Jean Baudrillard's Simulacrum as explained and analyzed by Drew Steinhauser

1. The effects of the simulacrum

2. There are real entities that exist

3. These entities are given names by people, these names are called signs

4. The concept of the simulacrum

5. A simulacrum is like a sign, but rather than simply referencing something that exists, it is the ideal version of the real entity. Just like the real entity, but better.

6. The simulacrum is given validity because it seems so similar to the real entity, this allows human beings to believe simulacrums to be real

7. According to Baudrillard, a point in human history will come, due to an increase in the usage of simulacrums, where reality is replaced by simulacrums, signs and names without entities to refer to.

8. These simulacrums will multiply endlessly until they not only outnumber real entities, but begin to replace them in the minds of the people

9. From there, simulacrums reverse their creation, instead of referring to real entities, real entities begin to refer to them.

10. Due to this reversal, simulacrums begin to form reality, much like a map where the lines no longer refer to the land's edge, but the land's edge now refers to the lines.

11. The effects of the concept of the simulacrum

12. This occurrence places humans in a state Baudrillard calls the hyperreal and reality in a state Baudrillard calls the desert of the real.

13. The concept of the simulacrum and its effects were written about and conceived of by Jean Baudrillard

14. Baudrillard belonged to the school of thought known as Postmodernism at the time.

15. Postmodernism, as a reaction to the Modnernist school of philosophy, was gaining traction and followers

16. Much like a pendulum, as Postmodernism gained followers, the ideas proposed became progressively more absurd.

17. Baudrillard, in proposing his thoughts on the simulacrum as truth and denying the reality of the Gulf War due to them, helped push the pendulum of Postmodernism far to the edge of absurdity. This caused a major loss of credibility and followers for Postmodernism

18. The effects of the effects of the concept of the simulacrum

19. Baudrillard's denial of the reality of the Gulf War, along with the ever-increasing absurdity of his ideas caused more than a loss of followers for Postmodernism

20. Baudrillard's ideas became more complex, his language more obtuse, and his works more difficult to understand than ever.

21. In attempting to understand Baudrillard's work and further interpret it, followers divorced themselves further from reality trying to understand concepts and language that worked only to obscure reality.

22. In proposing his philosophy and constantly increasing the complexity of it, Baudrillard actually caused the same effects that he feared simulacrums would - he obscured the truth and replaced it with one of his own manufacture as he attempted to do with the Gulf War

23. This particular evaluation of the concept of the simulacrum

24. The shape and format of this evaluation and description of Baudrillard's concept of the simulacrum is meant to embody a simulacrum.

25. Each layer becomes further separated from the original focus on the concept of the simulacrum and obscures the truth further, creating a new focus and reality that has very little to nothing to do with the original.

26. In addition, the language and ideas used become progressively more complex and further obscure meaning, just as Baudrillard did when he wrote on simulacrums and as his followers did when writing about Baudrillard.