Terrorism and Consumerism: An Analysis of Terrorism Development

in Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity based on Paul Riceour’s

Critique of Ideology

Ais

a Maura

and Nau

Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanity, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia

Keywords: terrorism, consumerism, liquid modernity, flawed consumers, identity, ideology

Abstract: Globalization is an era that is marked by the ease of interaction and the exchange information all over the

world. It encourages people to continue following the movements of the world, as an effort to survive, or what

Bauman named it as survival-and-gratification consumerism method. The pattern of consumerism leads to

the existence of flawed consumers, namely those who are unable to keep up the global world movement in

liquid modernity era. In the midst of liquid modernity, Bauman thought that the presence of terrorism is not

possible. Using descriptive analysis and alternative explanation methods, this study found that some of the

premises or reasons used by Bauman to support his claims contains logical inconsistencies if traced in

fundamentalist ideology. By rectifying some of the inconsistencies found in Bauman’s concept, this study

found that terrorism remained undoubtedly in the era of liquid modernity, even showing its still growth as a

result of liquid modernity, not as something that was separated from it. In addition, this research also found

that terrorism has already become an identity, or what Paul Ricoeur calls as a distortion and a dissimulation

of ideology, therefore critique of ideology is needed to overcome this problem.

1 INTRODUCTION

Today we are living in the era of globalization

marked by the massive increase of use of information

technology which makes states borders fade. The

impact of globalization is the emergence what is

called liquid modernity with its signs of uncertainty

and rapid changes which were not predicted before.

This condition makes the society unstable and is full

of uncertainty. At the same time there appears to be

society of consumers in which maximum satisfaction

can never be reached because the ending point of

consumerism keeps moving on. “In the consumer

race the finishing line always moves faster than the

fastest of runners” (Bauman, 2000: 72).

The direct impact of consumerism and uncertainty

in this era is the changes in rate standard of happiness.

In the past, people looked for heavenly happiness

through standardized values and religious morals but

now people look for happiness in this

world through what they call earthy life. Therefore,

there is no room for the absolute religious

fundamentalists and and terrorist group. This is due

to the fact that terrorism is against the principles of

liquid modernity. The truth offered by the

fundamentalists is absolute about the happiness in

heaven, or future life, while this is in contrast with the

characteristics of liquid modernity. So, according to

Bauman, liquid modernity does not allow room for

fundamentalist movement including

terrorism. “The

liquid modern, consumer society settled in the

affluent part of the globe has no room for either

martyrs or heroes” (Bauman, 2005b: 47).

The idea of the failure of fundamentalism and

terrorisms in the globalization era is agreed by

Audrey Kurth Cronin as written in his research titled

Behind the Curve: Globalization and International

Terrorism. He summarized that globalization can

help curb terrorism through international relationship

among countries. Nahla Shahrouri noted the same

thing as presented in his research titled “Does a Link

Exist between Democracy and Terrorism?” which

concluded that democracy is the way out to prevent

and reduce the growth of terrorism.

The statements above are all interesting to

investigate further as some other researches posted

various findings and contradicted the existence of

2076

Maura, A. and Naupal, .

Terrorism and Consumerism: An Analysis of Terrorism Development in Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity based on Paul Riceour’s Cr itique of Ideology.

DOI: 10.5220/0009939420762084

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Recent Innovations (ICRI 2018), pages 2076-2084

ISBN: 978-989-758-458-9

fundamentalism and terrorism in the era of liquid

modernity. In 2013, Mark Davis wrote a research

about liquid modernity and its relation with

depression and solitude titled Hurried Life: Dialectics

of Time and Technology in Liquid Modernity. The

findings of his research state that the advance of

communication technology is expected to increase

connectivity among individuals as well as save time

in doing activities, but, on the other hand, it also

increases depression and solitude. Whats more, it also

creates marginal community economically and

politically, especially those in susceptible productive

age. According to Tinka Veldhuis & Jørgen Staun in

their writing titled Islamist Radicalisation: A Root

Cause Model, they claimed that the increase of

marginal community and crisis in identity cause

people to be fundamentalists and terrorists as solution

of their inability to follow the wave of changes and

uncertainty of global world, especially political,

cultural, economical global changes (Tinka, &

Jørgen, 2009; 63-64).

