‘America’ by Jean Baudrillard

During the dawning of the new age, the States has always fascinated foreigners with its magnificence and grandeur as if in alluring then to come and research its endless possibilities. Even philosophers of arts and sciences as s advantageously up as well known personalities in the field of literature describe their the Statesn travel as exciting and memorable. They atomic number 18 all captivated by the countrys coarse wide open spaces, plentys culture and advances in technology.One of Frances leading philosophers Jean Baudrillard, well known for his post neoism and mysterious philosophical views on diachronic and present events was also captivated by Americas striking elements of cultures and advancement. Baudrillard became more encouraged to launch his own travel when he learned of French philosopher Tocquevilles American journey. And so in the mid-1980s, Baudrillard do his own travelog and documented his findings in his countersign, America (1988).This book was originall y written in French and presented Baudrillards observations of American culture, advancement in civilization as well as the illness of America itself. According to him, what can be read from this book is merely his observation on his visit and should not be interpreted seriously simply not necessarily for granted. Baudrillard was known for his witty and opposing views which he clearly shown from his other composes.His use of metaphor and linguistic style whitethorn not be so common to everybody but reading his lines in all and understanding his motives will bring you to conclusion that he was really an observer and a critic with extra-ordinary perception on events (Baudrillard, 1989) Most part of the book talk close to many of the states he visited as well as his discovery of the people, what is inside them and how they live in their societies. One can notice his astonishment with America which he wrote in his roughly charmed but satirical manner.Part of the book which expoun d best what America is all ab turn out was Astral America. On this section, he give tongue to that being in America was like being in the land of Utopia where everybody seems to be living in their blissful society, pick up with amenities, freedom and the advantages using the latest technology. The book America also discusses many significant observations and his analytic thinking which he put in many sections such(prenominal) as Vanishing Point, New York, Utopia Achieved, The End of US Power and Desert For Ever and Astral America.Astral America describe the highest point where America already has its lead in innovations, extensive urbanization and great industrialization among other industrialized nations. Although Europe was already enhanced in toll of industrialization during the 1980s , America has always been the leader in the aspect of economic advantage. This probably encouraged Baudrillard to travel to America and see profoundly for himself the status of a grand nation t hat is continually moving and upgrading itself to be more secured and independent.Reading Astral America, you could feel Baudrillards awe for Americas vast territory and its advancement in many angles. Its modern populations spread among great cities and lands where everybody lives in glorious days. His description of this nation was of a prosperous country where Disneyland is a place people from all over the naturalism want to visit. Furthermore, he said that you could find in this nation the consummate(a) combination of entertainment and fantasy. Everybody do their job with their modern machines and the use of their technology for entertainment is endless.As he was quoted on following Astral America. The lyrical nature of pure circulation.. As against the melancholy of European analyses The exhilaration of obscenity, the obscenity of obviousness, the obviousness of antecedent, the power of simulationSideration. Star-blasted, horizontally by the car, altitudinally by the plane, electronically by television, geologically by deserts, stereolithically by the megalopoloi, trans governmentally by the power game, the power museum that American has become for the whole dry land (Baudrillard, 1989, p. 27).However, throughout his American travel, Baudrillard made the impression that he was conscious of his status as a European because of the comparison on what he saw. In between the lines, he described Europe as an inescapably old, ethnic, contrived, confined and accustomed with lesser modernization wherein he view America as more than the reality, formed into a vast realization of cultures and colorful depiction of replication from different cultures. Such as on the following excerpts Why should I go and decentralize myself in France, in the ethnic and the local, which be merely the shreds and vestiges of centrality?I want to excentre myself, to become eccentric, but I want to do so in a place that is the centre of the world. And, in this sense, the latest fast -food outlet, the most banal suburb, the blandest of giant American cars or the most insignificant cartoon-strip majorette is more at the centre of the world than any of the cultural manifestations of old Europe (Baudrillard, 1989) But Baudrillard also declared some critical views about America. Here, he said that other Europeans see the grand nation as a land of barbarism. That although it was a great nation full of life and explode with opportunities, it has also its own disease and flaws.In Astral America, he does not see America as all glory although it is unlike Europe that had its dark historical days on wars. He sees America as a vast desert where culture, politics and gender are in a state of commotion. thither is also hunger, internal conflict, discrimination and prejudice. He wrote that America always gives me a feeling of ascetism. Culture, politics and sexuality too are seen exclusively in terms of the desert, which here assumes the status of a primal sceneEven the bo dy, by an ensuing effect of undernourishment, prosecutes on a transparent form, lightness near to shade disappearance.Everything around me suffers this same desertification (Baudrillard, 1989). Even at the rural sides of America, the grandest of homes and the beauty of the landscapes cannot hide the over simplicity that is embracing the monotonous life of the American people. Thus the Utopian dream cannot be in full reality itself but only a temporary solace from the joltingness of the Western life. America after all is not free of problems but unlike other