Nature, New and Improved:

In Stores 2032

In his book “Travels in Hyperreality”, Umberto Eco explores America’s cultural shortcomings, and how we as a society always strive to fabricate emulations of life in an effort to create something that is better than what reality can offer us.

Through Disneyworld, Eco finds the perfect example of hyperreality, where everything is fashioned to be brighter, more colourful and entertaining than every day life. In this civilisation, there is no war or risk; there is only fun, sweet food and adventure. Every facet of this world is artificial, from the plastic trees, to the animatronics that impersonate the wild. Nothing is left to nature, or to chance, everything is strictly controlled monitored and planned. When leaving “you risk feeling homesick for Disneyland” and miss the safe yet stimulating environment “where the wild animals don’t have to be coaxed. Disneyland tells us that technology can give us more reality that nature can”.

Imagine an apple you can grow at a touch of a button, a dog that will obey every command, grass that changes colour to your mood and weather that is not just predictable, but controllable.

So when the technology becomes available for us to replace nature, having all the benefits with none of the drawbacks, what will stop us from doing so? If humanity is so fond of these farcical impersonations, why would we settle for real when we can have something that is more than real? The fight against genetically modified foods shows us that humanity is not ready to let go and that we are still prepared to contest for what was here before us but perhaps it is just a matter of time before our sentimentality wanes and we leave our roots behind.


Umberto, E. (1987) Travels in Hyperreality, Harvest Books