Signifier --> signified
but
Signifier ---> another signifier
In other words, signs relate to each other, not to reality. Baudrillard extends this to say that what we experience as the world is a web of signs, not reality but a simulacrum of reality.
The movie The Matrix turns Baudrillard's idea into a sci-fi parable.
This video re-enacts The Matrix with Muppets.
But instead of being actual Muppets (in the cloth-flesh, as it were) they are computer animations.
So this is an animation representing Muppets representing a film representing a theory representing a relationship between signs.
And if you know anything more postmodern than that, please let me know.
8 comments:
'Geburt Einer Nation' by Laibach... It's 'One Vision' by Queen translated into German and made to sound like a Totalitarian Power March. Laibach are both culturally and historically significant across Europe and are perhaps the most intelligent 'band' ever. Of course, Laibach are more than music – they are part of the NSK State and have been involved in various art projects the world over. It's worth reading up on them, because there's far more than I could ever write.
As for this video – it was made in the 80s which is why it's so damn tacky !
"Ja, ja, give me a lite beer !" (Ja, ja, gibt mir ein leitbild)
Ein Mensch, ein Ziel,
One man, one aim
und eine Weisung.
and one mission
Ein Herz, ein Geist,
one heart, one ghost(?)
nur eine Lösung.
only one solution(!)
Ein Brennen der Glut.
one fire burning blaze
Ein Gott, Ein Leitbild.
one god, one example(vision)
Ein Fleisch, ein Blut,
one flesh, one blood
ein wahrer Glaube.
one true faith
Ein Ruf, ein Traum,
one call(~ing), one dream
ein starker Wille
one strong will
Gibt mir ein Leitbild.
give me an example
Nicht falsch, nicht recht.
not falsely, not quite
Ich sag' es dir das Schwarz
I tell you that the black..
und Weiss is kein Beweis.
..and white is no proof (really sketchy, sorry*)
Nicht Tod, nicht Not.
not death, not need
Wir brauchen bloss
we need only
ein Leitbild fuer die Welt.
an example for the world
Ein Fleisch, ein Blut,
one flesh, one blood
ein wahrer Glaube.
one true faith
Eine Rasse und ein Traum,
one race and one dream
ein starker Wille.
one strong will
So recht mir eure Hände,
so give(?) me your hands
und gebt mir eure Herzen.
and give me your hearts
Ich warte.
I wait
Es gibt nur eine Richtung,
there is only one direction
eine Erde und ein Volk.
one earth and one people
Ein Leitbild.
one example†
Nicht Neid, nicht Streit.
no envy, no controversy
Nur die Begeisterung.
only (the) enthusiasm
Die ganze Nacht
the whole night
feuren wir Einigung.
'feuren' isn't a real word(?!), so something like "we agree"††
Ein Fleisch, ein Blut,
one flesh, one blood
ein wahrer Glaube.
one true faith
Ein Ruf, ein Traum,
one call(~ing), one dream
ein starker Wille
one strong will
Gebt mir eine Nacht.
give me one night
Gebt mir einen Traum.
give me one dream
Nichts als das:
nothing as (you can tell that my German is rough)
ein Mensch,
one man(people)
ein Mann,
one man
ein Gedanke,
one idea(thought/notion)
eine Nacht,
one night
ein-mal.
once
(Jawohl.)
Nur gebt mir
just give me
gebt mir gebt mir
give me, give me
ein Leitbild.
one vision†††
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* Original Queen lyric here :
"No wrong no right,
I'm gonna tell you there's no black and no white"
† Where I have used 'example' it is more to understand the German, rather than the English (see what I mean ?), for purposes of meaning, think of this as 'Vision' (ie. "One Vision")
†† Possible equivalent Queen lyric :
"One real decision"
††† I put 'one vision' here, rather than the usual 'one example' because it's the title of the Queen song.
"Geburt einer Nation" means "Birth of a Nation" – the controversial White Supremacist movie.
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I don't think this is more post-modern than the Muppet Matrix, but it's post-modern in a different way.
Sorry, comment spam (can't edit posts)...
I made an error :
"Nicht Falsch, nicht recht" should have been "not wrong, not right".
That ttranslation took me so long... I should have been doing history coursework.
i've always wondered about that song you know.
Oh, so sarcastic you are !
what I'd really like to see is the Muppet version of Geburt Einer Nation. With Fozzie Bear as lead singer...
Next lesson then !
I'll bring Kermit and the random deer tent things from the video....
But who's got a Fozzie? And a Miss Piggy?
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