Interpreting 9/11: The Role of Language and Narrative in the Construction of “American” Identity

Following the attacks on September 11, 2001 (that killed approximately three thousand people) the United States began waging war abroad, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians and permanently displacing millions of innocent people. The interpretation of 9/11 as an act of war by the U.S. government and the mainstream news media provided the pretext for military aggression, legitimating war and militarization—on the basis of “national security”. This produced conditions for the heroic-narrative of the savior-nation to emerge, expressing itself in the United States’ “War on Terror”. The idea of the “War on Terror” was introduced in the aftermath of a lingering national trauma—in many ways generated by the government and the mainstream news media. Its repetition allowed it to become physically embodied in the human brain, and thereby, orienting people toward nationalism and the use of violence. This study places identity at the center of the problem, arguing that “American” identity is dependent upon the existence of an enemy- other (negative identity). Drawing upon discoveries in cognitive science and neuroscience permits one to appreciate the role of language and narrative in the construction of identity and the implications it has for both war and peace. Combining this research with a philosophical and religious analysis of the United States captures a trend in the actions, thought, and beliefs that help form the “American” self and its relationship to violence