The same perspective is also presented by

Wilkinson in his writing, A World Uuthority in

International Relations and a Pioneer of the Study of

Terrorism and Political violence which says that the

movement of terrorism starts from the marginal

community either one of these; exclusion in religion,

nation, separation, religious fundamental, political

ideology or other (Sandler, Todd, 2013: 7). Research

done by Nahla Shahrouri which claimed that

democracy is a way out to prevent and curb the

development of terrorism is also antithesis with the

claim by Sadler which stated that the likelihood of

terrorism spread is more in democratic government

than in autocratic government (Sandler, Todd, 2013:

8).

In line with Sandler’s perspective, there have been

a number and development of radical organizations in

Indonesia after the fall of autocratic New Order or in

Reform Era, such as MMI, HTI, and lately Ansharu

d-daulah and ansharu l-khilafah. The same thing can

be observed in Egypt in 2011 when the autocratic

regime led by Husni Mubarok was defeated by The

Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) in general election.

FJP is actually a political party owned by Ikhwanul

Muslimin, an Egyptian Islamic Fundamental Party.

According to Global Terrorism Index, even

though there has been a decline in the number of

percentage of loss in economy as a result of terrorism

at 7%, from US$104 billion in 2014 to US$84 billion

in 2016, this is still considered significant loss in

economy. Since 2001, there have been three major

causes of loss in global economy. The first wave that

took place in 2001 was 9/11 attack which claimed loss

of US$65 billion. This excluded the indirect loss

which affected the economic system of the US, which

ranged between 0.7 and 1% of its GDP (Gross

Domestic Product), or about US$190 billion. The

second wave happened in 2007, which was indicated

by terrorist movement in Iraq. This was closely

related to the massive activities of Al-Qa’ida and its

allies. Next development occurred in Syria and Iraq

beginning in 2013 when ISIS caused loss of US$84

billion by 2016. (Institute for Economics and Peace,

2017: 82).

Based on the above explanation, the author thinks

that fundamentalist and terrorist movement is still a

threat in the era of liquid modernity and its existence

is still on. So, it is prudent to further investigate and

analayze the root causes. This research also claims

that consumerism pattern and the absence of absolute

values which are the two special characteristics of

liquid modernity will still be the factors that can cause

terrorism even can become the factor to support their

spread and ideology growth. The author therefore

refutes the claim by Bauman on the failure of

fundamentalists and terrorists in the era of liquid

modernity.

2 ZYGMUNT BAUMAN: SOLID

MODERNITY AND LIQUID

MODERNITY

Zygmunt Bauman was born in Poznań, Polandia, on

November 19, 1925 and died at the beginning of

2017. Bauman was born in a Jewish family. His

background really influenced his development of

thoughts about liquid modernity. For Bauman, there

is no significant gap between Pasca Modernity and

Mondernity. What is called pasca modernity for him

is called liquid modernity. If modernity was signalled

by the emergence of industrial revolution initiated by

IP and technology with human as the center of the

universe, while universe is considered as object being

exploited. Human in modernity is considered as the

designer as well as the ruler to conquer the universe

(Robet, 2016: 143). Bauman emphasized modernity

as ‘an age of gardeners’ who treat society as a virgin

plot of land expertly designed and then cultivated and

doctored to keep till the design form” (Bauman,

1989:113). Historically, modernity refers to the

formation of society in Europe in 17

and 18

centuries guided by enlightment about human

reasonality. In the present day, human is optimistic

that IP and technology can determine the future of

nature and human. On moral side, Bauman

Terrorism and Consumerism: An Analysis of Terrorism Development in Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity based on Paul Riceour’s

Critique of Ideology

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formulated modern era as a war and human liberation

from mysteries and magics and a foundation for

human reasonality and freedom, as he said, “The war

against mystery and magic was for modernity the war

liberation leading to declaration of reason’s

independence” (Bauman, 1992).

