Popular Culture Review 30.2
possible standards for women to achieve . She claimed idealized beauty is unrealistic ” ( 6 ). Siding with numerous theorists who argue that trying to imitate a conception of beauty that originates from a symbolic realm is problematic on multiple levels , the philosopher ponders whether the search for love is more fraught with peril than ever before .
For Morin , it is deeply troubling that so many people judge potential mates based upon signs of romance that have conditioned them to desire certain traits that do not exist outside of simulated reality . Not only does this kind of semiotic programming lead to perpetual dissatisfaction , but it can also be a contributing factor to serious health issues . In this vein , Galya Hildesheimer and Hemda Gur-Arie investigate the relationship between Photoshopped images and eating disorders . Adopting an empirical approach , Hildesheimer and Gur-Arie undermine “ myopic views ” of anexoria , bulimia , and binge-eating that solely focus on the role of computer-generated imagery to the detriment of ignoring many other underlying root causes of these disorders ( 103 ). Nonetheless , these researchers have noted a strong correlation between the unnatural , consumerist simulacra decried by Morin and the increasing frequency and intensity of these medical conditions .
Beginning with the publication of Le système des objets in 1968 , Baudrillard builds upon and expands the theoretical framework developed by Morin in The Stars for understanding the hegemonic purpose of all manifestations of Hollywood semiosis including signs of romance . According to Baudrillard , genuine romance is simply another casualty in the disappearance of reality on a larger scale . In the context of erotic simulations and representations of love , Baudrillard declares , “ Here too one cannot distinguish between
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