“…it seems we inhabit and enjoy
a world where the real thing does not really matter”. On “the declining
importance of authenticity in western culture and our
acceptance of a world where imitation is
all-pervasive….

In the arts and in our lifestyles, endless bricolage,
regurgitation and imitation bear testament to this
trend. We drink in fake Irish pubs, cocoon ourselves
in virtual reality, and visit Disneyland to immerse
ourselves in the worlds of ancient Egypt, Greece,
Rome, Olde England or the Wild West. Some – such as
the residents of Celebration, Florida, a recreated
world of Midwest America – even live in a simulated
world. Eclectic genres of rap and dance music
unashamedly borrow guitar riffs from the Seventies,
looping them over a Sixties bass-line. Meanwhile, a
put-together girl band mimes on stage and reaches
number one.” New Statesman