The document discusses Jean Baudrillard's concepts of simulacra and hyperreality. It argues that in postmodernity, simulations and copies of reality have replaced the real to such an extent that it is difficult to distinguish reality from its representations. Media and technology have created a hyperreality that seems more real than actual lived experience. People can lose the ability to separate reality from fantasy and begin to engage with and find fulfillment in simulated realities rather than any objective reality.

1. Baudrillard Simulacra & hyper-reality

2. Simulacra In Postmodernity codes are ambiguous texts reflect other texts rather than anything real the world becomes simulated with no attachment to anything natural (eg: apples not tasting like apple drinks) a deviation and perversion of imitation itself - a false likeness (Plato)

3. Explains the way in which simulations or copies that are replacing the real artefacts so that increasingly reality becomes redundant We can longer distinguish between the real and the representation of the real Irish/Australian pubs. Jerry Springer. American Coffee shops, news events, music

7. Simulacra and The Matrix A world that is "more real than real" - that replaces reality with its simulation of reality “ What is Real?" underlies the characters' actions, as they move in and out of "reality" and its simulation "it is the real that has become our true utopia- but a utopia that is no longer in the realm of the possible, that can only be dreamt as one would dream of a lost object" The Trueman show – Bladerunner – Minority Report – Alice in Wonderland

8. Baudrillard: Hyper-reality The media dominate our perception of the outside world - representing a world that is more real than that which we can experience. Media = hyper-reality Reality encountered in the world is a pale shadow of this.

9. Your mind loses the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy, and begins to engage with the latter without understanding what it is doing. Fulfillment or happiness is found through simulation and imitation of a transient simulacrum of reality, rather than any interaction with any "real" reality.

10. Watching soap operas for a long time can develop a view of interpersonal relationships that is determined by the writers of the soap. The extreme dramatic relationships in soaps are a heightened form of reality that some people relate to as being real. Such people begin to judge social relationships and situations by this heightened reality.

12. Task They will come up with situations/places where reality becomes redundant and debate the merits of.