Modernity is also marked by the strong roles of

three pillars; state, religion and moral which he called

the strong roles of the big others (Myrs, 2003:35). For

Bauman, liquid modernity can be seen the liquid life.

Zygmunt Bauman firstly named the term of liquid

modernity on Liquid Life (2005). Bauman said that

Liquid life is “a precarious life, living under

conditions of constand uncertainty” (Bauman, 2005:

2). In liquid modernity human lives in uncertainty

and permanent conflict as a result of rapid changes,

so he cannot live his life as a routine (Bauman, 2005a:

1). In this condition, the way that human behaves is

determined by his ability to get involved in media as

the logic of news, and because everyday the news

changes and opens for

new unpredicted possibilities,

many things are not permanent. Everything in liquid

modernity must be liquid and fluid so that it can

sustain in the stream of changes. “’Solidity’ is now a

synonym of ‘waste’” (Bauman, 2005a: 89). That’s is

why, every individual is pushed to constantly change.

As a result, human loses his substantial foundation to

build life of certainty.

The constant changes cause unstable condition in

the society, uncertain situation and loss of trust. The

biggest fear and worries in this era are being afraid to

fail to catch up with the rapid changes of an event,

and consequently one can be left behind. Every event

that happens in liquid mdernity is the time flow of

pointillist, which is time flow that is unlikely to be

consistent. In the model of time flow of pointillist,

continual concept is not available (Bauman, 2007:

33). All events taking place in liquid modernity are

separated events from one to another, so for Bauman,

the continual concept can not be implemented. The

progressive concept in liquid modernity is not a

continual or developing concept, nor improvement,

but it is a repetitive short pattern that aims to make

sure everthing is alright in short time, or “staying

alive and well”. When in solid modernity, the past is

considered determining factor for what will happen in

the future, in liquid modernity this does not apply.

The past and the future are not interrelated; what

happened in the past will not cause the future.

According to him, what has been disconnected, or

separated, cannot be connected again. By entering the

era of liquid modernity, presupposition of the concept

of totality, either the future or the past, has to be be

left behind (Bauman, 2005b: 22).

Something important happening today is how one

can maximize his power and ability to experience and

go beyond the changes that exist or may exist, like a

media containing countless opportunities, even

totalling more than individual’s opportunities to feel

every single available change. Consequently, what

happens is every individual does not focus on

exlploring one object more deeply, but focuses on

maintaining his ability to follow changes. Each

individual will have to be forced to be aware of every

possibility of what will happen. Generally, flexibility,

willingness, and readiness to follow the changes are

important aspects to sustain in liquid modernity. Due

to rapid changes in liquid modernity, this invalidates

the concept of loyality to something that is certain and

absolute including religious teachings or moral

system. What is considered good today can change to

be poison next day, as Bauman said, “Whatever is

good for you today, may be reclassified as your

poison tomorrow”. Liquid modernity does not give

opportunity to sustain in one spot.

3 RESEARCH METHODS

This research uses the qualitative method through

primer reference, reference comparison, selection and

reference selection, matching concepts related

references, and reference analysis related to the cases

of fundamentalism in the era of liquid modernity. We

also establish syncronization between findings in

references and in cases. Later, analysis-descriptive

method is done to give conceptual analysis and

critical analysis on the thoughts of Zygmunt Bauman

on liquid modernity and consumerism and their

relation with terrorism fenomenon.

The writer also uses the method of alternative-

explanation. In philosophy, finding alternative

explanation is an activity which is done when the

present explanation is considered insufficient,

incomplete or contains distortion (Baggini & Fosl,

2003: 72). This method is done by asking critical and

deep questions. The responses to the questions are

combined with the available literature and the

author’s experience and reflexion to come to a

distinguished explanation different from the general

ones.

