Theory of the Society of the Simulacrum - Essay Example

Jean Baudrillards theory of The society of the Simulacrum. Is photography one of its mechanisms or one of its casualties? Table of contents Introduction. 2. The place of photography and images in Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacrum. 3. Examples and scenes illustrating the key-point factors concerning photography in the theory. 4. Conclusion. 1. The idea that photography is one of Jean Baudrillards theory mechanisms is very interesting one. This paper will discuss an issue of photography and images reflecting different controversial sides of reality and their role in our world and environment perception, as well as the place photography and images take in Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacrum. The idea, as well as Jean Baudrillards theory of The society of the Simulacrum is increasingly important in this age of different philosophic and psychological concepts relating to reality and unreality perception and comprehension. Many people believe that these issues and problems concern only those who are interested in philosophy and psychology, but these people overlook the fact that everybody of use live in society which is very complicated and multifaced, and we learn the world and people around us through photography, video and other images. Furthermore, these images have influence on us and our perception. It is not easy to answer directly the question: Is photography one of its mechanisms or one of its casualties? This paper will try to approach both sides of the issue considering the place of photography and images take in Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacrum; it will also give examples and scenes illustrating the key-point factors concerning photography in the theory. It will help to understand Jean Baudrillards theory of the society of the Simulacrum and approach to the answer. 2. Jean Baudrillard gave its own sense of the term “simulacra”. He explained that this term means hyperreality which takes place while we live and learn the world around us through photography and other visual images: “Baudrillard claims that our society has replaced all reality and meaning with symbols and signs, and that in fact all that we know as real is actually a simulation of reality. The simulacra that Baudrillard refers to are signs of culture and media that create the reality that we perceive” (5). Almost all that we see and know about the world and people is taken by us through visual images created by media and contemporary technologies. Photography also plays a very important role for our world perception. But photography has its own specialities for an observer: “The photograph reproduces what only happens once. It repeats mechanically what will never be repeated existentially. In it, the event doesnt transcend itself into something else” (3). An observer has no ability to see an event reflected on photography in action. It reflects reality of events which are already gone. So, a photo picture is not real for us. So, it is related to Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacrum as unreal world. Photography, as well as some other images which bring us visual information, is the imprint of a past event made by technical means, and has no real relation to the present: “The photography, the film, the novel, the art testify since the 19th century of this emergence of the object, of objects in their matter-of-factness, in their nauseous banality, in their hostile technicity” (3). An operator making a snapshot is a part of the mechanism. He plays an active role in transforming reality into visual images. He stops the instant; he is a moderator of the process. And his function of reality reflecting comes to an end when a snapshot has been done. So, he is not a part of this reflected reality: “In any case, the operator has to disappear at the same time as he makes his object disappear. This is a part of the magical illusion of the photography. Have you noticed that God is absent from all photographs? And why is He absent? Because Himself is the photographer” (3). So, Jean Baudrillard makes photography one of his simulacrum theory mechanisms, as a photo image is out of contemporary reality. Photography is just a symbol, a sign, a simulation of reality. With the help of photography people can preserve real events which will be a part of history in the future. So, there is no wonder that it is a kind of mystical process – we watch something that is not real, that is gone, maybe for a very long time ago: “For me, the photography, in its purest form, is a variant of the fable. Another way of saving the appearances - a way of signifying, through this fabulous capture, that this supposed "real" world is always about to loose its meaning and its reality, that it actually could do without meaning and reality” (3). Photography plays a very active role in our life perception. In many cases photography doesn’t reflect any reality – it can be the reflection of our desires and behavioural habits, expression of emotions directed to our emotions and feelings. These images induce us to act subconsciously, according to our desires and demands. Photography reminds us the past reality, to its images and memory. A photo is a piece of the past: “When the real is no longer what it used to be, nostalgia assumes its full meaning. There is a proliferation of myths of origin and signs of reality; of second-hand truth, objectivity and authenticity. There is an escalation of the true, of the lived experience; a resurrection of the figurative where the object and substance have disappeared” (4). So, one can see that photography is the way which can prolong our past experience when all the past objects and subjects have already disappeared. And it is possible to say that photography is the mechanism of Jean Baudrillards theory of the society of the Simulacrum, as it replaces all reality and meaning with symbols and signs which are reflected in visual images. Photography, video, films are just a simulation of reality, those reality which we actually have. Sometimes photography images replace real life, and the boundaries between real and unreal cannot be seen: “Such production misrepresents and masks an underlying reality by imitating it so well, thus threatening to replace it (e.g. in photography or ideology)” (2). 