Baudrillard Simulations

Summary

This reading discussed simulations and the difficulty in determining what is reality. Baudrillard claims that the real “is a hyperreal, the product of an irradiating synthesis of combinatory models in a hyperspace without atmosphere.” The reading describes how real signs can be easily substituted and claimed as real. There is no distinction between the real and the imaginary in a hyperreal. Baudrillard uses Disneyland as an example, claiming that the amusement park revels in the American profile. He continues by saying that illusion is impossible now because real is impossible. One cannot fake a robbery with fake bullets and no intentions of hurting anyone or stealing money, because the signs of the illusion will combine with real signs. This could result in arrest or death or even success.

Example

This reminded me of the scene in Divergent, where people are placed in a simulation that they fully believe is reality in order to face their fears. In these simulations, they are unable to rationalize that they are aware they are in a simulation. Tris is considered special because she is able to recognize that she is in a simulation and controls the outcome. Later on in the movie, the antagonist uses a similar simulation to control what people see, causing them to kill their friends or innocent people.

Connection

This is consistent with Baudrillard’s claim that we are unable to distinguish between artificial and real signs. Besides two characters, this simulation convinced everyone who took part in it that what they experienced was real. In the end of the movie, the antagonist found a way to combine illusion and reality in order to make people kill for her while they believed they were killing intruders or threats. This was an illusion that resulted in real death.