From: "nik" <gack-AT-acay.com.au>
Subject: Re: Family resemblance
Date: Mon, 18 May 98 11:12:50 PDT


>Baudrillard
> flips this: The world exists apart from our representations. But
> contrary to postmodern thought in general, he sees the world as a
> simulacrum-in-itself. Our representations subsequently distort the
> essence of the world and make it appear as real. Like the Gulf War.
> The essence of the Gulf War is/was its non-existence, its absent
> truth (= a simulacrum), but through our representations (and the
> media representations) it turns out real.
>
nice take. for the world to be a simularcum-in-itself, it would have to be lost in continual self-reference (in a sense). that is, it would only be in relation to itself. this would defeat trad. realism by emphasising not the events that make up the world we know, but the relationships that make them possible. "things" would not exist, but scenarios would. when we then relate to these events as though they had some essence aside from the relations, we fool ourselves and create the real - that lead monstrosity that denies movement. cool.

i always wondered if baud pinched his geneological progression of the real from nietzsche:
from twilight of the idols (p50)
"5.The 'real world' - an idea no longer of any use, not even a duty any longer - an idea grown useless, superfluous, consequently a refuted idea: let us abolish it!
6.We have abolished the real world: what world is left? the apparent world perhaps?...But no! with the real world we have also abolished the apparent world!"

no signifier and no siginfied. just the ceasless play of relations...

"(Broad daylight; breakfast; return of cheerfulness and bons sens; Plato blushes for shame; all free spirits run riot)" - ibid.

raucus laughter,
nik
;>