Good read in the in the NYT today, the Baudrillard Q&A.
At 76, you are still pushing your famous theory about “simulation” and the “simulacrum,” which maintains that media images have become more convincing and real than reality.
All of our values are simulated. What is freedom? We have a choice between buying one car or buying another car? It’s a simulation of freedom.
In the search for suggestible persons (i.e. space cadets) and for advertising dollars, a hoax is invented:
The only remaining question is: how will the contestants feel when they realise that they have been duped? The makers insist they do not anticipate anyone taking legal action if they feel they have been made a fool of.
And regarding mushroom clouds, whiskey pete, cronyism, torture, fiscal responsibility and leadership:
We’ll bomb, strafe and send missiles against their people even though our security’s not directly threatened,” he said. “This is contrary to international law. It’s also contrary to what every president has done in this country for more than 100 years, Democrat or Republican.
Quite a week, I’m not sure I’m cut out for the cruelty of some of it.
