You could say with Bataille that the architecture of the Abu Ghuraib prison in Iraq expresses the "soul of society": it is not just an image of the social order of occupation; it now guarantees, or even imposes that social order.
This is what Bataille says:
"Architecture is the expression of the very soul of societies, just as human physiognomy is the expression of the individuals’ souls. It is, however, particularly to the physiognomies of official personages (prelates, magistrates, admirals) that this comparison pertains. In fact it is only the ideal soul of society, that which has authority to command and prohibit, that is expressed in architectural compositions properly speaking. Thus great monuments are erected like dikes, opposing the logic and majesty of authority against all disturbing elements: it is in the form of cathedral or palace that Church or State speaks to the multitudes and imposes silence upon them. It is, in fact obvious that monuments inspire social prudence and often even real fear. The taking of the Bastille is symbolic of this state of things: it is hard to explain this crowd movement other than by the animosity of the people against the monuments that are their real master."
Abu Ghuraib prison in Iraq is like the Bastille prison in pre-revolutionary France. From what I can gather the majority of those inside were persons suspected of knowing something about the insurgency or being involved in it. From what the Red Cross says a lot of them were picked up in error.
A system upholding death's work, as Hegel would say. Is not death preserved in the very architecture of the prison?
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at May 17, 2004 12:05 PM | TrackBack