The Fantasy of the Elite Force Aviator: On Dolls and Desire

This article explores the relationship between mimesis and fantasy. Taking as its starting point James DerDerian's claims regarding the changing face of the military-industrial complex and its increasing use of the entertainment and cultural industries, the article argues that this move can only be fully understood if it is viewed alongside a consideration of the ideological function of fantasy, especially as it is set out in the work of Slavoj Žižek. The article focuses on one particular piece of mimesis, namely the “Elite Force Aviator: George W. Bush 12-inch Action Figure” to explore the phantasmatic kernel of the war on terror. The article also considers how the global image sphere has become the site for a conflict between competing fantasies, and aims to show how certain examples of countermimesis might be used to break the hold of the fantasies that currently coordinate our reality.