In today's readings, I think it is interesting how Baudrillard speaks about terrorism and how images conveyed by mass media contribute to the fear in the excerpt from The Spirit of Terrorism. In this piece of writing, Baudrillard argues that we are confused by the reality and the fiction - tying into Bejamin's theory regarding authenticity.
One interesting quote regarding mass media is: "The image consumes the event, in the sense that it absorbs it and offers it for consumption" (228). This is very true and understandable because popular culture has conditioned us in only believing those we see with our eyes (this is changing due to the rise of photoshop etc.) hence news reporters always provide coverage that are loaded with images. Mass media always throws in words like "newest update" or "breaking news" to capture audience's attention and to compete with other companies for viewers.
In "The Precision of Simulacra," Baudrillard compares the real and the imaginary using "masks." He argues that we "pretend" and it is merely never a constant state because we switch back and forth. I suppose in relation to the previous essay, it could be said that images from September 11 will always be remembered but it is amplified because of the "fiction" that was infused in making the shrouds of dust resemble the face of a devil or how some people believe that September 11 was a plotted demise or it could've been prevented from "prophecies" such as folding a dollar bill a certain way. I think all of these are "fictions" that intertwine with the "truth" in order to provoke a certain emotion such as nationalism within us.
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