Putin-macho element. Plus, both John Wayne and Putin walk funny.)
Don’t be afraid to insult my intellect either and cite your own credentials as being far superior to mine.
Mix well and serve chilled. Serves 8.
If we don’t stick to these simple rules, we’re never going to see another 150 post thread again! It’s a challenge, but I believe if we all work together we can do it!
I should probably be flogged for making jokes on a thread about such a vile topic. This probably points at some underlying emotional immaturity on my part.
I simply was disarmed by such a reasonable reply that was.
Buster, I’m glad you brought up Baudrillard’s Gulf war essay because that is what I was thinking of when I was reading all the debates about whether the video is real or not. I agree with you on the erasure of the actual material affects of murder. You are right, it is no small thing. I knew I was overstating myself hoping that it would spark discussion.
The last paragraph is out of frustration that the discussion about the video centered around 1) its authenticity, meaning that if it was fake then it has no real power, or 2) Russia as racist and the video proves that Russia is more racist than other places. What seems to be missing is a discussion of the relationship between politics, violence, and media in our present times.
I was thinking that on one level (and I want to make a point that this does not contradict the real material effects of this violence) is that the video has an effect beyond the question of authenticity. In fact, one can say that even if it is fake, it is real enough. (Here a potentially interesting discussion about extremist laws can be had. Extremist laws essentially punish the representation of extremism, or really the law makes extremist speech and images almost equal to real extremist acts, i.e. the “real” and the “fake” approach mutual subsumption.)
That effect is about the spectacle of political violence and the connection between these snuff videos and politics. By committing such an extreme act of violence on video, then posting it on the internet, these nazis have become known overnight. Whatever one thinks about this video, it can’t be denied that it is effective propaganda. This to me is regardless of whether the video is real or not. In fact, the violence is so extreme that the shock of it has real material effects in and of itself beyond the destruction of the real victims’ bodies. Therefore there seems to be two targets of this violence: those being killed and those doing the viewing. We as spectators are soft targets. But what is interesting about this video and others like it is that we willingly join the spectacle because its violence satisfies some desire, whether conscious or unconscious. It all makes me wonder if the prevalence of violence in our global political discourse is indicative of the poverty of politics itself. Such violence facilitates and justifies the Manicheanism that Fanon so eloquently describes (if we extend it outside of the colonial binary of settler and native). Violence can only be destroyed by violence.
Another question I have is why we are still shocked, or why such violence still satisfies desire. Is it the immediacy between victim and perpetrator? Who do we imagine ourselves as when we watch it: victim or perpetrator? Or are we just happy being the morally absolved spectator because we only watch such acts, but don’t actually commit them? Such violence is very real and happens everyday in many places around the world, but for some reason its mediation by the camera somehow absolves our culpability as participants in the spectacle.
By the way, what I have (antigypsone) learned (Dagestan) the last few (Tajikstan) hours is that (execution) this is (National Socialist Society) a very hot search (neo-Nazi) topic on the internet (video) right now.
Is it the immediacy between victim and perpetrator? Who do we imagine ourselves as when we watch it: victim or perpetrator? Or are we just happy being the morally absolved spectator because we only watch such acts, but don’t actually commit them?
I think some animal part of our brain is likely drawn to horrific acts, as an object lesson on death. On the most primitive level, animals have to avoid death and are captivated in watching the death of one of their own – and often motivated to action. And horrific as such acts are, a video like this activates that part of our brain. On a higher level of the brain, it has those affects that you describe, perhaps most notably that of the morally absolved spectator.
One of the most popular videos over the last week or two has been the Battle at Kruger video. We are the buffalo.
http://www.technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLU8DDYz68kM
Sean.
Looks like you don’t like the idea about freedom of speech and expression. That video is just an expression of some ideas…indeed.
What is the difference between this video and “interviews” of Basaev broadcasted by “western independent” mass media?
PS. poor ah. He spent all his years within two block of Lenin University
)
Ivanov – you’re logic is sorely lacking. Since when did murder become “freedom of speech”?
Your comments paint you as a bigger ass than I thought possible.
Sean, I agree with your analysis of politics and the spectacle of violence. My reservation was with your tone, which to my ear ran too close to Baudrillard’s (I tend to think the dismissive tone of much of his writing leads to a number of problems). When I was thinking through the spectacle of violence, my mind first turned to Susan Sontag’s analysis of photographs and suffering, and the specific essay in which she wrote about the Abu Ghraib photos (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/23/magazine/23PRISONS.html?ex=1400644800&en=a2cb6ea6bd297c8f&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND).
While Sontag’s analysis runs “light” and perhaps displaces too much blame on the Bush regime (or it seems that way in retrospect–at the time, as Rummie and Bush were in denial mode, the tone seemed appropriate to me), I do find her struggle to battle against the logic of the photographs and think about the humanity of the victims/sufferers admirable. That was my main point. That to think about this snuff video as spectacle ought not erase the real victims and real act (that is, to remember that this was BOTH an act of documentation and a documented act).
For me, Memorial activist Svetlana Gannushkina’s reaction to the media to-do also struck a chord:
“Actually this has nothing to do with virtual life, this is our real life,” she said. “We have faced similar cases in real stories of people who appealed to us.”
