Clio Fregoli - Entry no.5 (Taussig)

In this section of the course we are analyzing the idea of the report as a form of counter-discourse. Counter-discourse is a concept conceived by Michel Foucault, signifying in simple terms, the ideas and arguments that challenge the legitimacy of a claim. We are examining specifically counter-discourse as a method of fighting terror, silence, fear and security prone paranoia.  

Taussig’s article, Culture of terror - Space of death, examines the counter-discourse in the form of a report, the Putumayo Report by Casement published in July of 1913. This report can be described as a form of counter-discourse as it exposed the persistent abuse and terror by British colonialists within the rubber industry of Peru. Through the publication of this report and thus its exposure to society, Casement was able to diminish the brutality within the rubber industry. His report exposed the extent of the abuse and brutality of the colonialists, and demonstrated what Taussig defines as a “culture of terror”; a culture in which massive populations are controlled through cultural constructions of fear. Taussig also explores how the form of the report was used in an opposite context - the colonialists fabricated reports that emphasized the savagery of the native populations. These reports were then used as a justification of their violence and atrocity.

Counter-discourse in the form of a report, can also be seen through the revelation of information by whistleblower Edward Snowden, of top secret concealed documents of the NSA. On the webpage, NSA files decoded, the guardian explores the debate surrounding the NSA’s ability to surveille and monitor citizens of the world. In a negative light, this involves a major breach of privacy, something very crucial to the identity of the United States. However, the NSA argues that this information is necessary to  function as an intelligence organization with counter-terrorist measures, and thus more generally for the safety of Americans.

I believe that this idea of the report as counter-discourse can be extremely effective if the report is accessible to the population; and if the population has the ability to act on the finding of this knowledge. As noted by Latour, the Chinese proverb says “To know and not to act, is not to know” and therefore by not acting, the knowledge is lost on the citizens who have been given this information. However, the ability to act on this type of knowledge can be extremely challenging; how does an individual have the courage to stand up against the state? and how can the population know who to trust when given such limited information? In one of the interviews on the website, Thomas Drake states that after Snowden’s revelations, a message was sent to whistleblowers - “don’t speak up, don’t tell the truth of or about power, or we will hammer you and hammer you good”. This demonstrates another form of a culture of terror - one created to undermine and prevent any form of counter-discourse against the state.