The two methods are chosen based on the

characteristics of problems being investigated which

are the thoughts of Baumann on the failure of

fundamentalism and terrorism in the era of liquid

modernity. The author thinks that the thougths of

Bauman on the failure of fundamentalism and

terrorism in the era of liquid modernity have defects

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and therefore need to be investigated further. The

significance of using alternative expalanation appears

after the author thinks that the general explanations

on the problems of fundamentalism and terrorism and

their causes are still far from satisfaction, so this

triggers the author to try to come up with a different

explanation in the hope that the community will have

various and rich perspectives on the fenomenon of

fundamentalism and terrorism in this era of liquid

modernity. This research offers solutions to the

spread and growth of fundamentalism and terrorism

and that their existence at this time is not solely due

to economical factor or the factor of illiteracy of the

perpetrators but the fenomenon has become the

problem of ideology and the solution needs critique

over fundamentalist ideology in the era of liquid

modernity and this needs to be done using the

approach of critique of ideology by Paul Ricoeur.

For Ricoeur, the approach of critique of ideology

is an effort to uncover the hidden meanings of the

sacred texts that used by terrorism as an ideological

text that is able to legitimaze the terror actions. The

interpretation is an activity of reason to open one by

one the level of symbolic meaning behind the litteral

meaning by taking distance and behaving critically

towards what is called “ideal”, because ideology is

often distorted and assumed with heaven illusion.

This is necessary to purify the religious understanding

from illusions.

4 CHALLENGES IN LIQUID

MODERNITY

The idea of Bauman’s liquid modernity is a form of

disagreement or modification of idea presented by

Ulrich Beck, which says that the characteristics of

modernity era is the existence of the process of

disembedding and re-embedding (Atkinson, 2008: 5).

However, this relation is not valid anymore today,

according to Bauman. In liquid modernity what

happens is disembedding process without re-

embedding. Individuals are disconnected and

marginalized from their environment, but there is no

new environment waiting to accommodate these

individuals. What happens is each individual stops at

a disconnecting phase and has to continue moving

with flexible identity while building identity through

consumption.

Liquid life grows in liquid society and each

individual in liquid society has to be a consumer in

the consumerism pattern. The law and the pattern of

consumerism is the impossibility of finished

satisfaction with assumption that what happens today

is only a small part of millions of opportunities that

have to be chased to get the next satisfaction. The

point of maximum satisfaction will always move

forward faster that what can be achieved by

individual. Even though each individual realizes that

he will not get maximum satisfaction, all individuals

in liquid modernity, in reality, will continue to

consume. This is based on the starting point that the

most important is becoming survival-and-

gratification consumerism to sustain or survive.

Survival-and-gratification consumerism puts forward

consumerism as a means of improving self in

participating in modernization stream. At this time,

people have shifted themselves from producers to

consumers. Consumerism in liquid modernity is not

interpreted as consuming actitivities to fulfil the need

of individual, but consuming products as a form of

freedom or embodiment of wants. Bauman quoted the

statement of Harvie Ferguson, who says that the

present consumerism is not stimulated by desire

anymore but by wish and fantasy (Bauman, 2000:

75). In liquid modernity, consumption activities are

solely based on freedom of choice and ability of each

individual. When consumption activities are assumed

as materialization of an ideal form, today it goes the

other way round which is an idealization process of

material form.

Consumption activities are personal activities

because the experience of these activities is purely

subjective experience of each individual or consumer.

There is no right-wrong value in the choice of the

consumer; each choice has its own right. This is based

by a concept that the most important is not what is

chosen, but the process in choosing. It is then realized

that what is interesting in consumerism is how the

responsibility is all on each individual. The freedom

received by each individual, on one hand, burdens the

individual with responsibility afterward. Satisfaction

or dissatisfaction is solely something each individual

should bear (Bauman, 2000:19).

The happiness received from consuming is

measured by level of satisfaction received even

though this is difficult to achieve considering the

volume total and intensity of one’s wants will

continue to increase and dissatisfaction becomes the

energy of consumerism. The improvement of the two

above influences the speed of object substitution

which is expected to give satisfaction. The continuity

of consumer society depends on social ability to

maintain the dissatisfaction which then becomes the

trigger in searching the new satisfaction. Promises

offered by producers can be interesting only when the

satisfaction from the goods does not completely

Terrorism and Consumerism: An Analysis of Terrorism Development in Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity based on Paul Riceour’s

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satisfy. One of many ways to do is minimizing the

satisfaction score of an object slowly, so society

cannot reach the point of satisfaction and can cause

them to be addicted to consuming. Each promise

about satisfaction presented by the producer on an

object has to be cancelled, so frustration can be

created to chase the satisfaction.

