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    Rights statement: The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Critical Sociology, 46 (7-8), 2020, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2020 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Critical Sociology page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/crs on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/

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Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle: Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Published

Standard

Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle: Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience. / Simpson, O.
In: Critical Sociology, Vol. 46, No. 7-8, 01.11.2020, p. 1109-1120.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Simpson, O 2020, 'Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle: Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience', Critical Sociology, vol. 46, no. 7-8, pp. 1109-1120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920519878481

APA

Simpson, O. (2020). Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle: Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience. Critical Sociology, 46(7-8), 1109-1120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920519878481

Vancouver

Simpson O. Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle: Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience. Critical Sociology. 2020 Nov 1;46(7-8):1109-1120. Epub 2019 Nov 18. doi: 10.1177/0896920519878481

Author

Simpson, O. / Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle : Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience. In: Critical Sociology. 2020 ; Vol. 46, No. 7-8. pp. 1109-1120.

Bibtex

@article{7849495568c64bf9978426d2ae4558d2,
title = "Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle: Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience",
abstract = "This article develops a sociological understanding of the lone mass shooter and the ways in which his affectual constellation is produced within and mirrors the social space. It begins by outlining the contemporary political context of terrorism. The article then explores the affectual constellation of an isolated mass murderer, by asking the question 'what is a loser?'. Following this, it links the emergence of the radical loser to modernity through an exploration of the genealogy of nihilism. Then, taking the mass murderer Elliot Rodger as a paradigmatic case, it explores the ways in which his affectual constellation can be understood as produced within the capitalist social formation. Finally, it argues that mass murder can be understood as the ecstasy of simulated experience, its violent countertransference, constituting a zone of indistinction between the spectacle and the real, killing and being killed.",
keywords = "mass murder/suicide, nihilism, radical loser, simulated experience, sociology, spectacle, spite",
author = "O. Simpson",
note = "The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Critical Sociology, 46 (7-8), 2020, {\textcopyright} SAGE Publications Ltd, 2020 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Critical Sociology page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/crs on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/ ",
year = "2020",
month = nov,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1177/0896920519878481",
language = "English",
volume = "46",
pages = "1109--1120",
journal = "Critical Sociology",
issn = "0896-9205",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",
number = "7-8",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Breaking the Mirror of the Spectacle

T2 - Mass Murder/Suicide as the Ecstasy of Simulated Experience

AU - Simpson, O.

N1 - The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Critical Sociology, 46 (7-8), 2020, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2020 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Critical Sociology page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/crs on SAGE Journals Online: http://journals.sagepub.com/

PY - 2020/11/1

Y1 - 2020/11/1

N2 - This article develops a sociological understanding of the lone mass shooter and the ways in which his affectual constellation is produced within and mirrors the social space. It begins by outlining the contemporary political context of terrorism. The article then explores the affectual constellation of an isolated mass murderer, by asking the question 'what is a loser?'. Following this, it links the emergence of the radical loser to modernity through an exploration of the genealogy of nihilism. Then, taking the mass murderer Elliot Rodger as a paradigmatic case, it explores the ways in which his affectual constellation can be understood as produced within the capitalist social formation. Finally, it argues that mass murder can be understood as the ecstasy of simulated experience, its violent countertransference, constituting a zone of indistinction between the spectacle and the real, killing and being killed.

AB - This article develops a sociological understanding of the lone mass shooter and the ways in which his affectual constellation is produced within and mirrors the social space. It begins by outlining the contemporary political context of terrorism. The article then explores the affectual constellation of an isolated mass murderer, by asking the question 'what is a loser?'. Following this, it links the emergence of the radical loser to modernity through an exploration of the genealogy of nihilism. Then, taking the mass murderer Elliot Rodger as a paradigmatic case, it explores the ways in which his affectual constellation can be understood as produced within the capitalist social formation. Finally, it argues that mass murder can be understood as the ecstasy of simulated experience, its violent countertransference, constituting a zone of indistinction between the spectacle and the real, killing and being killed.

KW - mass murder/suicide

KW - nihilism

KW - radical loser

KW - simulated experience

KW - sociology

KW - spectacle

KW - spite

U2 - 10.1177/0896920519878481

DO - 10.1177/0896920519878481

M3 - Journal article

VL - 46

SP - 1109

EP - 1120

JO - Critical Sociology

JF - Critical Sociology

SN - 0896-9205

IS - 7-8

ER -