SIMULACRA AS MEANS OF MANIPULATION OF PUBLIC OPINION: IN THE LIGHT OF THE JEAN BAUDRILLARD’S THEORY

At the present stage for human civilization is characterized the widespread use of simulations that have spread to all spheres of public life. The use of simulation in the mass media practice, in particular in order to manipulate public opinion, is radically transforming the functional characteristics of the media. The purpose of the research lies in understanding the basic assumptions of the Jean Baudrillard’s simulation theory, installation of simulacra use features in the communication processes of modern society, investigating the influence of simulacra to transform the functions of mass media. When conducting the research tudies, are used such methods: descriptive, method of analysis, synthesis, comparison.Results. Media and official sources are used in order to maintain the illusion of truth, realityof goals of social processes of past and present as well, objectivity of facts and documentary evidence. Abstraction, history artifacts, disasters and crises represented on television, are designed to keep the audience under the influence of communication investments. Media reports are characterized by the social codification, which is reflected in the appointment of messages not in delivering of information, implementation of communication, but only in the circulation and identification of anticipated reactions.Media plays the role of global communication environment, in which simulation mechanism is implemented. The real mass media practice suggests the use of communication resources, traditional and innovative forms of work in the plantation of simulacra world in the public consciousness as a reality.As a result, the total use of simulacra in mass media practice causes the destruction of "mass media" which appears in the functional transformation of the notion of the media as truth. To the lost belongs the function to be truth of absolute observation and supervision that is based on the position "observe" after objective space and be "supervised". There is a new, acquired feature - the truth of manipulation, which is found in manageability of previously modeled situation, in update of the desired direction of communication interaction.Categorical diversity of simulacra use (a phenomenon, object, process, event) indicates the specific inclusion of media in spreading of simulation in social interaction : simulated phenomena, processes , events - used to make factual basis of content; simulacra - subjects for documentary proof of simulated phenomena, processes and events.Simulation is used as a means to achieve the goal. Promulgated through media the nature of simulation that has a positive, socially popular motivation, visibility of positive solutions of complex situations, does not coincide with hidden sense, which manifests itself as the essence of pragmatic goal. Hidden meaning has negative social unpopular component that cause the use of the simulation (perhaps quite positive ideally) for achieving the real goal.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-11-11