Jordan Peterson understands postmodernism perfectly well (as far as that is possible)

[Anonymous No.10683247]

I've been seeing so many people complain about Dr. Peterson's understanding of postmodern doctrine. I recently took a college class on postmodern philosophy and came to realize that very few people actually understand the philosophy.

I'm not going to write up a comprehensive history of philosophy starting from Hegel and Kant, or delve into the intricacies of individual contemporary postmodern thinkers like Derrida, Foucault, et al., since this is not an intellectual exercise. Instead, I'm going to contrast the most important beliefs of enlightenment and postmodern philosophy, since postmodernism is a direct reaction to the former.

Enlightenment

Knowledge: Objective knowledge is possible.
Truth: Universal truths exist independent of individual minds/societies.
Reason: Reason is used to gain/justify knowledge of the world.
Goal: Progress is made by thinking rationally in relation to objective knowledge.

Postmodernism

Skepticism: It's impossible to have objective knowledge (e.g. our senses are easily fooled).
Relativism: No absolute truths. They (the truths) are only social constructs based on gender, race, etc. created for the purposes of power. Language is a big source of oppression. (Structuralist beliefs are a bit more complicated.)
Rejection of grand narratives/theories/ideologies: Since postmodernists are relativists, they are opposed to single all-encompassing narratives. (This is humorous since all postmodernists are skewed to particular ideologies but are opposed to religion.)
Denial of reason/logocentrism: Reason is used by the powerful to oppress the weak. Emotions/experiences of the oppressed are more valid and grounded in reality than logocentrism.
Goal: Progress is made by fighting oppression through the exposure of meta-narratives that are used by the powerful to oppress the weak. (Postmodernists love the word hegemony.)

[Anonymous No.10683249]

Conclusion

Many people I have encountered online disagree with Dr. Peterson because they don't think that postmodernism is itself a coherent movement (which is true in one sense at least). This is mostly due to postmodernism influencing the thought processes of so many different fields: Literature, architecture, history, feminism, economics, etc. Many think that they are refuting Peterson's understanding of postmodernism by saying "That's not true with regard to postmodern literature, etc." or "X postmodern philosopher didn't think Y so postmodernism does not include Y."

There's also a tendency to conflate nihilism with postmodernism since it rejects grand narratives. So when Peterson says "Postmodernists believe Y" they counteract this by saying "Postmodernists don't believe in anything." But postmodernism is more a symptom of nihilism if anything and is fueled by ingrained nihilism.

The driving force behind many postmodern attacks on Peterson is irony because postmodernism is drenched in the stuff. "Why even take this old white guy seriously? He's just part of the oppressive patriarchy." Most of the hit pieces I have read on him consist wholly of unsubstantial, ironic mocking.

Finally, most people would never consider themselves "postmodern" even though they hold the beliefs of postmodernism in their minds. When they hear Peterson talking about postmodernists, they think he is attacking a phantasm, which in turn makes it easy for him to be criticized. It's really a fish in a fishbowl situation.

What's my opinion on postmodernism? To borrow a phrase from David Foster Wallace: It's all just "postclever metaformal hooey."


TL;DR: Postmodernism is a direct reaction to enlightenment philosophy. There is no objective reality. Everything is a social construct mediated through language. Anti-grand narratives. Overthrow the oppressors.

Bonus

This random postmodern paper generator is proof that postmodern academic work is unintelligible. http://www.elsewhere.org/journal/pomo/

Also check out the book Fashionable Nonsense by Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont. It's hilariously frightening what they were able to pull off.

If you want to learn more about postmodernism, pick up some of the philosopher's books. But I have to warn you, it's almost all nearly impossible to read without reference guides. I would have never known what postmodernism is on my own without taking a class on it desu.

[Anonymous No.10683283]

>>10683247
Is the next thing
>post-post modernism
Or
>meta-modernism

[Anonymous No.10683306]

>postmodernism

You mean Modernism.

Postmodernism is just using parts of everything that came before. What makes you think there's 'rejection'?

[Anonymous No.10683313]

https://www.reddit.com/r/JordanPeterson/comments/7vy9h4/jordan_peterson_understands_postmodernism

so that this bait doesn't become a huge thread again

[Anonymous No.10683333]

>>10683247
>doctrine
Congrats. You actually outmoroned the average /pol/poster

[Anonymous No.10683336]

MODS

[Anonymous No.10683386]

>>10683283
>>10683306
>>10683313
This is copypasta do not respond to it for fuck sake

If I could sage you I would with all my girlish might

[Anonymous No.10683400]

>>10683386
I saged and posted the reddit link you retard.

[Anonymous No.10683402]

>>10683386
dumb bitch with stupid boobs

[Anonymous No.10683413]

>>10683247
peterson btfo. until you can answer, you don't deserve to post

[Anonymous No.10683425]

>>10683247

>Enlightenment

>Knowledge: Objective knowledge is possible.

already clearly incorrect, so much for Enlightenment thinking.

[Anonymous No.10683557]

>>10683386
m-m'lady?!

[Anonymous No.10684068]

>postmodernism is a symptom of nihilism
I'm not even going to bother.

[Anonymous No.10684101]

This thread was moved to >>>/his/4128304