Marie89, 2/17

“Does reality actually outstrip fiction?” (Baudrillard 228)

This quote is an interesting one to analyze as reality should outstrip fiction. However, because of the large role that the mass media plays in our society, I believe that fiction actually outstrips reality. If I am reading this quote as it is intended, I would say that fiction has a bigger impact in our society as the media has distorted our view of reality. It is difficult for people to decipher what is true and what is fake when all that claims to be reality in the media has to be looked at skeptically. For example, reality shows are only real to an extent, magazines are filled with “real” people who have been transformed with technology, and even the food that we eat claiming to be real isn’t necessarily 100% real.

Within our society, we have begun to accept this state of the media. With this accustoming mind-frame, we no longer challenge the statements and constructs imposed by the media. It is now extremely difficult to define reality in our culture because of how concepts and ideas are portrayed. We no longer know real from fiction and we no longer have faith in all that claims to be real. It is sad that this has happened to our society. We no longer question the media or its motives which is exactly what is intended by the media. Because of this, the ideologies of the hegemonic media will go unnoticed and we will continue to perpetuate the cycle of the media and its intentions will continue to be subtle yet impactful.

I believe that this quote also relates to the statements of Lyotard in that in order to escape from this system we have created for ourselves with our submission to the media, we must wage a war on totality. We can no longer be deceived by these images claiming to be real, nor those things created by realism. Authority must be questioned, the media must be questioned, and ideology must be challenged in order for reality to again outstrip fiction.