Published in 1985, "Simulcra and Simulation," is the work of French philospher Jean Baudrillard in which he describes a world dominated by mass media, images, and symbols. In this world of hyperreality, the line between true and false is blurred to the point where truth ceases to exist. Utilizing an extended metaphor of a map and its territory, Baudrillard illustrates how it is not longer necessary to have discovered a territory before creating its map. Instead, there is a loss of abstraction as the lines between the map and the territory are blurred. The "real" is thus produced through models of control that can be reproduced indefinitely while defying natural laws such as scope and depth. This altered state of real is then dubbed as being "hyperreal." Baudrillard also explores the differences between representations and simulations, claiming that representations are the equivalent of their symbol and are thus real; whereas simulations completely absorb the representation and negate the symbol as having value, instead creating a new meaning. Baudrillard concludes that there is an increasing concern regarding simulations and their effects, for the lines between real and hyperreal are blurred to the point where nothing is "real."
Inquiry:
According to Baudrilard, in the realm of the hyperreal everything is accounted for as all solutions are calculated and nothing is ever given the chance to develop naturally. This calculated nature is reflected in our impatience of the unknown and now that we are armed with the capability to shape the future nothing happens solely because of fate. As we are capable of controlling our own destiny, we are now able to change the things we don't like about ourselves. For examples, take the recent new media phenomenon of editing photos, specifically altering our bodies in photos. Magazine covers feature individuals who merely possess the framework of the "perfect," person, who is consequently stretched, shrunk, buffed, and shined to perfection. While the model is a real person, the image that we see belongs to the realm of the "hyperreal," in that it was created in a world controlled by an infinite number of combinatorial models that mix and match to create the "perfect" body that we see.
Points to Ponder:
- Do we live in a hyperreal world? How much of what we see/experience is actually "real"?
- If all actions are calculated, has this created an increase in predictability?
- Businesses are now held more accountable for their creations because we expect their products to last longer. Who is held responsible when the system fails? How are we becoming increasingly dependent on corporations to fulfill our "real," expectations?
- Baudrillard utilizes the example of Disneyland in his "America," piece to show how it is a place of illusions, where happy endings do exist and dreams come true. In this land of hyperreal, Disneyland masks the reality of what the United States actually looks like, and presents us with an opportunity to go back to the pure American dream that never happened.
- Is anything in Disneyland actually "real," or is it entirely invested in the "hyperreal"?
3 comments
It is my belief that we live, to some extent, in a world of “hyper real”. Indeed, we are able to see simulations or simulacra of objects before (or even in place of) the real thing. However, behind much of these simulacra, such as behind the photos that have been edited, exist real, tangible “items”. Take the in-class example today of the Eiffel Tower. Many of us have seen pictures of the Eiffel Tower and not actually seen the Eiffel Tower itself. However, the Eiffel Tower still exists and is actually represented factually by photos taken of it and if we desired to we could go and physically experience it. Photos are real objects that can be seen and even touched, and photos represent real things, and though they are a representation, what is behind them is more often than not a real and un-doctored structure. Again, behind the simulation of the Dove model, there is still a real person, and though the lines are blurred, new media also gives us the ability to research such topics and to discover that these things really are not real, but are in fact an adjustment of the real, thus empowering us further to distinguish between the real and hyper real that is presented to us, allowing us to recognize that the world is real and is never really able to be truly simulated.
In regard to your question of, “who is responsible when the system fails?” I believe you answer your own question in the statement preceding the inquiry: businesses are held more accountable. Citizens of our country hold our businesses accountable for their prosperity, entertainment, and often sustainability. We are increasingly dependent on these businesses to give us products that will make our lives easier, to hire us so that we may support ourselves or our family, and to perform to the best of their ability, as many citizens have invested a great deal of time and money in them and for these businesses to falter, it would devastate us, as we have recently seen in the last recession that plagued our economy.
Disneyland, specifically, is absolutely real. It is a place where one can go and visit and interact with rides, people dressed in costumes, and even eat real food. Where Disneyland enters into the realm of “hyper real” is in the environment that it creates. However, who is not to say that this environment is not real. Disneyland is real, and I can show you that it’s real, and therefore I can show you a place where such an environment is real, leading me to conclude that Disneyland is absolutely real. As far as the American dream being portrayed, if by dream you mean the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, no one better than Disney portrays that. Walt Disney not only enjoyed the dream of life, but he brought characters to life through Disneyland. He put real people into real costumes, and simply gave them a name, and it was his vision to give real people enjoyment in their lives. Disneyland, like the United States itself, is a free place. Anyone can come and go, and anyone is free to take whatever experience they want from it. And happiness is most of all portrayed by Disney. Countless individuals have experienced true happiness through Disney’s movies and parks, and Walt Disney himself was able to achieve happiness in his work. Therefore, Disneyland is absolutely real and is a true representation of the American dream being achieved, where as many other corporations and individuals falsely represent what America was meant to be, and what it is really about.
I believe that we do live in a hyperreal world, especially in the context of new media. The increased use of digital technology leaves us to heavily rely on symbols to carry our messages. In a sense, the entire Internet is just a symbolic form of the real world. All pictures online help to simulate the real thing. Videos on YouTube may show us the” real ”thing, but the actual video itself is far from real.
This Dove ad is a really great example of hyperreality and simulacra in our new media culture--thanks for bringing it in! We should try to return to this example as we move forward in the semester.
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