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An Implicit Hierarchy of Lives: The West Is Told, the Rest of the World Is Counted
Western victims are portrayed as individuals: names, faces, biographies, personal accounts. Non-Western victims are often reduced to:
“ 40 civilians killed,”“ preliminary toll,”“ collateral damage.”
This asymmetry creates a dangerous moral hierarchy: some lives matter more than others.
The distortion of the ideology of“ just” war
War is always justified by a noble ideology:
Rome“ civilized,” the Crusades“ liberated,” empires“ civilized,” modern wars“ protect democracy.”
When the media repeats these narratives without showing the victims, it becomes an unwitting conduit for dubious political agendas.
Why it is essential to show horror
Flashmag! Edition 173 Juin 2026
Talking about the horrors of war does not glorify violence: it serves as a reminder that war is a moral catastrophe. It is by highlighting injustices, the bodies, and the shattered families that public opinion can resist the trivialization of violence.
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