Roger O Green

Baudrillardian simulacrum

‘simulation’ and ‘the hyperreal’

Katie Walsh of the Tribune News Service wrote a review of Barbie with a fascinating sentence. “Our heroine is molded in the style of Neo of ‘The Matrix,’ or Pee-Wee, from ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,’ an innocent embarking on a journey outside of their cozy Baudrillardian simulacrum.”

I could guess what simulacrum meant. “An image or representation of someone or something.” “Something that replaces reality with its representation.” A caricature could be a simulacrum.

However, I was woefully unfamiliar with Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007). A University of Houston article notes that he “has been referred to as ‘the high priest of postmodernism.’ Baudrillard’s key ideas include… ‘simulation’ and ‘the hyperreal.’ The hyperreal is ‘more real than real’: something fake and artificial comes to be more definitive of the real than reality itself. Examples include high fashion (which is more beautiful than beauty), the news (‘sound bites’ determine outcomes of political contests), and Disneyland. “

A piece from Purdue: “What has happened in postmodern culture is that our society has become so reliant on models and maps that we have lost all contact with the real world that preceded the map. Reality itself has begun merely to imitate the model, which now precedes and determines the real world: ‘The territory no longer precedes the map, nor does it survive it. It is nevertheless the map that precedes the territory—precession of simulacra—that engenders the territory.'”

Do I “get” this?

To the degree that I have grasped some of these concepts, I relate to them. I will watch the 22 minutes of network news, recognizing that it’s not even close to the whole story. Social media can obfuscate as much as, or, usually, more than, enlighten the populace.

There have been times that I would wander in a place I was unfamiliar with, making random left or right turns in a city, for instance. Sure, I could have gotten a map or, more recently, used GPS. But the discovery made the trip more exciting and fun. My wife did this on a walk through Paris this past May.

The fear of Artificial Intelligence may be encapsulated by this: “These people could get replaced by digital simulacra of them.”—WIRED, 27 July 2023.

You, experts of Baudrillard, are encouraged to clarify these concepts for me further.

Movie review: Shortcomings

bsed on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine

In August, my wife and I saw the movie Shortcomings at the Spectrum Theatre in Albany.

It begins strong, watching a re-creation of a pivotal scene from the film Crazy Rich Asians. The conversation about that film was a legitimate point of discussion, including the disdain of CRA by Ben (Justin H. Min), a struggling Asian-American filmmaker and operator of a none-too-successful movie theater.

Ben’s girlfriend, Miko (Ally Maki), is often exasperated by him, usually for good reason. He riffs off his cynical worldview with his friend Alice (Sherry Cola). When Miko goes to New York City for a couple of months, Ben fulfills his predilections, which he had denied, when he meets Autumn (Tavi Gervinson) and then Sasha (Debby Ryan).

The story is based on a 2007 graphic novel I have not read. It was written by Adrian Tomine, who also adapted the screenplay. Actor Randall Park related to the storyline and chose it as his movie directorial debut.

My feeling about the movie is mixed. The theater workers are fun. I was most interested in Alice, who has the most intriguing story arc. Miko is MIA for much of the film, so we don’t see the development.

Meanwhile, Ben is pretty much the same guy until near the end. It’s spot on when he’s more than once told that he’s disliked, not because of his race, but his personality. He’s a tiresome guy who thinks he knows everything, even when he doesn’t. I’ve known people like him IRL, and they, too, are mighty annoying.

Fetish

Yet the film did touch on some critical themes about race, sex, and the fetishism that may exist in that space. I wish it were sharper.

Also, based on the trailer, I thought the movie would be funnier. Because I saw the bits coming, they were much less humorous in the film.

My wife liked it more than I did; she found some revelations surprising. It’s not a terrible movie; perhaps I had overly high expectations. FWIW, it was reviewed reasonably well, with 83% positive by the critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

One last thing: props to my wife for recognizing Debby Ryan as the title character in Jessie, the 2011-2015 TV series our daughter used to watch.

The fair; the niece; the funeral

A Shade of Jade

In a five-day period last week, I had three medical appointments, went to the county fair, saw my eldest niece sing, and sang at a funeral.

Tues, Aug 15: I went to the dentist for a crown at around 10:20 a.m. This treatment was delayed twice, once by the dentist’s office in March or April because of a dentist leaving the practice. Then I postponed it because I realized it was five days before going to France, and I would likely have mouth pain.

While waiting in the office – they were running late -I received a phone call from my gastroenterologist’s office, telling me there was an opening for a follow-up appointment today at 3 pm, so I took it.

I hate talking on the phone in public, as it feels rude. So I was speaking so softly that the GI office caller couldn’t hear me.

Because I have had a root canal where the crown is being put on, the novocaine injection didn’t hurt much. I had to remember to only eat on my left side. And by Friday, the pain required OTC pain medicine and Orajel.

I went downtown to the library talk, which was interesting but long, and the subject of its own post.

Among other things, my gastroenterologist’s office took a blood sample. This later revealed that my iron count was fine and good enough to donate blood, but my hemoglobin count was slightly low. More spinach!

After dinner, my wife and I went to the movies, which is its own story.

