I'm going to be honest and just throw a statement out there. This particular piece of reading was extremely hard for me to understand. Maybe because he is French? I'm not quite sure why it was so complicated, however I made it through and read about Mr. Baudrillard's view on simulations.
He used a term simulacra frequently. I did not know what this word meant prior to the reading, however it is defined by Dictionary.com as a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance. Mr. Baudrillard used Disneyland as an example of a simulated area. Everything inside Disneyland is an illusion that gives off a perfect world. When reality is that it is just a plot of land in the middle of Los Angeles.
I completely agree with Jean Baudrillard's view on simulation and simulacra. A real world example (that he gives as well as one that I agree with strongly) is American politics. I won't get into the right wing or left wing discussions, however I do believe that to gain power many politicians simulate an idea of togetherness. They gain power by claiming certain policies and supports. The feed of illusion is moved on to the public by the media which simulates their views or opinions in papers, news broadcasts, or posts online.
What is real and what is simulated? What if the Matrix is real and our world is just a simulation that we are lead to believe is reality? While saying that we are all computer programs living on a mass hard-drive while the real world is destroyed by machines is a major stretch (insert deep breath here) the true world is honestly a simulation or simulacra of what reality is.
He used a term simulacra frequently. I did not know what this word meant prior to the reading, however it is defined by Dictionary.com as a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance. Mr. Baudrillard used Disneyland as an example of a simulated area. Everything inside Disneyland is an illusion that gives off a perfect world. When reality is that it is just a plot of land in the middle of Los Angeles.
I completely agree with Jean Baudrillard's view on simulation and simulacra. A real world example (that he gives as well as one that I agree with strongly) is American politics. I won't get into the right wing or left wing discussions, however I do believe that to gain power many politicians simulate an idea of togetherness. They gain power by claiming certain policies and supports. The feed of illusion is moved on to the public by the media which simulates their views or opinions in papers, news broadcasts, or posts online.
What is real and what is simulated? What if the Matrix is real and our world is just a simulation that we are lead to believe is reality? While saying that we are all computer programs living on a mass hard-drive while the real world is destroyed by machines is a major stretch (insert deep breath here) the true world is honestly a simulation or simulacra of what reality is.
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