The pattern in consumer society, according to

Norbert Elias, quoted by Bauman, was identical to

‘Society of Individuals’. Elias redefined the concept

of society and individual by replacing the term of

‘and’ or ‘versus’, which is usually used as connectors,

with ‘of’. According to him, relation of society and

individuals is not contradicting relation or separated,

but the relation is ‘reciprocal conception’. Society

forms individual members in it, and all individuals

form society through their actitivies in the

connectedness of social networks (Bauman, 2000:

30). Up to this point, the concept of society and

individual looks separated; is it the society that forms

individuals or the other way round. In reality, both of

them are interrelated. It is correct if we say that

individuals form society, but it is wrong if the

meaning of that relationship is one way only. The

society formed by individuals will then form the

individuals themselves.

It is unavoidable, in consumer society, that the

process of individualization can happen. In this phase,

identity is no longer something that is given, but

something that is formed and burdens the actor to be

fully responsible. Although it was described that it

was possible when individuals get together in a room

and their presence confirms social acceptance, in

reality it was only an action, not inter-action.

Individuals are still compartmentalized in an effort to

pursue their own satisfaction and interaction among

them are getting less. The characteristics in liquid

modernity are how to continually make ourselves

happy and not to interfere in other people’s affairs.

Interfering in other people’s affairs will only make

someone become dependent turning him into passive

person and this is something we need to avoid in this

era.

In liquid modernity, identity building is fully up to

each individual with his ability and his idol. Desire

turmoil to own identity is based on instability built in

liquid modernity. The uncertainty in liquid modernity

and the feeling of present ambiguity trigger each

individual to form identity as a sign of his

participation in something and to gain ‘access’, such

as security and recognition which can only be gained

through that identity. Identity building then becomes

necessity in group to get the level of security and

strength in participating in the stream of changes.

Here, the identity concept is distinguished from

the concept of citizenship. The concept of citizenship

cannot fully explain individual experience naturally

and it cannot alone prove the facts of individual’s life.

Accordning to Bauman, the concept of citizenship is

not more than ‘forced, given, constructed’ identity by

the state to its people due to certain reasons.

Citizenship is solid and cannot change, but identity

itself is precisely a neverending job, something that

can never be fulfilled, a continual thing. Different

from the concept of identity, in citizenship there is no

competition. Citizenship is only a constructed

identity created by state and its personnel aiming at

monopolizing and giving distinction between ‘us’ and

’them’ (Bauman, 2004: 22).

The basic problem that appears in regard to

consumer society is the appearance of social groups

in a different social relation. The impact of this was

explained through a metaphor; that is as tourist and

the homeless (Peter, 2004: 2). In liquid modernity,

social disparity is experienced differently by the

tourists and the vagabonds. The tourists is the group

who has access and sufficient resources to follow the

changes. For the tourists, liquid modernity

provides

various means, convenience and commodity that can

be faced with consumption. This group comes from

individuals who are at the highest level of social

pyramid. In contrast, the vagabonds are those who do

not have sufficient equipment to go round or those

who are at the lowest position of the pyramid. The

most basic of social obligations, which they do not

comply, is the duty to be active and effective

purchasers of goods and services offered by the

market (Palese, 2013: 2). Their existence is

considered unimportant and is not needed, so their

existence is underestimated and made a scapegoat of

global problem (Peter, 2004: 3). They are

marginalized and imprisoned because of their

limitations in economy (Bauman, 1997: 92). They are

even unable to bear freedom, like a child who cannot

manage himself but needs to be managed (Bauman,

2005b: 111).