nations it is undeniably one big nation that faces its problem head on. As Baudrillard was quoted on the following On the aromatic hillsides of Santa Barbara, the villas are all like funeral homes.Between the gardenias and the eucalyptus tress, among the profusion of plant genuses and the monotony of the human species, lies the tragedy of a utopia dream made realityThis is Americas problem and, through America, it has become the whole worlds problem (Baudrillard, 1989), p. 30) But even as Baudrillards depiction of life to the harsh environment of the Americans, he said they can take setbacks squarely. That even in war one can observe their presence of mind is always intact. also he never failed to observe Americas ruler and their set on their people.Nevertheless, he also took notice of American politics as well as he sees political power in America as a uniting factor which binds people in one great nation. Although he never mentioned of France leaders in America as well as its absence on the section on Astral America, his discussion with Americas leaders did signify that there is also a difference between his countrys rulers as well as Americas political leaders. His mentioned of Americas leaders as they influence the whole America in their fight for freedom and justice were properly justified.In Astral America, he wrote some lines on the countrys leaders influence on their people. As he wrote that T he smile of immunity, the smile of advertising This country is good. I am good. We are the best. It is also Reagans smile the culmination of the self-satisfaction of the entire American nation which is on the way to becoming the sole doctrine of government (Baudrillard, 1989). In terms of advancement, Baudrillards interpret Americas perfect expansion of technology with the latest use of transportation and communication.Cities were alive with people and modern structures. All kinds of recreations and sports are there recognizing it as the power museum of the world. He even asks himself why he should stay in France and be with the shadow of France when he can even stay in America and do what the Americans do. But comes here comes Baurillards strict observation. He theorized that America could just be a dream or a reality. He said that although he considers this country much like Utopia where everything may be in realistic and in impossible state he only see its population as if l iving in simulation.They can be the model of lesser nations and ideal material of the modern world but they also have flaws and infirmities. He further discusses that America was like a giant hologram as if all information is contained in one whole element and holds everything in place. For example, every state from every direction offered the same services as he delightfully stated America 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 hurl of dreams, tooThe Americans, for their part, have no sense of simulation. They are themselves the simulation(Baudrillard, 1989). The book America also talks about the hostility of the Wild West, the dazzling snuff it of the jazz, the sluggish and morbid deserts of the South-West, the neon lights of the motels and gang warfare in New York City. He also sees Am erica as a vast expel space with savage and mixed-cultured people populating the cities.In short, he sees America as an advance nation existing with all its special effects but taking a deeper look inside its system is a hollow society living in an artificial world. During his class film lectures, he always discusses about the Vietnam contend in the 1960s. He claimed that in reality, America did not win the war on the ground but only paralyzed the small Asian country. Although the US was always portrayed as victorious such as on popular movies like The Apocalypse Now and Platoon, accordingly these films did not significantly depicted reality but were made only for entertainment with the use of modern cinematography.From the French journal Liberation, Baudrillard stated that the 1991 Gulf War did not actually take place. That everything people have seen on TV was only hyperreal images created and manipulated by no less than the newest technology on cinematography. That America has only made a perfect visual art that artificially portrayed realism to achieve a striking and realistic effect but actually did not presented the real photographic representation of what is behind the event.Throughout the 1990s, almost all of Baudrillards encounter focus on hyperreality theme of the postmodern culture and yet his writings are sometimes disjointed and aphoristic. To simply said, his works expresses his own opinion or even the general truth but not necessarily the reality itself. On the twentieth of November 2005, Deborah Solomon of the New York Times Magazine interviewed the French philosopher regarding some background and belief of the archetype French intellectual. Solomon wants to dig deeper to discover what is behind the mans feeling as a journalist and a philosopher.From the interview, Baudrillard always respond with alertness and proudly discussed his philosophical views on life, the realities of war, and the attitude of man toward logical thinking and wide r easoning. Although the interview leads to a seemingly ridiculous question such as how he believes that the US invasion of Iraq was to spread freedom and not war, Baudrillard answered his most palaver answer. He stated that What we want is to put the rest of the world on the same level of masquerade and parody that we are on, to put the rest of the world into simulation, so all the world becomes total artifice and then we are all-powerful.Its a game (cited by Parker, 2005). This led to Solomons conclusion that Baudrillards ideas although are unfathomable at first glance, they are however most fascinating and compelling. That this man who uses his intellect to surmise and analyzed things in his most amusing and fox manner was a serious man. He normally uses words like hyperreal and transistorize to commonly describe on what he believes in. Baudrillard writes with a kind of unstoppable electric lyricism that is fast-paced but transparent. He diced his statements with jargon and somet imes uses technological idiom that provides his prose a metaphorical suppleness.His accounts which he diligently introduced in his book America were put through most depictive and striking description while identifying the facets of the modern American life. Of New York for example, he wrote that It is a world only rotten with