Essay Sample on Terrorism: An Elusive Reality in Everyday Life

Terrorism has become a very common word that has found its way in everyday vocabulary like the internet. Everybody has little knowledge of what consists of terrorism but does not have concrete, is precise, concrete, or truly explanatory of what the word means. This vagueness has been reduced through modern media, whose effort of communicating a convoluted and complex message in the minimum amount of print space or airtime possible have occasioned the promiscuous labeling of a variety of violent acts as terrorism (Hoffman, 2006). This paper reviews the book Inside Terrorism by Bruce Hoffman

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This confusing definition has led to more people to misunderstand what terrorism is. The author of the book in this chapter tries to make the audience get a clear definition of what is the meaning of terrorism. The author provides many isolated incidents that have been wrongly characterized as acts of terrorism (Hoffman, 2006). Such labeling and illustrations are very misleading in this era where news travel very fast in a world where technology. In many cases, abhorrent acts of violence are viewed as being against the society whether it entails activities of governments themselves or anti-government dissidents, common criminals or organized crime syndicates, people taking part in a militant protest, or rioting mobs, lone extortionists or individual psychotics is usually labeled as terrorism. Every definition from dictionaries has done little to clarify this issue (Hoffman, 2006).

Even the Oxford English Dictionary has not done a good job providing a concrete definition of the term terrorism. The interpretation is literal and historical to be of much application in the contemporary context. The definition provided by this dictionary can only be confined to a specific error and not the current world (Hoffman, 2006). According to the author, it is important to find a definition that is timeless and can be applied in all circumstances despite the changing times. The definition in the Oxford Dictionary is confined to an event that happened in France in the course of the France revolution. Terrorism is just defined as a system of error. The author finds all these definitions very unsatisfying. Instead of someone getting to know the meaning of terrorism, he finds the definition to be potted historical (Hoffman, 2006).The only thing that can be learned from the definition provided is the kind of fear that is induced by terrorism. However, the author still views these definitions as broad and not precise enough to inform someone what terrorism is (Hoffman, 2006).

Further attempts to define terrorism have improved as compared to the previous definitions. Terrorism in the broadly accepted contemporary usage is inherently and fundamentally political. It has revolved around pursuing power, power acquisition, and the application of power in achieving political change (Hoffman, 2006). Precisely terrorism is violence, or the threat of violence, used as well as directed in pursuit with a political aim. The definition that has been given by OED comes closer to the right thing that has to be clearly explained. Media outlets have to try to project what is the precise meaning of terrorism without labeling any act of violence as terrorism (Hoffman, 2006). Seemingly, OED has tried to interpret the word closer to its expected meaning. The confusion in the interpretation of the word can be dangerous to tackle the problem of terrorism in the world. It calls for a collective approach to deal with the fear that is perpetuated through terrorism. Terrorism has been a source of fear that is meant to force people into submission.

The term terrorism became popular in the course of the French Revolution. On the other hand, its contemporary application, and during this time terrorism had adopted a positive connotation. The original meaning of the word was establishing order in the course of an archival period of upheaval and turmoil that following the uprising in 1789 and it has witnessed many revolutions (Hoffman, 2006). Unlike terrorism, the way it is interpreted today meaning anti-government or revolutionary activity carried out by subnational or non-state entities was an instrument for government bestowed upon by the established revolutionary state. It was established for consolidating the new power government through intimidation of counter-revolutionaries, dissidents, and subversives whom the regime considered as being enemies of the people.

Within its original context terrorism was ironically associated with ideals of democracy and virtue. In the course of the French Revolution one of the enduring outcomes was the momentum it provided to the anti-monarchial sentiment in other regions in Europe. Some popular subservience to authorities who got their power from God via divine right rule was increasingly questioned through a continent that was politically awakened (Hoffman, 2006).

The coming of nationalism, as well as its notions of citizenship and statehood basing on the people's common identity as opposed to the lineage of the royal family, was occasioning the creation and unification of new nation-states like Italy and Germany. At the same time, huge socioeconomic transformation threatened by the industrial revolution were establishing new Universalist ideologies like Marxism/communism, grown out of exploitative and alienation conditions of the 19th-century capitalism (Hoffman, 2006). Terrorism of the new era emerged from this milieu in which the concept had has obtained various familiar anti-state and revolutionary in the present. The effort has been to contain revolutionary forces that have evolved to be termed as terrorist activities. Existing regimes have been apprehensive about containing dissidents. Revolutionary forces have been surprised in the name of advancing democracy (Hoffman, 2006).

Conclusion

In conclusion, terrorism has been a confusing word to media and the general people who have been misled with the existing vagueness. Despite having various definitions being provided by renowned dictionaries, the word has not been authoritatively defined to shade off any form of confusion. Its application has evolved since the French Revolution. Its original meaning was associated with democracy and order. Violence acts have been erroneously labeled as terrorism by media outlets. Although the word is common its confusion has come from this interpretation by the media. It is important to understand the history of the word to place it in the contemporary context. It is ironic thinking of the original meaning of the term terrorism. Revolutions that brought about change for the well-being of the society were wrongly labeled as terrorism. Dealing with dissidents and subversive forces has been challenging for a long time. Regimes have contemplated ways of bringing down opposing forces by labeling them as terrorist activities. As time goes by, the clear meaning of the term is being achieved through clarification using clear sources.

References

Hoffman, B. (2006). Inside terrorism. Columbia University Press. https://dl1.cuni.cz/pluginfile.php/568750/mod_resource/content/0/Bruce%20Hoffman-Inside%20Terrorism-Columbia%20University%20Press%20%282006%29.pdf