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5 FUNDAMENTALISM AS

EMBODIMENT OF FLAWED

CONSUMERISM

As mentioned earlier, Bauman is convinced about his

idea that says that in liquid modernity there is no

possibility of room for fundamentalism including

terrorism. This is due to the fact that the basic

principles of terrorism are considered against the

main principles of liquid modernity, that is eternal

happiness. In the imangination of fundamentalists,

especially the terrorists, promoting eternal life in the

hereafter on behalf of their religion is against the

concepts of happiness in earthy life embraced in

liquid modernity. Postponing happiness today for the

purpose of having it in the hereafter is considered too

imaginative. Other than that, sacrifying one’s own life

on behalf of religion or group cannot be accepted in

the thoughts of Bauman because, according to him,

individual happiness is the main aspect in this era. He

insisted that everything with its potential to present

satisfaction should also be consumed at the present

moment before it turns into necessity (Bauman, 2004:

74). For Bauman, Fundamentalists are not more than

flawed consumers who are not important and are not

able to follow the changes in liquid modernity, so they

will be excommunicated and they cannot survive.

Flawed consumers presented by Bauman,

according to the author, are not a representation of all

individuals who are not able to follow the changes in

liquid modernity. For the author, it is considered too

simple because it takes only economical aspect into

account. Bauman put aside the possibility that there

are individuals who are capable to consume and

follow the changes but do not want to do it. The

concept of “You can, therefore, you ought” (Bauman,

2013: 51) proposed by him clearly shows that he

focused on the importance of ability not the

willingness of the individuals. There is then a gap of

inconsistency in his thoughts. It can be interpreted

that he is not able to see the existence of middleman

minorities, the individuals who are able to follow the

changes but do not have the opportunity as they are

minority and then tend to get involved in

fundamentalist movement as they have access to

globalization as well as elienated from it. The

existence of middleman minorities refutes the idea

presented by Bauman that the ability in finance is not

the same as the ability to follow the changes in liquid

modernity. Middleman minorities are minority group

who come from middle class. They come from

different backgrounds; either etchincs, culture or

superordinate or subordinate group (Portes: 4). The

presence of middleman minorities in liquid modernity

refutes the idea of Bauman.

Fundamentalism and terorism are possibly

present and develop in liquid modernity. This can

happen due to the fact that in liquid modernity

someone can be trapped when pursuing his happiness

only to himself. The increased level of individualism

in liquid modernity is parallel movement with rate of

depression. Individual feels that depression and

thinks that his life is no longer meaningful and this is

the time when they are easily influenced by the ideas

of fundamentalism and radicalism which promise the

meaning of life and utopian eternal life. Therefore,

the consumerism pattern in liquid modernity which is

firstly considered to able to curb the development of

fundamentalist movement, in contrast, contributes to

the its development by separating those who are

capable to follow the changes from those who do not.

In addition, the ease of information sharing, on one

hand, has its noble function to bridge nations by

establishing cooperation on security system to

eradicate the terrorist movement but, on the other

hand, it provides room and helps develop the terrorist

movment and escalate terror scale by spreading news

which is not certainly true.

The fast changes in

liquid modernity followed

by the loss of solid guidance and universal norm can

cause true-false value to be shaky. The shakiness and

the intention of people to take control and have a free

life in liquid modernity supports and develops the

fundamentalist groups. People are losing their way to

let out their frustration (Robet:146). In addition, the

pattern of consumerism in liquid modernity also

participates in this support as it, on one hand, forces

individuals to catch up with the changes and, on the

other hand, it also separates those who are not able to

follow the changes or who do not want to follow the

changes from social environment, so the alienation

can take place.

The alienation felt by marginalized individuals

helps them form exclusive identity. They identify

themselves as others who are separated from their

surrounding. Their exclusive identity is formed in

enclave or small group. Even though they live in

liquid modernity and consumerism, the pattern of life

they apply in enclave is totally different from liquid

modernity. Their traditional way of thinking can still

be found in this enclave, that there is something that

is considered as the basis of decision making.

The flawed consumers that Bauman considered

as useless and unable to do things then become

potential to fall to terrorism after they identify

themselves as people with exclusive identity in the

enclave. They form this in the group that they create.

