The Simulacrum Spectrum: Quality and Efficiency in Technological Epochs

Abstract

This paper explores the idea that each new technological cycle serves as a simulacrum of its predecessor, drawing on Jean Baudrillard's theory of simulacra and simulation. Through historical analysis and case studies, we examine the trade-offs between quality and efficiency across major transitions in communication technology: from oral tradition to written text, manuscript to print, print to digital text, and digitally-generated text to AI systems. Loss of nuance, context, and humanity emerge as recurring sacrifices in pursuit of efficiency. Implications are discussed for the role of simulacra in human progress, inviting a cautious rather than blindly optimistic stance toward new technologies.

Introduction

"The simulacrum is never what hides the truth - it is truth that hides the fact that there is none." - Ecclesiastes, Jean Baudrillard

The relentless march of technological innovation often leads us to view each new development as an unquestionable step forward, a progression towards something ubiquitously better. However, French philosopher Jean Baudrillard invites a more critical perspective through his theory of simulacra. Baudrillard posits that a simulacrum emerges when an inferior copy replaces something real (Baudrillard, 1994)…