Baudrillard - Simulacra and Simulation


 

Jean Baudrillard was a French sociologist, philosopher and cultural theorist. He is best known for his analyses of media, contemporary culture, and technological communication, as well as his formulation of concepts such as simulation and hyperreality.

Reality 

This is the true world we live in

Heightened Reality

Still has a connection to the real world. 

Hyperreality

This is a representation without an original referent. It is made up of simulacra (Singular simulacrum) which are difficult to distinguish between reality. A simulacrum is a simulation of reality that no longer exists or never even existed in the first place. 

This is a state of living in the Western Culture were we are living in a 'simulation' where we no longer have any connection to a 'real' world but live instead through a commodified world that never existed to begin with. This merging of the real and media is constructed from a merging of a merging of consumerist signs and meaningless cultural practices which we feel are 'real' but do not connect with reality or have true meaning - a 'simulation' of human experience.

Baudrillard argues that we would much prefer to live in the simulation. 


Three key terms; Simulacra, simulation, hyperreality  



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