Terrorism and Consumerism: An Analysis of Terrorism Development in Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity based on Paul Riceour’s

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They can be analogized as immigrants with their

minority status who come to and blend with the

majority who are totally different from them. Those

who act differently from liquid modernity and those

who are marginalized then form their own groups,

enclave-group separated from the surrounding. The

forming of the group is based on their unwillingness

to leave their traditional values that they embrace or

perhaps they are rejected by the majority due to race,

religion or other consideration (Portes, Alejandro.,

dan Robert D. Manning, TT: 2).

They are present by promising utopian condition

that they will obtain later that their efforts will be

rewarded with eternal happiness that cannot be felt in

liquid modernity. To fully become liyan (the others),

this group then use violence and terror in their efforts

to create instability in the society. This group also

believes in something solid, the eternal happiness,

something that is the opposite of the thoughts of

Bauman in liquid modernity.

Bauman second argument that says that it is

impossible for something solid to exist in liquid

modernity finally become contrast to the thoughts of

Beck that Bauman denied. The statement of Bauman

that in liquid modernity there is a process of

disembedding without re-embedding, is in contrast

with the concept of that there is ‘something’ waiting

there outside to welcome abandoned individuals from

their class or group (Atkinson, 2008: 5). Bauman

claimed that free identity forming in each individual

shows that there is always disembedding and what

left is the uncertainty and non-attachment. However,

Bauman also stated that each individual in forming

identity has to consume as realization of identity. This

can be interpreted that the process of consumption is

the same as the process of re-embedding presented by

Beck, that says that there is something solid in liquid

modernity and that is a stepping stone to move from

one spot to another. Consequently, it shows that

liquid modernity is not fully free from solid

substance. The substance is solid but the process to

gain the substance that changes into liquid.

Inconsistency in the thoughts of Bauman can also

be seen in his statement that uncertainty stemmed

from liquid modernity impacts the relation pattern

formed in society. To realize or not, individuals who

are haunted by fear of exclusion will look for

individual who can accompany and help him and

finally togetherness and solidarity can emmerge

(Bauman, 2004: 47). To conclude, fundamentalist

movement is able to promise the ‘reborn’ for its

followers, and is able to create solidarity and

togetherness that cannot be provided by liquid

modernity. Human basically when in crisis will create

bond in group to stay away from fear and various

actions. These actions can be done through terror in

society that creates chaos.

The idea of Bauman about fundamentalism and

terrorism is naive idea as it states the relation in life is

only black-white, like two opposing points. From his

points of view, the continual changes justify that there

is no possibility for terrorism to develop. However, in

reality, the black-white relation cannot fully be

implemented in life as there are a lot of variables to

consider. Bauman concluded when someone is not in

A position, it is sure he is not in B position; there is

no other option. The fact is not like that, there are

more possibilities ‘than A’. The existence of liquid

identity or liquid modernity cannot make it in contrast

or separated from solid identity like fundamentalism

and terrorisms because the two can relate to and

influence each other.

It is neither the poverty nor disability that is the

main cause of the spread of terrorism but it is the

basis, alienation. When alianated, someone can be

easily spoon-fed with utopian ideology, imangination

of heaven and illusion of happiness by participating,

bonding himself with the life in enclave. So, poverty,

disability, low education, mental unstability are

factors that support someone to accept the ideology

of fundamentalism and terrorism, ideology factors.

However, it does not mean that some factors above

cannot have singnificant roles to trigger the

emergence of terrorism.

From the explanation above, it is clear that

fundamentalism and terrorism are actually the

impacts of

liquid modernity. Looking at the pattern

taking place in liquid modernity; consumerism,

alienation, fundamentalist group, and terrorisms, it is

not impossible for terrorism to emerge and develop.

Terrorism is started with the enclave formation or

fundamentalist group who see that there is nothing

fundamental in liquid modernity. This fundamentalist

group consists of individuals who are exclusive; those

who are separated from their environment due to their

non-participation in consumerism pattern which

means they are not considered present in liquid

modernity.