wealth, power, senility, indifference, puritanism, and mental hygiene, poverty and waste, technological futility and aimless violence, and yet I cannot help but feel it has about it something of the dawning of the universe (Parker, 2005). His great influence on literature can also be seen on the blockbuster movie The Matrix.Filmmakers Andy and Larry Wachowski picked the idea when they discover of Baudrillards book Simulacra and Simulation. Although Baudrillard do not like the idea that his work would be represented in a film that is not real, he said that the scheme of using his work was not properly advised and called for. Some people consider his works as u nbiased literature that are constantly intriguing while they move through the borders of normal criticisms. Mr. Baudrillard tackled different subjects ranging from race and gender, art and literature, to the present day trauma such as the September 11 terrorism.Although his comments are openly misquoted and misunderstood they altogether sparked controversy. Nevertheless he was clearly known as more than an observer with alarming analytical mind and always opinionated with his own subliminal eccentricity. The editor program for Lire literary magazine Francois Busnel said of Mr. Baudrillard that he was unique in his own ways because he is very independent in his ideas and does not take sides. Considered as a postmodern guru of our time, his observation and analysis of todays society emanate from his own distinction to shape in with any theoretical category.Wearing deep-chested glasses, his look emanates a warm personality although many know him for his black humor and witty aphorism s. He was always quoted for his postulation of todays world where everyone lived in his simulated world that the real thing has vanished and everything was replaced with artificial feelings and situations. As a proof that things were getting unreal in our world were the establishment of obtain malls, amusement parks, sensationalized TV programs and news programs. Television shows and films are only animated by no less than actors devoid of authenticity and meaning.He always advises the media that the pursue for reality cannot be truly accomplished because the world today abounds with illusions. His interview in 2005 by no less than The New York Times was all about his beliefs on todays values and the need for freedom. Baudrillard was quoted that all of mans values are simulated and that freedom was the most abused of all the disposed privileges. That anybody have a choice between buying material things because it is a simulation of freedom. He also criticized the practice of the c onsumers in which they buy material things out of necessity but of the status and label on the production.Again, as we refer in his travelogue Astral America which he originally wrote in 1986, he was remembered writing that America has all the simulated freedom in purchasing and having things that is not really necessary. For him, Americas advantage in terms of product availability is the original version of modernity as the French were just a copy with subtitles. He could be implying that although America having to exist in complete state of unreality was still adored and looked upon by no less than another great nation as France.Although he was always aloof and shunned media most of the time, his articles can frequently be found on newspapers in Paris. The Spirit of Terrorism And Requiem for the Twin Towers was one of his recognized writings which he made in dedication of the 9/11 attack. He argued that through creating self reality, the Islamic fundamentalists have made their ow n simulation that the West would constantly be their targets for terrorism. Baudrillard was oftentimes branded as obscure, indifferent and reversely opinionated because he was unlike other postmodernists as he always disagrees with simple reasoning.Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont, two author and publisher of the 1998 book Fashionable Nonsense Postmodern Intellectuals Abuse of Science also have something to say on Baudrillards attitude and comments. They said that, if the texts seem incomprehensible, it is for the excellent reason that they mean precisely nothing (Cohen, 2007). But the French critic does not give a damn on such acid remark. He said that, what Im going to write will have less and less chance of being understood but thats my problem (Cohen, 2007),On March 6 this year Jean Baurillard died in Paris of long time illness at the age of 77. The internationally famous and influential French intellectual who achieved world fame for his rhetoric that is always incomprehensible b y the simplest of mind and the author of more than 50 books left a vacant space in the midst of a denser and over-apocalyptic mesh of misunderstood scenarios. A legend of his own kind, he will never be forgotten by those who believe in his underlying principles and unusual philosophical views (Cohen, 2007).Jean Baudrillard may not be so popular to many because of his indifference to the common postmodernist literary figures. But upsetting common analysis of a situation through independent reasoning and protracted logic somewhat separated him from the ordinary that are overused and boring. We may never see one like him in our modern age but somebody might dare to be different in reasoning just like him and might also provide us a more in-depth perception of things and events.His book America provides us the view on how an intellectual personality like Jean Baurillard sees America from different perspective. In Astral America he introduced us more with a deeper understanding on how a European see America as a modern world but full of artificial elements that produces artificial excitement. Although his intention in writing this travelogue was only to write about a simple travelling experience, many considered this literature as his way to present America to the people in Europe what in reality America is.References Baudrillard, J. (1989). America Verso. Book. http//books. google. com/books? id=73CCg_I_rKsC&pg=PA27&dq=Jean+Baudrillard+Astral+America&sig=RRWmj6kYLk-pDpemPyPahbeMouk Cohen, P. (2007, March 7, 2007). Jean Baudrillard, 77, Critic and Theorist of Hyperreality, Dies The New York Times from http//www. nytimes. com/2007/03/07/books/07baudrillard. hypertext markup language? _r=1&oref=slogin Parker, H. (2005). Old Europe, Astral America On Jean Baudrillard, Nassau Weekly. Magazine. http//www. nassauweekly. com/view_article. php? id=408.