“Jean Baudrillard and the Semiotics of Media”

- Theories of Human Communication: Tenth Edition

By Stephen W. Littlejohn, Karen A. Foss

According to Jean Baudrillard, a French scholar and cultural theorist, “signs have become

increasingly separated from the objects they represent and that the media have propelled this

process to the point where nothing is real.”

There are 4 stages where Baudrillard uses the feudal society to explain them: 1) Symbolic order

– In feudal societies, there was hardly any distinction between signs and reality. It was perfectly

clear which are real and a dream. For example, our actions are often dictated depending on rank,

duty, and obligation. The caste system in India dictates this symbolic order; 2) Counterfeits – are

signs assumed a less direct relationship to the objects of life. As per Baudrillard, “Signs

themselves produced new meanings that were not necessarily a natural part of experience. They

were counterfeit and deceptive.” For example, the status, wealth and prestige of an individual are

no longer connected to an existing reality. Any individual could dress up in clothes, drive
vehicles or own several appliances and gadgets that previously indicated a particular economic

class, but in reality and in today’s period, there is no longer a connection between the sign and

what it signifies. However, in spite of that, the difference between the trace of fantasy to reality

could still be detected; 3) Production – machines were invented during the Industrial revolution

to take the place of humans, thus making objects independent of any human use of signifiers. In

this stage, Braudrillard states that production “overtakes the symbol and governs the appearance

and replication of signs. There is no longer any semblance or dissemblance - no comparison with

reality”; and lastly, 4) Simulation – it is signs that establishes our reality and it determines who

we are and what we do. An example of this is the reality tv show such as “The Kardashians”. It is

a fantasy copy of what really happens in a family and thus, is only simulated. In today’s era, the

media dominates our lives with information that we think and perceive to be genuine experience

but in fact, is farfetched from reality. This only influences individuals to live in a fantasy world

and expect that it will also happen in reality.

Submitted by: Class/ Professor:

Kristine D. Laxa J213/ Prof. Katigbak

Date:

Nov. 27, 2013