Models of the Hyperreal p. 103-115

"Space is no longer even linear or one-dimensional: cellular space, indefinite generation of the same signals, like the tics of a prisoner gone crazy with solitude and repetition" (105).

https://medium.com/dfrlab/botspot-twelve-ways-to-spot-a-bot-aedc7d9c110c

It seems as though Baudrillard takes sides with Leibniz in trying to break systems down into a binary code - something that can create massive amounts of beauty, but is shockingly simplistic. If we think about the "indefinite generation of the same signals" in popular culture, we can parse out trending topics and collective "truths" into simple matching signals that come from a collective of consciences. The notion of the "code" can really be superimposed onto any kind of system that operates amongst a collective. To focus it on social media, which is what my project caters to, we can say that Twitter's 280 character limit democratizes a user's posting ability. 

The simple "code" of 280 characters, while vast in its implications, allows celebrities and bedroom re-bloggers the same ability to affect change in the world. The signals that these respective parties send out into the world can be vastly different, but they adhere to a social construction created by "Twitter", an entity that only exists digitally. The blurring of realness and robotics comes into play here, allowing a smooth and seamless integration of human reporting and digital operation.

PROJECT UPDATE:

I will be compiling a complete collection of tweets from the "Roaming Abstract" Twitter account paired alongside my artistic responses to them. The plan is to have a total of 20 visual responses. I am playing around with different ways to present the project here on Blogger, or possibly on my personal site or a different blog. I aim to have the final collection together by Monday June 8th.