Is it becoming more difficult to perceive what's real and what's fake these days?

I've often wondered this. Now a days, we have the gift of advanced (still advancing) technology at our fingertips. With the push of a button, we can make ourselves whatever we want to be.

For instance, we can say that we're "this" or "that" on our MySpace page. In photos, we can tweak our bodies and facial features to make them appear more beautiful or whatever. The thing is no one will know if we're faking it or not.

This in mind, what do you think we're becoming? (Sorry. Phrasing this question proves difficult! But I still hope you can understand the "gist" of it!)

Is it becoming more difficult to perceive what's real and what's fake these days?

I think it is easier to create false realities nowadays. Sometimes they are so convincing we can even fake ourselves out. Say you build yourself up in a shameless show of exhibitionism on MySpace. You create a you that's better than you. At first you know you're b.s.ing people, but with time you forget and it becomes "real." Before MySpace, this kind of thing was limited to streakers and karaoke. You can't fake much with those things.

Is it becoming more difficult to perceive what's real and what's fake these days?

Most definately, yeah, sure you can type how good a person you are, or what kinda answer you may give, may look good, but you don't have that body language, or anything like that to show how you really feel. Sure throw in a couple of !!!! to it, and maybe it will give it more language. And the picture thing, I can tell you mine is real, I'm to dang lazy to alter it any for a "Good" image. If anything, the dang camera is probably broke, lol

Is it becoming more difficult to perceive what's real and what's fake these days?

In a hundred years, the technology we have now will seem like nothing. Well, compare now to the technology 100 years ago (and they thought they were advanced... and they were, I guess).

It's always been easy to fake anything you want. The tools have always been there with equal success, relative to the times (pen names, greased lenses, etc, etc...). As technology to skew reality advances, so does our knowledge and ability to detect such technology... so the margin is always the same.

So no... it's not more difficult to perceive what's real or fake (not that there's always an actual distinction though, honestly) now than ever before. But it's always been hard for many people.

Is it becoming more difficult to perceive what's real and what's fake these days?

I would say that it is not more difficult but that it is more inviting. It is more inviting to blur the line between reality and imagination. Is that a bad thing?

After all, is reality what we perceive it to be or is it independent of our observations?

Is it becoming more difficult to perceive what's real and what's fake these days?

SIMULACRA, see Jean Baudrillard

What's real and fake anyway