Le deluge

Wed, Aug 16: It was a lovely morning as my wife and I sat on the porch of a fellow choir member who would be speaking at Gladys’ funeral.

We went to the Altamont Fair, the county fair for Albany, Schenectady, and Greene Counties. It’s free on Wednesdays for seniors like me.

As we approached one Farm Equipment building, it began to rain. Then it began to pour. For about 20 minutes, we stayed in the building, listening to the torrent struck the metal roof. The operators in that building closed three of the four doors because the wind was bringing the water inside.

I’ve been attending events at the Fairground for over 40 years, and never have I seen the infield turned into such a sea of mud. There were six feet wide streams in some parts for a time and even more severe flooding elsewhere. Water got inside some structures. The equestrian events were canceled.

Still, we saw much of the event. I learned how to make lip balm: two parts beeswax to one part coconut oil, and one part shea butter. (BTW, Congrats, Chuck Miller.)

Salt City

Thurs, Aug 17: I went to my podiatrist while my wife had breakfast with former work colleagues.

Then my wife, daughter, and I traveled to Syracuse the attend the final Jazz in the City event. We go to the hotel of the performer, named Rebecca Jade, who I may have mentioned on these pages. We went to eat at the Salt City Market, a marvelous concept of several small food vendors under one roof. After dropping off RJ, we checked into a nearby hotel.

We drove the short distance to the lovely Thornden Park. Jazz in the City is a series of free public health events, so the vendors did blood pressure screenings, gave away COVID tests, dental products, etc. The opening act involved women dancing to funky tunes for their health.

Then Rebecca hit the stage. She was singing with a pickup band (keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, and occasional sax) she had met only the day before. The two 50-minute sets combined cover songs with original songs from her latest album, A Shade of Jade.

It would be perceived as avuncular bias if I were to gush about how good and professional she was. I will note she sold some albums to people who were NOT related to her.

We bought Jazz in the City T-shirts because Rebecca’s name and visage appeared thereon.

Afterward, she, a couple of organizers, and one of the musicians went to the bar of RJ’s hotel for a drink, and Rebecca also ate. One of the folks was taking her back to the airport for her 6:15 a.m. flight to San Diego via Charlotte. (Coincidentally, she’ll perform in the Queen City on September 22.)

Going home

Fri, Aug 18: My family went home. The day before, the eastbound traffic was at a standstill in two locations on the Thruway, but it was smooth traveling this day except for the mouth pain from visiting the dentist three days earlier.

Sat, Aug 19: I went to church to sing at the funeral of Gladys Crowder. There were 30 in the choir; 10 were former choir members who came back, one driving from Auburn, NY, 173 miles (248 km) to be there. Three current choir members had never sung with Gladys, but they were there because that’s just what choir people do. Everyone said the music was great, and the service was lovely.

Afterward, I talked with folks I knew from Trinity, the former church of Gladys, Tim, my wife, and me, as well as current and former First Pres folk.

My wife and I went home and took naps.

Movie review: Barbie

wonderfully strange

I wanted to review the movie Barbie, which I saw a week after it opened at the Spectrum Theatre. The problem is that it may be unreviewable.

I liked it. A LOT, actually. It’s a movie that took shots at some of Mattel’s less successful items in the Barbie line while addressing the issue of the doll as a symbol of unattainable beauty.

The Vanity Fair article said Barbie Is About as Good as a Barbie Movie Could Ever Be.

The first paragraph: “The film, about the preeminent fashion doll, has to serve the interests of its masters, in this case, the Mattel corporation, while also cheating out to the audience to convince them that what they are watching is not just some two-hour ad. The film must be extra conscious of what Barbie is—critical of it, even—while also celebrating one of the most famous toys ever made. What choice did Gerwig have, then, but to go weird?”

I think the movie had to thread a very tight needle, and mostly, it succeeded, even if, as The Hollywood Reporter suggested, it “delivers the fun but fudges the politics.”

From Medium: “Barbie is “wonderfully strange,” and also “political satire, a product placement film that simultaneously praises and criticizes its product, a mother-daughter relationship, an investigation of gender and its presentation, and a road trip film about the quest for identity and purpose,” writes Sahifa Syifa. “It’s an existential dystopia disguised as a child’s fantasy.”

No pleasing some people

So, as much as it tried, it couldn’t be all things to all viewers. It wasn’t the feminist film one reviewer hoped for, or it was too much. It was a movie for children, or it was too mature for children, or it should have been geared more toward adults [which would have been economic suicide.]

The reviews were 89% positive on Rotten Tomatoes. The negative reviews were pretty consistent. Collin Garbarino of WORLD: “Instead of offering a reflection of what it means to be a human living alongside other humans, Gerwig falls into a cliched form of existentialism in which life is essentially meaningless, and it’s up to us to assert our own meaning.”

I don’t think so. Director/co-writer Greta Gerwig has said, “I’m interested in how life is complicated and messy and that there is nothing that’s either or, either good or bad, but it’s mostly it’s both…it can be all these things at once. And I think that felt like a rich place to start from.”

