Imaging ‘the’ Empire
When we think of the traditions of Empire we glance nervously west but the imperial initiative will not be so narrowly known. Past the Age of Imperialism to the Aegis of Imperialism.
I came,
“You too, my child?” (kai su, teknon) asked Julius Ceaser to Brutus.
Crossing the Rubicon – Before I came I was. With necessary distinction the ‘I’ was in place, ideologically fully framed. We came with land in our heart, with its imbedded treasures, its labour resource, its mineral and its strategic importance, the Empire’s will, will expand. We glance back only to see where we come from, to know, and, assure us of the mandate to civilize and perpetuate what is WE and what is ours.
I saw,
The Empire of the gaze or initiating the carceral continuum.
From the light and towards the darkness, we bring ourselves. Landfall, looking up, in the language of subjugation it is the eye that leads occupation, a possessing agency. From afar the voyeur from intimately near, the Panoptic, to wet desire and to establish hegemony. Benefactor to beneficiary…Models of discourse, cultural, medicinal and legal practice, systems of government and spiritual law. Then, when ‘the other’ inflects the ossified and oppressive mythos, the Panoptic, the essence of Empire and system is accomplished. The essence, then, is successfully created and the subject (subjugated) cannot add to the text for this is the duty of Empire and its agent.
I Conquered.
