Wikileaks in Postmodern Perspective
Last Monday, November 30, 2010, was a shocking day in the world. Nearly hundreds of thousands US bilateral documents were uploaded by wikileaks. In the leaked documents, it was uncovered that many Middle East leaders pledged US to strike Iran in response to the growing and long lasting issue of nuclear issue. As we all know. Iran insisted on developing nuclear power and it was argued that the development was for the sake of alternative energy. Iran's plan to develop nuclear in fact turned the world to be more alert. US, as one of the world leader strongly refused this plan since US surely would suspect the nuclear development used in the army enhancement. However, a surprising fact is exposed by the leaked documents i.e. the pledge by Arabian leaders to strike Iran. Surely, it makes the international relation of the countries mentioned in the documents tense. But, how is this phenomenon seen from postmodernism perspective?
Postmodernism ,as explained in the previous post, is marked by media control over society. This phenomenon surely exposes to us, how media control society? Wikileaks is a site directed by Juliane Assange, a senior Australian journalist who becomes a most wanted person in the interpol due to the leaks 3 days ago. This web is established to uncover corrupt government as well as conspiracy and monopoly.
try to look at the the logo of wikileaks on the left. The logo consist of a globe on the upper part, dominated by darkened blue. And then, underneath is form of leaks, a form resembles leaking water. And on the lower part, there is a leaked globe but it has brighter blue color as opposed to the upper globe. From this logo, we understand the aims of wikileaks. Wikileaks sees the world we are living today as a world full of conspiracy. Thus, the upper globe is given the darkened blue color. Dark is the color of doubt. According to the logo, that conspiracy that darkens the world should be exposed to make a better world. The exposure is given in the leaked form. Wikileaks then believe that a world with no secrets behind, no conspiracy behind is a very beautiful and a bright world, as represented by a bright blue globe on the lower part of the logo.
Wikileaks operates in New Media genre i.e. internet. Thus, it can be accessed anywhere, anytime and by anyone. Wikileaks in postmodern sense, represents media power over people. Thus, Wikileaks has greater power over people since it really has the power to influence people. When people know your dirtiest secret, what will you do? this question, perhaps, best describe what Wikileaks tries to do.
Another postmodern phenomenon analyzed from Wikileaks is that this site uncovers the most confidential documents. It makes people all around the world question 'who must be trusted?'. For example. this site uncovers Middle East leaders who asked US to attack Iran. Although it has been a common secret that US and Middle East leaders, in particular Arab Saudi leaders are actually 'friends' despite the tense issue of Islam and Eastern - Western ideology or whatsoever. it never crosses to my mind that Arabian leader will ask US to literally attack Iran, their neighbor country. What is in my mind before the documents were leaked is that Middle East leaders will do no harm to their own neighbor country. They live side by side and yet Arab Saudi is by far always seen as Middle East leader. This, document surely changes the way people see things, it changes the paradigm. This is surely expressed by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton in her press conference regarding the incident as follows:
"This disclosure is not just an attack on America's foreign policy; it is an attack on the international community, the alliances and partnerships, the conventions and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity." [1]
Her statement clearly implies her concerns about the long lasting effect of the leaks as well as the changes in the international community that is about to happen shortly. Alliances, partnerships, conventions and negotiations are usually based on mutual understanding of two partners or more. But how will international community see things as the same as before if the truth is exposed? Mutual understanding and trust are no more than empty words. Mutual understanding and trust are just the construction of reality that is represented in the news. The world which is colored by uncertainty, betrayal and ambiguity await us. People will really see things more differently that before in this postmodern world.
Source
[1] Hillary Clinton statement as cited in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks
Postmodernism ,as explained in the previous post, is marked by media control over society. This phenomenon surely exposes to us, how media control society? Wikileaks is a site directed by Juliane Assange, a senior Australian journalist who becomes a most wanted person in the interpol due to the leaks 3 days ago. This web is established to uncover corrupt government as well as conspiracy and monopoly.
try to look at the the logo of wikileaks on the left. The logo consist of a globe on the upper part, dominated by darkened blue. And then, underneath is form of leaks, a form resembles leaking water. And on the lower part, there is a leaked globe but it has brighter blue color as opposed to the upper globe. From this logo, we understand the aims of wikileaks. Wikileaks sees the world we are living today as a world full of conspiracy. Thus, the upper globe is given the darkened blue color. Dark is the color of doubt. According to the logo, that conspiracy that darkens the world should be exposed to make a better world. The exposure is given in the leaked form. Wikileaks then believe that a world with no secrets behind, no conspiracy behind is a very beautiful and a bright world, as represented by a bright blue globe on the lower part of the logo.
Wikileaks operates in New Media genre i.e. internet. Thus, it can be accessed anywhere, anytime and by anyone. Wikileaks in postmodern sense, represents media power over people. Thus, Wikileaks has greater power over people since it really has the power to influence people. When people know your dirtiest secret, what will you do? this question, perhaps, best describe what Wikileaks tries to do.
Another postmodern phenomenon analyzed from Wikileaks is that this site uncovers the most confidential documents. It makes people all around the world question 'who must be trusted?'. For example. this site uncovers Middle East leaders who asked US to attack Iran. Although it has been a common secret that US and Middle East leaders, in particular Arab Saudi leaders are actually 'friends' despite the tense issue of Islam and Eastern - Western ideology or whatsoever. it never crosses to my mind that Arabian leader will ask US to literally attack Iran, their neighbor country. What is in my mind before the documents were leaked is that Middle East leaders will do no harm to their own neighbor country. They live side by side and yet Arab Saudi is by far always seen as Middle East leader. This, document surely changes the way people see things, it changes the paradigm. This is surely expressed by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton in her press conference regarding the incident as follows:
"This disclosure is not just an attack on America's foreign policy; it is an attack on the international community, the alliances and partnerships, the conventions and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity." [1]
Her statement clearly implies her concerns about the long lasting effect of the leaks as well as the changes in the international community that is about to happen shortly. Alliances, partnerships, conventions and negotiations are usually based on mutual understanding of two partners or more. But how will international community see things as the same as before if the truth is exposed? Mutual understanding and trust are no more than empty words. Mutual understanding and trust are just the construction of reality that is represented in the news. The world which is colored by uncertainty, betrayal and ambiguity await us. People will really see things more differently that before in this postmodern world.
Source
[1] Hillary Clinton statement as cited in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks
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