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-28994320070815?pageNumber=2&sp=true
Perhaps she veers too much in the other direction of not paying attention to the importance of spectacle. But she also underscores that for many–those who are consumed with fears of and battles against ethnic violence–this video wasn’t news at all.
W. Shedd said:
“Ivanov – you’re logic is sorely lacking. Since when did murder become “freedom of speech”?”
Have you read my question about the difference?
)
If you want to measure asses – you should look in different directions
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/International/story?id=990187
ABC expressed shock. The network late yesterday issued a statement saying it regretted Moscow’s action but that it could not allow any government to prevent it from reporting the news “fully and accurately.”
U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey, speaking yesterday in Washington, said the United States government condemned actions claimed by Basaev in the strongest possible terms.
“We certainly believe that the actions taken by certain terrorist groups in Chechnya, certainly the actions taken at the school in Beslan and some of the other terrorist activities that have gone on, are absolutely deplorable,” Casey said. “We condemned them at the time. We continue to condemn them. We believe that those kinds of attacks on innocents, whether they occur at Chechnya, whether they occur anywhere else in the world are simply unacceptable. They are not a legitimate form of political expression.”
But at the same time, Casey said the United States does not believe censoring or punishing the media is legitimate. “I don’t think, if in fact, ABC is to somehow be banned from reporting in Russia that that would be a positive statement about freedom of expression,” he said.
Shedd.
If you want to measure asses – you should look in different direction.
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/International/story?id=990187
ABC expressed shock. The network late yesterday issued a statement saying it regretted Moscow’s action but that it could not allow any government to prevent it from reporting the news “fully and accurately.”
U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey, speaking yesterday in Washington, said the United States government condemned actions claimed by Basaev in the strongest possible terms.
“We certainly believe that the actions taken by certain terrorist groups in Chechnya, certainly the actions taken at the school in Beslan and some of the other terrorist activities that have gone on, are absolutely deplorable,” Casey said…
But at the same time, Casey said the United States does not believe censoring or punishing the media is legitimate. “I don’t think, if in fact, ABC is to somehow be banned from reporting in Russia that that would be a positive statement about freedom of expression,” he said.
So my question again – what is the F&^^% difference?
Shedd.
If you want to measure asses – you should look in different direction.
abcnews.go.com/Nightline/International/story?id=990187
ABC expressed shock. The network late yesterday issued a statement saying it regretted Moscow’s action but that it could not allow any government to prevent it from reporting the news “fully and accurately.”
U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey, speaking yesterday in Washington, said the United States government condemned actions claimed by Basaev in the strongest possible terms.
“We certainly believe that the actions taken by certain terrorist groups in Chechnya, certainly the actions taken at the school in Beslan and some of the other terrorist activities that have gone on, are absolutely deplorable,” Casey said…
But at the same time, Casey said the United States does not believe censoring or punishing the media is legitimate. “I don’t think, if in fact, ABC is to somehow be banned from reporting in Russia that that would be a positive statement about freedom of expression,” he said.
So my question again – what is the F&^^% difference?
sorry for several posts but you should blame spam filter
)
It stoped post with link that starts with /http:/ … then let them to appear (or something wrong with my browser)
I’m not sure if I agree that the question of this video’s reality is unimportant. Actually I would argue that its authenticity – and debates over that authenticity as well – are key to its spectacular effect. That is not to suggest that real or fake is the issue, only to acknowledge that realism is key to how we view mediated violence. Violence that we believe to be simulated does not have the same effects – psychological or political – as that which we believe to be real.
That said, the spectacle of violence is not simply about greater realism, it is also about making real violence increasingly unreal. The question as to whether this video is seen as an authentic document of real violence against visible minorities in Russia or as an extreme fantasy image that can be used to deny the real violence taking place (or as something else) seems to me central to its effects.
And for ah, Looks like racist snuff films aren’t just a Russian phenom:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmrR8oqGeLo
For what’s worth, the makers of the film say its fake.
Hi Friends,
I have been looking at these posts for a very long time now. Well, I am an Indian. Russia and India are good friends since very long.They have a great history and both the countries respect each other and ready to support each other in any situation. Then why these racial attacks on people of different ethnic groups????
I also got admission in a Russian university in St.Petersburg, But I am still making up my mind whether to go to Russia or not. I love Russia. But this racism thing is coming in between.
You suggest me what should I do??..Shall I come to Russia..??
Best Regards,
Rahul
Rahul,if you dont care about your life or your dignity then go to Russia for studies.I am an indian and been there for seven long years.So i know what Russia really is.The racism,prejudice and preconcieved notion about coloured people are so wide spread,that you will believe only when you experience it.For russian racists it does not matter that you are an indian or pakistani.For them you are a black cockroach to be crushed.I know so many students who were brutally attacked or killed just because of their colour.And it is not only in moscow or stpetersburg that you will experience violent racism,but also in almost every part of white russia you are likely to become a victim of racism.If you still dont believe,then open http://www.youtube.com and print russian skinheads.You will see lot of videos were black people are being bearen or even killed.I finished my studies in russia in 2002.Even then there was wide spread racism.Only thing was that it was not getting this much publicity.But defenitely brutality and popularity of racism has gone up.