A brief explanation of simulations in communication

1. Simulational Selves,
Simulational Selves in
Groundhog Day
Mickeyla Murphy

2. What Are Simulations?
Simulations are self contained
experiences that allow people to
experience things outside the “real
world”

3. Common Types of
Simulations
• Movies
• Books
• Video games
• Sports

4. Why Groundhog Day?
• Above and beyond the fact that films are
simulations to begin with Groundhog Day is
actually just a big simulation itself. During the
course of the movie the main character Phil
Connors experiences living life as a simulation.

5. Phil Connors
!
!
• Phil is a very self absorbed man.
• He lives with no real purpose making his regular
life all but a simulation to begin with.
• He is disconnected from reality as he continues to
live the same day in and day out.

6. The Simulation
• The experience Phil has is that
of a closed loop he is living in
a simulation. Each day
contains the same elements
such as a video game does.
Each time he wakes he
experiences the same thing.
He begins to do anything he
wants to and live with no
consequences.

7. The Change
• After living the same day over
and over for what would
appear to be a long stretch of
time, Phil begins to realize that
living life such as selfish way
is only feeding this simulation
he’s stuck in. It is when he
finally begins to have true
feelings for Rita that things
begin to change. True human
connection is the only thing
that can free him.

8. Why This Matters Today
Too often in our society people live only in their
simulations. For some they become absorbed in sports or
in video games. We live for our simulations rather than
living in the real world. Our experiences such as Phil’s
have very little consequences and therefore mean almost
nothing. Simulations influence the way we see the real
world when they have no real effect on it.

9. Things to Take Away
• Simulations have a time and a place, but shouldn’t be confused
with real life
• Things that exist in a never changing world have very limited
consequences if any
• Put value in things that truly matter such as relationships with
friends and family
• Simulations are not always bad
• Be aware of the world we live in

10. References
• Brummett, B. (2015). Rhetoric in Popular Culture.
Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE