Baurillard & hyperreality

L/O: to understand (the theory of) hyperreality and be able to apply this

theory to case studies

Baudrillard

Part One: Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007) Baudrillard was a controversial Philosopher whose main ideas and concepts have been used to understand the effect of living in a Postmodern environment on our perceptions of reality.His most important book "Simulacra and Simulations" became the basis of the Matrix films Simulations and Simulacra Hyperreality

Hyperreality – good definition

• In semiotics and postmodernism, hyperreality is an inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in technologically advanced postmodern societies.

• Baudrillard defined ``hyperreality'' as ``the generation by models of a real without origin or reality ``, it is a representation, a sign, without an original referent.

http://www.slideshare.net/jbradfo4/postmodernism-foucault-and-baudrillard

Some main ideas:

• There is no truth• Hyperreality: it’s more real than real, to the

extreme!• Baurillard argues there is nothing underneath

illusion, just other illusions. – Copy, copy, copy

• Feign = pretend

• 1. reflect reality• 2. mask reality• 3. mask of absence of reality• 4. simulacra doesn’t relate to reality

Simulation and signs

• Recent Example:

• 1. Picture of Kim Kardashian• 2. Manipulated photos and put on FB• 3. Photos get shared with comments• 4. Meme’s (copies and been taken out

of context)

• 1. image of God• 2. Name or image that re-represents (symbolises

God)• 3. Talk of God • 4. God is a simulation

What happens when you have simulation?

• 1. Fakes• 2. Reduplicating

signs (losing the real)

• 3. Hyperreality and simulation (real is lost)

Representation

• Sign = can have meaning of the real

(God)• If God can be simulated

(made up of signs which create faith) isn’t this just all simulacrum (non real/representations of real)

• *what could be the controversies with this?

Disneyland

• DL is imaginary so we believe the rest is real

• LA is no longer real

• How/why?

Baudrillard cont.• The effect of Postmodernism on the Audience can be extensive and can alter

our perceptions of the media and reality as the media and reality merge.

REALITY

HIGHTEN AND EXAGGERATE(SIMULATE)

SIMULACRA

HYPERREALITY

Simulations and Simulacra

• Media represent reality and in doing so change it to make it more visual and fun.

• However what happens when we start to believe that this "Simulation" is actual reality?

Marilyn Manson Bowling for Columbine

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYApo2d8o_A

We live in a world of simulacra and artificialness!

The more artificial and simulated, the further away from reality we get – where things are hyperreal because reality is lost-more ‘real than real’-think of ‘designer dogs’ and ‘designer babies’

• The effect of living in Simulacra is……..

a distorted sense of reality or Hyperreality.

Activity: Chinese Drawings

• You will each get told to draw an object, then you pass it on and that person draws that object, you pass it on again…..

• How far from the original are the 2, 3, 4 drawings?

Hyperreality

Key Term: Hyperreality

Was first described by the Philosopher Jean Baudrillard were he suggested that the media can now create such idealistic representations of reality that out perform actual reality. The audience is left feeling depressed as they're own life doesn't live up to artificial reality.

‘video game film’

• Gamer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECoPbiGfjNw

Baudrillard and Aspirational TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59OJ17raqWw

• How can we see the hyperreal world of TV advertising as a simulation of Reality?

• What effects will this have on the public?

– How has aspirational tv/media changed?– What was difference in 80’s vs now? Examples?– What’s the effect of this type of media?

Baudrillard and the Media (war)

• Baudrillard wrote an article called "The Gulf War did not take place" which was very controversial.

• In it he suggests that the Media set the agenda on the narrative of war - the war we saw on TV did not match real events. (they don’t show all truths (restricted truths) therefore this limits knowledge/power)

War and hyperreality• Fact/reality: US lost the

Vietnam war• Films represent it as though

they won – Representation of determination– Representation of defeat/stregth

• The more we see these re-representations the further the truth is (hyperreality!!!!)

•How does this relate to idea about recreation of stories in film and new target audiences?

Other war events?

• How can we use Baudrillard's ideas to understand recent events such as ISIS or Ukraine?

Think of what is NOT on TV• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_conflicts

• On going conflicts NOT on TV news agenda

Social Media & Charity • ALS ice bucket challenge and no make up selfie’s• What is the agenda of these charities?• How do they represent/portray the ‘victims’?• What do they encourage you to do and why?• What are the positives/negatives of the campaigns?• Do they make a difference? • What was the backlash of the campaigns? (debate)

• How can we link these to pomo?• Are these campaigns positive or negative? Why?

Baudrillard and Hyper-sexuality

• Watch the following news links on the recent report into Media representations of gender.

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8538000/8538207.stm (the whole of society is hyper-sexualized’)

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8538179.stm (children of both genders are over-exposed to sexual imagery’)

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8537757.stm (media blamed for sexualization of young girls’)

Discussion points

• NATURE vs NUTURE DEBATE!!!• Sexuality in media?• Music videos?• How has it changed?• Institution or personal responsibility?• What would you do to protect your children?• What are positive and negative sides of the argument?• How has it changed over time? How does it compare to

sexuality previously?• What campaigns go against the ideologies ? (to try to end

these values/ideals)

More debates…..documentaries

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0441whb

• Documentary is called ‘Porn on the brain’ by channel 4 which explores the issue of exposure of porn to young people in UK

• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1040803/Documentary-investigates-effect-online-porn-teens.html

• Institutional responsibility?• Personal responsibility?

The debate = should this happen?

• Using the concept of Hyperreality apply it to the ongoing debates of sexual imagery and children:

– Should the media represent hyper-sexual/hyper-beauty (idealistic) representations?

