Hyperreality - Hyperreality is used in semiotics and postmodern philosophy to describe an inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation o

Hyperreality - Hyperreality is used in semiotics and postmodern philosophy to describe an inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in technologically advanced post-modern societies. Hyperreality is a way of characterizing what our consciousness defines as "real" in a world where a multitude of media can radically shape and filter an original event or experience. Hyperreality is seen as a condition in which what is real and what is fiction are seamlessly blended together so that there is no clear distinction between where one ends and the other begins. Hyperreality is a hypothetical communications infrastructure made possible by information technology. It allows the commingling of physical reality with virtual reality and human intelligence with artificial intelligence. Individuals may find themselves for different reasons, more in tune or involved with the hyperreal world and less with the physical real world. Hyperreality is what I thought of when I saw the comments here. I think, these are 20somethings and lower 30s techies who, despite living in an incredibly privileged time compared to decades ago, believe that they're living in the worst of times. Yes, there's meanness on Twitter, lies and manipulations in the media. I think if you live in that world, it's never been so "unstable" - a word used repeatedly in this thread's comments. Statistically, there is less not more deaths from things like terrorism, less not more things like racism and sexism, less not more suffering from disease and so forth. I'm talking about statistics, here, not perceptions. But the hyperreality of the Twitterverse paints a very different picture. So now we have grand essays defending censorship on the grounds that society is more unstable than it ever was. Than it has been in a decade, yes. Than it has been in 30, 50, 80 years? No.