Reddit reviews Simulacra and Simulation (The Body, In Theory: Histories of Cultural Materialism)

Simulacra and the Simulation - Jean Baudrillard

You should read "Simulacra and Simulation". You're not wrong but it's complicated in some opinions. You'd like it a lot.

Simulacra and Simulation (The Body, In Theory: Histories of Cultural Materialism) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0472065211/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LVTwxbADEB9W4

Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard.

Actually, Beaudrillard’s work Simulacra and Simulation influenced the Matrix creators more.

this is the definitive text in this subject

http://www.amazon.com/Simulacra-Simulation-Body-Theory-Materialism/dp/0472065211/ref=sr_1_1

Pay a hobo to sit in your car reading this into your ear in a French accent.

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EDIT: actually there is a free audiobook here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbtHZ3fsL2Y

No French accent tho...

Kaja Silverman "Flesh of my flesh"
http://www.amazon.com/Flesh-My-Kaja-Silverman/dp/0804762082

Im surprised this hasn't been listed yet: Nicolas Bourriaud "Relational Aesthetic"
http://www.amazon.com/RelationalAestheticsNicolasBourriaud/dp/2840660601

Of course

Jean Baudrillard "Simulacra and Simulation"
http://www.amazon.com/Simulacra-Simulation-The-Body-Theory/dp/0472065211/ref=pd_sim_b_65?ie=UTF8&refRID=0P4J88VZCWHSQ7VJYW78
also his book "The Conspiracy of Art" is worth poking around in.

Guy Debord's "Society of The Spectacle" as well as "Comments on Society of The Spectacle"
http://www.amazon.com/Society-Spectacle-Guy-DEBORD/dp/0934868077/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426802709&sr=1-1&keywords=society+of+the+spectacle

http://www.amazon.com/Comments-Society-Spectacle-Radical-Thinkers/dp/1844676722/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426802832&sr=1-6&keywords=society+of+the+spectacle

and for more recent writings I usually pick up an E-Flux book and thumb through it.

Read some Baudrillard --
http://www.amazon.com/Simulacra-Simulation-The-Body-Theory/dp/0472065211

> I despise philosophy

Awwww... don't do that!

> any more recommendations on the subject

Simulacra and Simulation

The Truth in Painting

Some other essay by Baudrillard that I just found and haven't finished reading yet, but might give you ideas of how to think about film even though it's about photography

The pervert's guide to cinema. I think this is required viewing.

http://www.amazon.com/Simulacra-Simulation-Body-Theory-Materialism/dp/0472065211/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462402093&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=baudrillard+similacra+and+simulation

There is also Simulation and Simulacra, which is also dry and probably only marginally useful to this discussion.

International Studies major here to say that this video is apologetic pablum. Many assumptions are made, including the implicit assumptions that countries develop in a vacuum and that all countries' trajectory began at the same point in time on a level playing field. The video assumes that strong institutions and cultural beliefs affect degree of development instead of being a product of it. Nowhere is there any mention of core-periphery relationship, history, etcetera.


If you want an introductory understanding of uneven development start with Ankie Hoogvelt's Globalization and the Postcolonial World, Immanuel Wallerstine's World Systems Analysis, and Edward Said's Culture and Imperialism. For an intermediate understanding complete the first 3 then read Adorno/Horkeimer's Dialectic of Enlightenment, Marcuse's One Dimensional Man, and Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation.