Alamo Village in Brackettville Texas: Jean Baudrillard's Theory of the Simulacra Come to Life

One of my favorite philosophers of all time, Jean Baudrillard, gave the world the concept of the simulacrum and hyperreality. Essentially, and I'm boiling Baudrillard down to a ridiculously primal element, his ideas revolve around the fact that modern society, and America in particular, is quick to eschew authentic reality and embrace a simulation to the point where it becomes the new reality. One of the most amazing examples of Baudrillard's simulacra in actions is the almost bizarre story of tourism in the state of Texas surrounding the Alamo in San Antonio and the movie set reconstruction of the Alamo used in the John Wayne movie of the same name located about 130 miles to the west.

The Alamo is the site of the most famous story in the history of struggle for Texan independence. The fact that Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and the rest actually lost the battle only served to intensify the revolutionary spirit of the battle; nothing is quite as a romantic as gallant soldiers dying in a lost cause. (Never mind that recent investigations have led to the conclusion that Crockett and others may have actually been taken back to Mexico and executed rather than dying in battle.) The Alamo is located in San Antonio, TX and has been a top tourist attraction for the entire state for some time. One thing you will want to know before you make a trek to the Alamo, however: it does not have a basement.