Simulacra and Simulation (by Jean Baudrillard)

"Simulacra and Simulation" by Jean Baudrillard explores how modern society increasingly replaces reality with copies or representations, called simulacra. These images or symbols no longer relate to any actual object or truth but instead create a world dominated by illusions. Baudrillard argues that in this hyperreal state, distinctions between reality and simulation blur, shaping perceptions and social interactions. Essentially, our experience becomes mediated through signs and media, leading us to live in a constructed reality where authenticity and truth are progressively undermined.