Images

Guy Debord, in a very Platonic fashion, contrasts the realm of images (within the context of consumer capitalism) to the terrain of authentic experience. Baudriallard imagines he has taken an additional step with his conception of the simulacrum – no reality at all only images. Yet now the space of imagery has become unclear – its autonomy far from certain. It is as though the image itself has broken down the cave walls or was never actually in a cave at all. It has descended down (or up) into reality. It is co-extensive with the real. It is just as material as it is abstract. And it doesn’t rely upon anybody to see it. There is no longer the necessity for spectators – no longer the need for chained slaves staring at walls. Whether people are still imprisoned or not is neither here nor there. Images circulate like blood. They are no longer, conveniently, extraneous. They cannot be simply swept away or set aside. They cannot be regarded as some alien figure of absolute loss. Our relation to images has become intimate.