Abstract

This paper explores Jean Baudrillard’s theorization on war and communication, connecting it to recent developments in the field of cyber security. With the important elevation of military forces such as the United States Cyber Command, critical theory needs to interrogate the increasing stature and seriousness of the cyber domain in global military strategies. Baudrillard’s critique shifts the focus from simple military strategies to the globe’s consumption of the information that is offered by the global information complex. This paper explains the nuances of violence surrounding the exchange of media surrounding war, criticizing both pro-war and anti-war stances, to examine the difficulties with traditional solutions to conflict. Drawing directly from Baudrillard’s work as well as modern academic publications that apply his ideas to newer conflicts, this paper seeks to revitalize critiques of semiotic warfare and bolster their contextualization to current events in cyber security in order to keep Baudrillardian thought relevant.