In the excerpt from Baudrillard's book, the author attempts to decipher reality, simulation, simulacra and hyperrealism. The hyperreal is an idea of truth versus lies. Hyperreality is created in hyperspace, therefore cannot be reality. Simulation becomes a specific type of reality indistinguishable from true life. The human brain is pre-programmed to believe that simulation is reality. Simulation does not exist because it is based on the same aura as reality. God, in combination with religion, is but only a representation which dissimulates nothing. Therefore, it hides no secrets and no reality. Doctors, for example, can tell simulators apart from truly sick people, because the simulator may not always know all the symptoms to an illness. Christianity, for example, was based on the death of the pagan religions. The newly formed religion appropriated the symbols of past religions in an effort to entice previously pagan citizens to the "better" religion using familiar symbols, and therefore manifest their power. "Science never sacrifices itself, it is always murderous." Humans are visual beings, they must see to believe. Preserving historic artifacts and belongings restores visible order and reassures society. Science recreates, reproduces many artifacts and in other time will preserve the authentic artifacts for the meaning. For example, "Ramses doesn't signify anything for us, but the mummy represents a lot". If the science loses this artifact, it loses all conceived meanings about the latter. We can qualify them of a subterfuge, a kind of hallucination. But the reproduction of these artifacts is still a real, because it is real. Hyperreality characterizes the inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from the imaginary, or the fantasy. Only when one believes one is honest with his/herself does reality exist. Grown adults often go to Disneyland with their children, but it is partly for themselves they decide to go, to relive in a childlike world once again. This imaginary land suggests that the imaginary is everywhere (within Disneyland). However, once you step out, you become once again an adult, with worries and bills to pay. But Disneyland is not the only place where fantasy feeds the childish imaginary of adults: all of California is dotted with numerous recycling institutes for those who cannot face their lives. To destroy history or undesirable information, one should not deny. Denying is but only dissimulation which affirms the reality. When the evidence is non-existant, it is easy to accept that nothing happened. He says the capital is immoral, without scruples, cruelty, incomprehensible ferocity and its fundamental immorality. The only interest of politics is its own interest. Situations that seem to possess two diverging possibilities actually only possess one affirming situation. The author demonstrates how situations such as assassinations (and attempts) of a position, such as the president, affirms the situation of power, or create it, if the former did not exist previously. Whether a hold-up is only a simulation or not, the outcome is always the same: fear. The fake hijackers will always have power over those in the plane. Since the Kennedys, on the other hand, politicians can only simulate mythic political substance with the murder-alibi. This way, they can prove they are "invincible" in the face of death and, consequently, of political opposition. Only his survival gives him the power to govern. Reality TV suggests that there is no longer a medium. How can a medium be if it is intangible, if we are all "there" (on our couches, but watching them simultaneously) when the action is executed? How do we know if an argument that was edited to make the arguer sound like the "bad guy" wasn't started by someone else? Where is the message? Baudrillard believes it is simple to pacify opponents. By obtaining the ability of revolting effectively, one instantly loses the desire to do so. Earth's civilization is constructed upon long running traditions and evolution. On the other hand, the moon (and space) is an area controlled by precise laws of science and technology. The environment is calculated exactly and understood extensively. The notion of security becomes transparent and unreal. The balance of terror is the terror of balance, meaning that there is no limit except that of which we impose on ourselves. Atomic war is an argument, just a pretext used by the government to obtain what they want. The result of any war is already established, as Baudrillard explains about Vietnam : "The game is already won".
Marx believes that after capitalism there must be a revolution. Proletarians of the world unite he exclaims. Baudrillard believes that discovering ultimate power only leads to a stasis. When one posseses power they do not wish to suffer those consequences. Baudriard's discourse covers the whole of society and its innate nature from its early begginings in religion up to its advance extra terrestrial forces. It is remarkable to notice how humans prefer to accept simulation as reality rather than discover the underlying truth. The superficial values of society become byproduct of our inability to be honest with ourselves. The OutFoxed documentary is a perfect example of how a mass public can incorporate simulation in a reality, generating a hyperreal world. The online world is such that there exists no repercussions or follow up. Each parcel of information is like an image, a free standing simulacrum. Most of the information found in this cyber-space is empty of meaning. In this absence of true content, there is a medium and a message yet they are only simulated. The punk group "Bad Religion" uses a lot of Baudrillard's points of view. They use music to express their opinions regarding the simulacra. Can we say that reality remains real even when parts of this reality are omitted?
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