Fun

Here’s something from W magazine: “Go on YouTube and you’ll find plenty of right-wing wannabe pundits decrying the Barbie movie as the latest example of the attack on American values by ‘woke mind virus.’ Visit Twitter, and you’ll find self-identified Communists calling it capitalist trash and the exemplification of ‘girl boss’ nonsense.

“Go to an actual movie theater, however, and you’ll find Americans of all stripes simply enjoying a fun movie. While the film certainly has a broadly feminist perspective, it seems like any attempts to turn it into a political football fell flat on their way to record-breaking ticket sales. It may very well end up as the biggest movie of the year. It feels indicative of a wider trend: maybe everyone is a little bit sick of almost everything in pop culture becoming fodder for a political fight?”

Credits

I should note that the set in Barbie’s World by Sarah Greenwood is fabulous. The cast -Issa Rae as President Barbie, Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu as two of the Kens, Michael Sera as Allan, Rhea Perlman as Ruth, and Helen Mirren as the narrator, were all great.

I think, though, that is Gloria (America Ferrara), the put-upon Mattel employee with a moody tween daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), who is ultimately the film’s star. It’s her feelings that informed the feeling of stereotype Barbie (Margot Robbie). She also has the best monologue, which you shouldn’t read until you see the film.

Speaking of dialogue: Greta Gerwig Shared Why She Ended ‘Barbie’ With That Iconic Last Line.

Those who take public transportation

communal mindset

In a comment, Kelly wrote: I’m interested in the communal mindset of those who take public transportation. You should write more about that! It’s something I noticed when The Wife and I were in Toronto recently; we relied on their subways and commuter rail to get around (or driving each day consisted of about fifteen minutes each way from the hotel to a train station), and you can really tell the people who use those services a great deal.

Part of it may be the concern that mass transit is constantly threatened. In an article touting the benefits of it, Britannica noted: “Where the automobile is a major competitor to mass transportation, the use of transit has declined… political support has eroded as well… If the automobile provides superior service for the majority of riders, why not let the market operate without government intervention, perhaps leading to the demise of transit?”

Actively or tacitly, I think many people recognize when a place – I’m talking to YOU, Boston! – doesn’t put adequate resources behind mass transit. I understand from one of my sisters that mass transit in Charlotte, NC, has collapsed.

So, at least some of us have become not just users but advocates for it as a matter of equity and ecology. Britannica: “Some portion of the urban travel market is made up of people who cannot use the automobile to travel because they are handicapped, elderly, or too young to drive…” My daughter goes to work on the bus, and I used to. “If these people are to have the mobility essential for subsistence and satisfaction in their lives, some form of public transportation is necessary.”

Public good

“Transit provides a community with a way to move potentially large numbers of people while consuming fewer resources… When it is well utilized, it produces important benefits for the community: air-quality improvements, less land consumption than an auto-dependent transportation system, lower energy requirements, and lower accident costs.” I hear tell there’s some global warming taking place.

So it is incumbent for some of us who use mass transit to make at least a minimal effort to make the experience positive. When someone is trying to catch the bus and is four buildings away, I take my time getting on the vehicle, giving them a chance to catch a ride. Others have done the same for me.

The Capital District Transportation Authority buses have bicycle racks. I’ve gotten off the bus to help someone get their bike attached. In part, it’s because I had trouble figuring it out initially.

Mass transit involves more coordination of schedules, of course. Sundays, in particular, do not have robust mass transit schedules. There is a certain chauvinism among some car drivers who can’t understand not being in their own “steel cocoons.” On the other hand, cars involve far more expenses: maintenance, insurance, fuel, parking, and in some locales, gridlock.

Training

My favorite way to travel intercity is by train. I’ve said more than once that taking the train is the only civilized way of traveling. Since 2010, I’ve traveled twice by plane from Albany, NY: to San Diego, CA, in 2018, and to Paris, France, in 2023.

I’ve found people on the train to be more mellow than airline passengers. Conversations with total strangers are common. I think it’s because fellow travelers are in a club that appreciates seeing the country without being behind the wheel. So they tend to be helpful in a way that disciples of a cause tend to be.

Of course, a half-full train is ecologically more sound than riding on the interstate, though getting to the final destination may be problematic. I love taking the Metro North from Poughkeepsie to Yankee Stadium, which is exceptionally easy.

Toronto commuters

Kelly, I’m curious about the “tell” from those Toronto commuters. It reminds me of when I’d ride my bicycle in Albany, and another bicyclist would wave or at least give a head nod. We’re part of the club.

Perhaps these commuters are using a part of their brains, negotiating a system that others are not adept at. I haven’t lived in NYC since 1977 and don’t travel there that often. Yet the subway system was astonishingly familiar when I was there in May 2023.

Maybe it’s the same brain cells that prefer paper maps to GPS. That tends to be me, for whom subway/light rail maps are easy. The first time I went to San Diego with its then-new light rail, c. 2003, I negotiated the system quickly. When I was in the car, I knew I couldn’t find my way back to where I started.

I tasted that in France, traveling from the wedding to the reception, a 45-minute trip. The car had GPS, which worked fine. But we had no idea what direction we were traveling, which was disorientating.