French philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s theories regarding contemporary culture are reflective of the postmodern practice of radically questioning the philosophies by which we derive meaning. Specifically, he views modern technology as having the capability to fundamentally change our way of thinking about our own identity and the world around us. His work connects to the study of semiotics, or the system of signs, and he argues that the nature of contemporary reality exists in a constant exchange of signs from which we come to represent meaning. He questions the authenticity of society and states that it has “dissolved amid the random swirl of empty signals”. The digital revolution and the pervasiveness of reality television and social networking has precipitated a disappearance of an authentic reality.  Baudrillard contends that the proliferation of imitation has destabilized meaning marking “the death of the real”. As a result, the human experience has emerged into merely a simulation of reality. In essence, our world is dominated by signs and Baudrillard argues that we are witnessing a complete simulation or virtualization of it. He makes a postmodern praxis in challenging our identification and understanding of reality in an attempt to to resurrect the real.
The nature of reality being simulated through signs can be appropriately illustrated through our consumption by the media. Modern technology makes it so easy to modify and reproduce images across all social networks in an instant. The constant proliferation of images in the media is what makes it so untrustworthy and unstable. Reality television shows can be considered a representation of signs signifying a false reality.  Baudrillard formulated the concept of “hyperreality” in order to describe a condition in which there is an inability to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality.  Reality shows are scripted and edited to portray something that is enticing to the audience creating a blurred line between on screen behavior and the actual personality or events of the celebrity’s life. We substitute the real with virtual reality because it considered to be so “perfectly homogenized” and complete.  For instance, we normalize the lavish lives of celebrities on reality television and try to internalize and emulate the life of the character into our own lives. In this way, reality television allows us to feel a part of the spectacle.  We are all so eager to be part of the spectacle so we work to showcase ourselves as being representative of the desired image promoted in the media. We do this by posting images and keeping up with trends on social networks.  Baudrillard argues that the current situation of society accepts maps of reality television as being more real than our actual lives.  These "simulacra" that we become engulfed in precede our lives and people become so involved with technology that they may come to associate themselves more with the hyperreal world than the physical world.
