Simulacra and Simulation- Jean

Baudrillard

Ms. Lalita K.M

4th Sem M.A. Eng
Jain University
credits: www.slieshare.net
credits: www.slieshare.net
Jean Baudrillard has been referred to as 'the high priest of modernism. He was a
French sociologist, philosopher, cultural theorist, political commentator and
photographer.

Most of his early works are situated around semiology and semiotics. following the
classical Marxist critique of political economy.
His theories state that an excessive search for knowledge leads to a delusional state
and he argues that a complete understanding of life is impossible.
The postmodern world has led people to a simulated version of reality/
hyperreality.
Following Ferdinand-de Saussure, he viewed meaning as self-referential. .
Another influence Baudrillard had in his life was the works of Marshal McLuhan,
developing ideas on the nature of social relations depending on forms of
communication.
Baudrillard was of the belief that present-day societies use the notions of
progress and modernity in political choices.
 Important points
Borges Fable.
Cold War - threat excludes conflict and revolution, installs system of regulations and
deterrence. It has nothing to do with victory or defeat It is simply honing of operations and
security.
Holocaust- Trauma being replaced with artificial, mediated memories of history.
Movies like China Syndrome and Apocolypse Now did not merely depict the Vietnam War, but
re-created the extravagant war experience at the microcosmic level.
He called the student revolution in 1968 the first violent reaction to the saturation of the social,
retraction, a challenge to the hegemony of the social.

 Narratives of Jules Verne, H.G Wells and series like Star Trek as a second order of
Simulacra.
Movies like Crash in 1973, The Minority Report and Matrix as third order

He criticizes the higher educational system as non-functional, lacking cultural substance,

having no end purpose of knowledge. He shows resentment that instead of higher
education being a confrontational institution, it is acting as a perpetuating machine
enabling a more delusional society.

He criticized higher education institutes for providing diplomas in return for

currency rather than work.
Comparison of the movie Matrix to Simulation.

Thank
you!!