Precession of simulacra -Alexis Ramy & Sean

The text by Jean Beaudriad explorers simulation and lays out his ideas quite clearly from the very beginning on how simulation has evolved to become it's own reality; detached from an original. He goes on to site specific examples of different types of simulacrum, such as that of Disneyland VS the real world, and explorers it's manifestation. It later becomes evident that reality itself is only a simulacrum.

The author made some very interesting points, one of which was how we prove our past by destroying it. The struggle between cultures(past or present) versus science as a destructor, the discovery of those cultures caused by science therefor changes that reality while science is still trying to simulate it to others. This concept of culture VS science was very interesting. Other points of interest were reality TV and how fake they actually are compared to TV, that was even closer to reality, as well as his points on reality and simulation intertwining like space and time. Some arguments, however, we did not feel held their own when reading them. We are referring to the weapons of mass destruction argument. The author said that having them only proved that they(U.S.A.) would not use them. Yet they did and as he tries to explain this outcome, the argument itself just seems to fall short which brings into question the entire text. However his points on war being a simulation and it's outcome already decided is very interesting. Some of his arguments we found very disturbing, such as that of presidents only being copies of an original "great" president, a simulation that can only be complete through a simulated death, practically making them martyrs.

It seems that, according to the author, we can only prove our reality when we put it in contrast to a simulation and then effectively destroy that reality. With that idea of everything being a symbol of an authentic reality, how do we go about creating new, original, realities? Is the fact of living constant simulations of past realities so terrible? or does it just sound bad?