The Real Simcity

There are six discourses that make up the concept of the postmetropolis. One of them actually is the term simcity-whose definition is similar to the movie and graphic novel of the same title. Basically, a simcity is a zone of hyperreality in which things are both real and unreal. In other words the line that separates the real from the unreal is blurred and it becomes difficult to tell which is which. An example of a simcity is NYC. So many bizarre things occur there on an everyday basis that it feels practically unreal. For instance, several weeks ago, me and my friends went to see Avenue Q on Broadway. While walking around Times Square afterwards we saw the Statue of Liberty hanging out in one area where you could apparently take pictures with "her." That's pretty weird but it gets weirder-Spiderman and Dora the Explorer are in another area where you can basically also pay money to take pictures with them. Yet the strangest thing in my opinion is the following: Three Elmos, two Cookie Monsters(who looked more like blue Elmos) and Shrek were wandering around Times Square(Not in one spot like Spiderman or the Statue of Liberty) waving at people and carrying Christmas stockings. Also the costumes seem rather bootlegged-as in not official costumes. I think this actually occurs on a regular basis because the last time I was in NYC in October I saw Minnie,Mickey and Elmo wandering around-also carrying Christmas stockings. Perhaps these people find it completely normal to wander around dressed like well known characters in order to earn a tip from taking pictures with people-as well as a great way to make money. (So that's what the Christmas stockings are for.)

Here is a definition of hyperreality online-the cartoon characters randomly wandering around NYC totally fits in there.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-hyperreality.htmhttp://