• Yes? = why? – free speech, democracy, money/profit• No? = why? – sets up false expectations/aspirations that

people cannot reach = they feel inadequate

– How can you apply Baudrillards ideas to virtual worlds like The Sims?

hyperbeauty This is a real, unphotoshopped person! (barbie girl)

Celebs are idealised & hyperreal because their ‘reality’ is based on ideals which aren’t real because people don’t have flawless skin/huge bottoms, luscious hair etc. = plastic surgery!!!

Elnett Advertshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v6vB-mbjWE&safe=active

Or you could look at perfume adverts

Great hyperreal advert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI-Dg19Aa80

Dove evolution advert

• Hyperreal beauty (evolution) was one of the first oneshttp://www.nextnature.net/2007/03/simulacra-for-dummies/

Simulacra for Dummies• ….it seems appropriate to post (above website) this movie

as an ultimate “Simulacra for Dummies”. This movie is quite known and probably already posted on this blog. But just in case, here it is once more: the “Evolution” movie made by Dove. The construction of reality.

Dove ‘sketch’ adverts• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litXW91UauE

Article: (if link doesn’t work search – dove and financial times “Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches”• Http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/146e19ee-a92e-11e2-a096-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2RSNZ1f3H

• Try this if not: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/146e19ee-a92e-11e2-a096-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3L0gu2B8z

How does the sketch campaign differ from traditional media/traditional adverts/theory of representation?

• Non product advertising• Non product display• More about ‘trust’ or belief in ‘dove’ as a company

– Changing audiences – we are almost ‘guilted’ into buying into companies that are ‘ethical’ (zizek theory:

– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P18UK5IMRDI – We buy into LIFESTYLE rather than products (similar to john lewis/m&s christmas adverts – not

about products!!!)• Linear narrative (not enigmatic• Counter stereotypes (not typical representation/stereotypes/archetypes)• What else???????

• But still binary opposition/solution based (like traditional media/adverts)

Controversy with dove• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKLDEj73gGQ&safe=active

• Article:• http://www.businessinsider.com/why-people-hate-doves-real-beauty-ad-2013-4

• People fighting back??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoZLPSw8U8 (try - music video)•

-what do you think about this music video/artist in response to ‘hyperbeauty’????• Is it progressive?

dove2013 – sketch artist idea for advert (to show pretty/ugly……seems positive to reflect that everyone is beautifulBUTEmphasis on beauty – outer beauty/image (let’s face it – they wouldn’t have a model with a deformity would they?)

Extension – dove parodyDove parody• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFvNNSTwN_4

• Article:• http://

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/22/dove-real-beauty-sketches-reactions-parody-video-blog-critics_n_3130929.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

Debate with doveHow is it positive? Is it progressive? How is it negative? What are the

controversies?

This girl can

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7lt0CYwHg

• http://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/ (lottery + sport england charity)

Like a girl

• Aired during superbowl• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1xGVYA5Aqo boy interview• More about the campaign: http://www.always.com/en-us/likeagirl.aspx (always

P&G)• Huffington post article: http://

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/29/like-a-girl-super-bowl_n_6572568.html • Article: http://

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2936819/Backlash-empowering-Like-Girl-Super-Bowl-commercial-sparks-likeaboy-hashtag-Twitter.html

Other viral videos/people who are going against social norms

Other videos/campaigns?

• Fat shaming?• Ugly shaming?

• Does it still happen? Why?• How does audiences perpetuate this?• How do audiences challenge it?• HOW and WHY?

• Are we truly progressive about body image?

• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11461133/Is-it-still-OK-to-fat-shame-overweight-men.html

Changing audience and changing technology!

But this still happens…..

But there’s more controversy!!!

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2QB00ZXbpA

• ‘the truth about ‘fat shaming’and wider political issues…

• Shouldn’t it beabout CHOICE?

Comparison of institutionsDOVE LIKE A GIRL THIS GIRL CAN Indie made

pics/videos(prosumers)

Autotune

• Ideal to be ‘amazing natural singer’• But in pop maintream it’s hard/impossible – (counter

argument)• Artist or institution?

– Milli vinili, Britney, Celine, Madonna….Even Xfactor! • Hyperreal!• What do you think? • What are both sides of the debate? (pos/neg)

• http://www.trueactivist.com/need-more-proof-that-the-music-industry-is-fake-here-you-go/

•

Google glass

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSnB06um5r4

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KmFSmkDyr8(parody)

Summary

Baudrillard The media presents a simulation of the world

that is artificial and hyperreal

Some audiences read the hyperrealrepresentation as reality - hyper-sexuality

The representation of reality is mediated through the media - war reporting

Hyperreal Case study checklist • Simulation video games (sims…)• Simulation technology (virtual reality…..google glass)• ALS ice bucket challenge• No make up selfie• War in the news (tv/print)• Kim Kardashian meme• Genetically modified food/organisms (GMO)• Barbie girl/Nicki Minaj• Dove (sketches campaign)

– Dove parody • This Girl Can campaign • Like a girl campaign• Ellnett hairspray OR Gucci guilty perfume advert• Autotuning• ‘try music video’• Google glass

• RAG each one….

Homework

• REVISE CASE STUDIES

• Make notes on:– How they’re postmodern– Debates within them, are they useful?

• Arguments for/against

– How they are similar/different to other case studies– How they compare to traditional media – Impact on audiences– Are they controversial? How/why?– Representation: how are people/places/things represented? Do

they challenge traditional theories of representation?

Next lesson

• Mark scheme• Then…..Looking at past papers