Exploring the Impacts of Social Media Simulation in Lockwood’s No One Is Talking About This: A Socio-psychological Analysis

Abstract

The present study interrogates hyperreality and social media simulation in the novel ‘No One Is Talking About This’ by an American novelist Patricia Lockwood. The plot of the selected novel centers on a woman who lives more of a reel life than a real existence and is constantly online.  Lockwood’s ‘No One is Talking About This’ has been analyzed to find out such type of issue of human beings by theory of Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard. The selected novel shows the influence of hyper-reality and social media problems on human mind and psyche. This novel focuses on the hyperreality and social media problems. Through simulacra and simulation, people create and articulate reality, then present it as genuine. Through his theory of simulacra and simulation, Jean Baudrillard makes it clear to the world that we are never sure what is artificial and what is genuine. We now live in a hyperreal world where simulations of reality feel more real than actual reality, akin to a global village. The widespread adoption of digital gadgets and social media has rendered the internet appear and feel more authentic. The barrier that separated picture from reality has crumbled. Hyperreality is a central theme that underscores the protagonist's experiences and perceptions. The selected novel highlights apprehensions about the veracity of our relationships and experiences in a hyperreal world and serves as a warning about the possible risks of an over-reliance on technology and virtual encounters. Additional investigation may be conducted to examine the effects of hyperreality on particular demographics, including teenagers, who are more likely to be extensively involved in social media and virtual reality activities. The data in this framework was chosen by the researcher using non-random sampling methods. The study's findings demonstrate that simulations and similacros create an environment that is utterly unlike from human reality. Its findings also demonstrate how hyperreality impacts people's lives. In this investigation, the researchers have emanated the conclusion that hyperreality has now taken the place of reality and that reality itself has entirely transformed. The protagonist's absorption in "the portal," a digital environment akin to social media, effectively illustrates Jean Baudrillard's idea of hyperreality, where the line between reality and simulation blurs. The researchers draw attention to the significant socio-psychological effects of detachment between real and the virtual worlds