Hyperreality in the Context of Postmodernism Essay Example
Hyperreality In The Context of Postmodernism
Firstly I am going to examine the terms of hyperreality and begin to put it into context in terms of Postmodernism. In order to fully understand the true meaning of hyperreallity I want to look at the roots of the word ‘hyper’ and ‘reality’. The word hyper is commonly referred to energy and excitement, for instance for someone’s behaviour to be more active than normal: beyond the normal amount. Hyper also is a prefix for many words. The word reality refers to the world or the state of things, as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. So putting both ‘hyper’ and ‘reality’ together to form hyperreality we are indeed blending reality and fiction. Jean Baudrilliard provides a simple, and yet very deep, example of hyperreality at work all around us:
‘American is neither dream nor reality. It is a hyperreality. It is a hyperreality because it is a utopia, which has behaved from the very beginning as though it were already achieved. Everything here is real and pragmatic, and yet it is all the stuff of dreams too’ (Baudrilliard 1989:28)
So in my opinion hyperreality refers simply to an image that is more real than the thing it’s supposed to represent or a replica of something that never actually existed. In the 1940’s Postmodernism was considered to be impossible to define, simply suggesting that it was a modern movement of architecture. Since the theory of Postmodernism was founded it became considerably poplar within the academic system, besides solely being interlinked with literary criticism and architecture It now finds itself overloaded with meaning and connected with social theory, cultural and media studies, visual arts, philosophy and history.
A great example of hyperreality that I particularly like is Bicester Village, which indeed is situated in Bicester, a small town within Oxfordshire. I feel that you can really get a substantial understanding of hyperreality when
Firstly I am going to examine the terms of hyperreality and begin to put it into context in terms of Postmodernism. In order to fully understand the true meaning of hyperreallity I want to look at the roots of the word ‘hyper’ and ‘reality’. The word hyper is commonly referred to energy and excitement, for instance for someone’s behaviour to be more active than normal: beyond the normal amount. Hyper also is a prefix for many words. The word reality refers to the world or the state of things, as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. So putting both ‘hyper’ and ‘reality’ together to form hyperreality we are indeed blending reality and fiction. Jean Baudrilliard provides a simple, and yet very deep, example of hyperreality at work all around us:
‘American is neither dream nor reality. It is a hyperreality. It is a hyperreality because it is a utopia, which has behaved from the very beginning as though it were already achieved. Everything here is real and pragmatic, and yet it is all the stuff of dreams too’ (Baudrilliard 1989:28)
So in my opinion hyperreality refers simply to an image that is more real than the thing it’s supposed to represent or a replica of something that never actually existed. In the 1940’s Postmodernism was considered to be impossible to define, simply suggesting that it was a modern movement of architecture. Since the theory of Postmodernism was founded it became considerably poplar within the academic system, besides solely being interlinked with literary criticism and architecture It now finds itself overloaded with meaning and connected with social theory, cultural and media studies, visual arts, philosophy and history.
A great example of hyperreality that I particularly like is Bicester Village, which indeed is situated in Bicester, a small town within Oxfordshire. I feel that you can really get a substantial understanding of hyperreality when