politics
March 15, 2026
Prof. Schlevogt’s Compass No. 47: Viral war for narrative primacy
In the age of viral geopolitics, wars spread through narratives that demonize the enemy and sanctify violence
TL;DR
- Wars are narrated before they are understood, with language shaping perceptions of aggressor and defender.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's rhetoric against Iran exemplifies viral geopolitics by using symbolic condensation (e.g., branding Iran as a "center of international terrorism") and narrative priming (e.g., associations with "terrorism" and "nuclear bomb").
- Temporal compression frames complex geopolitical issues as easily resolvable, creating a mirage of swift closure.
- Civilizational delegation recasts specific military campaigns as universal services to humanity, elevating them to global necessity.
- The strategies employed aim to legitimize violence through ethical rationalization and a 'dirty hands' posture, where necessity is lamented but endorsed.
- Modern political rhetoric in the age of viral communication relies on rapid, evocative narrative frames rather than sustained deliberation.
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