3. There are numerous examples and scenes illustrating the key-point factors concerning photography in the theory of Jean Baudrillard, but this paper will pay attention on some of them. These illustrations show the application of the theory relevant to our days and demonstrate the ability of the theory to fit contemporary realities. There are many areas of human activity where the theory can be applied: “Homes, relationships, fashion, art, music, all become dictated by their ideal models presented through the media. Thus the boundary between the image, or simulation, and reality implodes (breaks down). This creates a world of hyperreality where the distinctions between real and unreal are blurred” (1). All these and many other concepts of our life we can perceive through different visual images, including photography. Through photos people realize essence and nature of many things and expression of emotions and feelings. So, we perceive these things as they are represented on photos through their images, but we lose connection with contemporary reality. They are not real images, they induce us to feel subconscious demands and emotions (advertisement photography): “The masses get bombarded by these images (simulations) and signs (simulacra) which encourage them to buy, vote, work, play,... but eventually they become apathetic (i.e. cynical). Because simulations and simulacra ultimately have no referents, the social begins to implode” (1). The numerous photos, as well as video and audio records of musicians (Hawk) can be an illustration of the mechanism of Jean Baudrillards theory of the society of the Simulacrum. These images don’t show them in actual reality, they just draw pictures of their symbols and simulations which are merged into the whole picture of similar visual images; they lost their reality and begin a part of the society of the Simulacrum: “They are merely images on a screen, models to follow for other musicians if they want to get on MTV. The simulations, video images of the musicians and audio "images of the music, no longer refer to a situation which brought on individual resistance/expression” (1). Another example of the mechanism of Jean Baudrillards theory of the society of the Simulacrum is so-called erotic photography. These photos have not many similarities with reality. Our mass culture transformed them into reflection of our instincts, desires and demands. These kinds of photography erases personalities and individualities and are just symbols and signs: “Yet we must see that this kind of photo-reportage emphatically transforms reality, simplifying it a5 a message and oversignifying it, whereby it creates the shock-effect, but by erasing the "punctum", which is the specific object of the photography” (3). One of the specialities of photography is the way people shown on photos look at an observer. It is hard sometimes to call it “sight”. People shown on photos look through an observer, and there is a kind of unreal. These pictures remind us about past events and people who are not actual real: “There is a pensiveness (a thoughtfulness) of the object, as of someone who looks at you without seeing you, and there is a pensiveness of the photographic gaze as well, which is not just an act of reflection, but an act of thought without thinking, so to say: cosa mentale” (3). Sometimes it is also seems that people look at an observer wherever he is; the sight of images finds him everywhere. This mystery always amazes those who notice this feature of photography. It makes an impression of hyperreality, the reflection of unreal world which is not the part of ours. So, this unreality is a part of Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacra. It confirms the thesis that photography is one of the mechanisms of Jean Baudrillards theory of the society of the Simulacrum. An illustration of Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacrum can be also photos of different politicians and famous people who are shown in different moments of their life. They also aren’t images of reality; they are only its simulation: “This creates a world of hyperreality where the distinctions between real and unreal are blurred. Robert Tilton becomes a simulation of religion; Ronald Reagan a simulation of politics; and Kurt Kobain a simulation of marginality” (1). The skill of a photographer can influence people’s imagination and excite them to see artfully hidden contours, images and hints. This feature is often an indicator of difference between professional photographer and amateur. It stimulates observer’s fantasy and induces to the knowledge and understanding of real art: “I remember some other pictures from a Brasilian photographer, picturing the poor houses of the peasants in the Nordeste. Only the facades, not a living soul. But the peasants are there. They are behind these facades, as if behind masks” (3). These facades and peasants are also a part of Jean Baudrillards simulacra. They are the organic part of his view and philosophy. 4. The paper discussed an issue of photography and images reflecting different controversial sides of reality and their role in our world and environment perception, as well as the place photography and images take in Jean Baudrillards theory of simulacrum. According to the examples and explanations given above one can assert that photography is one of the mechanisms of Jean Baudrillards theory of the society of the Simulacrum. This view will become increasingly dominant in the coming century if to pay appropriate attention to the role photography plays in our life, its influence on our world perception, as well as the variety of approaches to photography as an art and its features and ability to reflect people and events around us. Finally, global cooperation of those who are interested in such amazing art and hobby as photography, as well as cultural understanding of philosophical approaches and backgrounds of photography and other kinds of visual images can lead to the progress and development in this area. References 1. Hawk Byron. Baudrillard and Simulation. Accessed September 18, 2005; available from http://www.uta.edu/english/hawk/semiotics/baud.htm 2. Introduction to Jean Baudrillard. Module on Simulacra and Simulations. Accessed September 18, 2005; available from http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/postmodernism/modules/baudrillardsimulation.html 3. Jean Baudrillard. Integral reality. The European Graduate School. Media & Communications. (09/18/2005). Accessed September 18, 2005; available from http://www.egs.edu/faculty/baudrillard/baudrillard-integral-reality.html 4. Jean Baudrillard. Simulacra and Simulations. Jean Baudrillard, Selected Writings, ed Mark Poster. Stanford University Press, 1998, pp.166-184. Accessed September 18, 2005; available from http://www.egs.edu/faculty/baudrillard/baudrillard-simulacra-and-simulations.html 5. Simulacra and Simulation. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Accessed September 18, 2005; available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation Read More