Task 4 - Hyperreality

Hyperreality is the simulation of reality - where the real has been replaced by the simulacra. Every day, we are subject to an onslaught of images as governed by the media; images that we take for granted, as 'real'. The media ultimately has a controlling stance on what we perceive as reality and therefore provides constructs and foundations within society which we accept as real. Photographic imagery featured on magazine covers, for example, are largely fabricated and are not necessarily a true representation of the real. However, as a society we deem this acceptable - or at least perceive this as the norm - therefore we rarely challenge or deconstruct what we see. Hyperreality can be applied to many mundane 'objects' however, that as aforementioned, we deem the norm.

It is a Christmas tradition to put up a christmas tree in the living room. In contemporary society is becoming common practice to use an artificial tree as we perceive this to be a better alternative to the real. However, we still refer to this as a 'christmas tree' due to its resemblance despite not being a tree at all - it is a fabrication of one, a copy. The image below references this theory in a more exaggerated form. Several books have been arranged in such a way to resemble a christmas tree yet a real tree could easily have been used - is this perceived to be a better alternative? Despite attempting to replicate the original? This replication of reality becomes the new original.

The over-commercialisation of christmas is often associated with the TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). The idea of hyperreality is reinforced within the plot of this programme. The protagonist, Charlie Brown, ignored requests to get a 'big, shiny aluminium tree' and instead purchases a smaller, less aesthetically pleasing 'real' tree. However, in comparison, the replication of the original seemed much more desirable, hence why Aluminium trees became more popular in the 1960's. Artificial trees have soon become the norm in contemporary society as we believe an artificial replication is better than the original.

Sources

Trees made of tinsel (Online) Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/US/ChristmasCountdown/story?id=1414607 [Accessed 25th March 2012] Originally sourced from Wikipedia

Tree of books http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/n864k/my_kind_of_christmas_tree/