"Clash of civilisations" meme

We keep hearing that the Muslim civilisation and that of the modern secular west are on an inevitable collision course, and that the re-emergence of the Islamic Caliphate will bring this clash to a confrontational head. This idea of a "clash of civilisations", isn't entirely new; the term was coined by Bernard Lewis in an essay in 1990, and later developed into a theory of global cultural conflict in a series of books in the 1990's.

This "clash of civilisations" meme (for meme is what is most certainly is) rapidly gained immense popularity, infecting academics and politicians alike in classical meme-fashion. The events of 911, coinciding with the emergence of the neoconservatives in the White House, created the ideal conditions for this meme to flourish.

The Islamists and the American neocons each trumpeted a new era of ideological battle, and it is the narrow agendas of these two cults that are inciting and sustaining the current War on Terror. Both parties rely for their ideological cover on the existence of the public perception of a fierce and formidable adversary bent on their annihilation.

As such their relationship is more one of mutually-beneficial symbiosis than mutual rivalry, as each has a stake in bolstering the image of the other. The Islamists are generally grateful for being portrayed with such a grandiose image, and the neocons appreciate the militant antagonism as it sustains their myth of an ideological battle. In many ways, this propaganda routine is reminiscent of the Cold War between the capitalist west and the Communist Soviet bloc, but unlike the very real ideological clashes of the late 20th century, the ideological battle between the West and the Islamists today hardly goes beyond the hollow rhetoric of politicians' statements and the fiery Islamist video broadcasts. It is simply self-sustaining propaganda.

Seen in the light of this meme, the War on Terror can be described as a proxy battle in a war between two mutually-sustaining symbiotic cult memes, both of which are variants of the same "they're out to get us" meme. The irony is that, unlike the Cold War, as each party relies on the other its own existence, according to the memetic rules of engagement there can be no winner in this war.

Related links

• TFTD: Real Motive for War on Terror
• Clash of Civilisations: Wikipedia
• The Power of Nightmares: BBC
• The Power of Nightmares: watch video
• The Clash of the Cults