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6 CRITIQUE OF IDEOLOGY:

SOLUTION OF IDEOLOGICAL

PROBLEM OF

FUNDAMENTALIST

MOVEMENT

In the uncertainty of liquid modernity, fundamentalist

and terrorist groups cover their teaching with

ideology that promises utopian eternal happiness. The

birth of fundamentalist movement is not solely as an

effort to search for eternal happiness. Like other

ideology, this movement embarks from the political

interest. In the era of liquid modernity, this interest is

the feeling of involvement in group as an effort to

form identity. What is offered by fundamentalist

movement is eternal happiness. But what is true is

that they want to obtain identity and secure feeling for

the flawed consumers provided by the movement of

fundamentalism.

So, it is not a surprise when we find individuals

who are strong in finance, good in education but

endocritized by the terrorism teaching. As can be seen

in the latest suicide bombing committed by a family

of 6 members in three churches, in Surabaya East

Java (13/5). When investigated further, it is known

that they came from middle class and all members had

adequate education. It is for sure that the parents

decided not to send the children to formal school as

they were afraid the children would receive different

ideology form what the parents embraced.

“Certainty” is something promised by

fundamentalist movement, selling that there is

something solid in the middle of liquid modernity.

This utopian promise is used to be the hegemony by

the fundamentalist movement to add power and to

help spread their teaching. It happens here that the

schematic process of ideology of system of thoughts

into faith and into doctrine (Ricoeur, 1991:310-312).

As it is doctrinal, the fundamentalists often use the

ideology into slogan, such as ‘it is better to die as

martyr than live in uncertainty’. This distorted

message of ideology in the society is something that

is difficult to control and what’s more, because its

message is to comusplage the present reality or to

gain power in the interest of the individual who

conducts the doctrine. To release ourselves from this

shackles is not easy. The ideology and the utopian

message are interrelated and support one another.

Promises offered by the ideology are based on the

beauty of the utopia. This then is imagined to take

individuals to the eternal happiness which is actually

utopian. This can be observed in the relation of

fundamentalist and terrorist movments. The shadow

of happiness is able to push and convince the

followers of the teaching of terrorism to hold on to the

ideology. The shading between the ideology and

utopia creates social imagination, an imagination

believed and supported by community. The terrorist

groups are mesmerized by what is called collective

imagination, a situation when each member is bond

to each other and participates collectively when in

reality it is only imagination. Therefore, the solution

offered is using the concept of critique of ideology

presented by Paul Ricoeur. In critique of ideology,

each individual is asked to take distance and behave

critically towards what is called “ideal” because

ideology is often distorted and assumed with heaven

illusion. Ideology in its distorted and simulated form

can be seen in the fundamentalist action that only

justifies himself (Taylor, 1996, 8, Ricouer, 1991, 311)

and religion is often used as a tool to gain legitimacy

implemented in his terror attack. Critique is needed to

open the false awareness to eliminate distortion and

misuse of religious teaching for momentary interest.

Critique of ideology is also used to open guise of

interpretation that hides personal or group interest.

These people manipulate imagination of ‘certainty’

on behalf of religion which was nullified by Bauman

in the era of liquid modernity.

7 CONCLUSION

Fundamentalism and terrorism emerge as an impact

caused by instability in the era of liquid modernity; it

is not an anomaly or impossibility as said by Bauman.

Both are bond to each other. Instability in liquid

modernity creates imagination of utopian pictures,

peaceful and beautiful condition that is totally

different from the condition in liquid modernity. In

that illusion or picture, something solid and certain is

picturized which is called eternal happiness. This

utopian condition is turned into sweet promise by the

fundamentalist movement through the ideology that

they teach. Both bond one another. As a result,

terrorism can never be present as something

separated.

Fundamentalism and terrorism embark from the

alienated individuals who are unwilling and disabled

to follow the changes. Then they form exclusive

identity in the society that take them into

marginalized groups who then aim at disrupting the

stability by spreading terror in the society. These

individuals or the disabled consumers are easily

offered by ideology that dares to promise certainty in

its teaching. This teaching guarantees that there is

something solid that is worthwhile to fight for,

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Critique of Ideology

2083

something that is worthed to pursue although

reaching it requires sacrifice of present happiness. To

conclude, the existence and the development of

terrorism is closely related to the liquid modernity and

to avoid this, we need critique of ideology embraced

by fundamentalists so that we can stay away from

false awareness.

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