El acúfeno del miedo: Discursos del terror y la memoria pública

The article examines the pervasive impact of fear on public memory and discourse, particularly in the context of terrorism and public perception of safety. It explores the symbolic role of Ares and Citerea's children, Phobos and Deimos—the Greek gods of fear and terror—as metaphors for how terror reshapes societies. Through a semiotic analysis, it concentrates on how media and political narratives harness these mythic figures to manipulate public sentiment, turning fear into a spectacle that both captivates and controls the populace. The study highlights the theatricality of modern terrorism and the media’s role in its dramatization, thus blurring the lines between reality and representation. This manipulation of fear not only affects individual and collective memory but also perpetuates a cycle of anxiety and spectacle that influences societal norms and behaviors towards perceived threats. The article calls for a more nuanced understanding of the aesthetic dimensions of fear and its exploitation by media and politics to foster a more critically aware public discourse.