/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.2593224]

sup /lit/erati

I know many of you are pretty well versed in literary theory, so came here for some comments/criticism.

My class final is to try and define Post-modernism in one page. This is what I came up with. Please let me know what you guys think.

And to clear it up, I'm not asking anyone to do my homework, just trying to have a discussion here.

[Anonymous No.2593227]

What is Post-modernism?

Before we define the term we must define modernism. It’s fairly simple enough. Whereas historical periods are mostly defined by the primary physical tools of the period: Iron Age, Bronze Age, Cooper Age; political tools of the period: Dark Ages, Renaissance, Victorian Era, and finally The Industrial Age. Following the Industrial Age came the Modernist Age. The Modernist age is significant because it is the first time that a historical age is titled and defined by philosophy instead of tools. The Modernist Age, which began sometime around 1890-1920 is based upon a wide myriad of notions, but primarily, cultural hegemony if not complete dissipation, unbridled technological progress, heavy deindustrialization, and a psychological ethos of nihilism, consumerism, philosophical apathy, spiritual degradation, a heavy stress upon aesthetics, and an omnipotent religion of empirical science.
Now that we know what The Age of Modernism is, it’s safe to say that based upon the primary tenants of modernism listed above we still live within the Modernist Age today. So then if Post-modernism, by its very lexicographical basis the “after-modernism,” has not come into fruition as an age of humanity, where does it stand?

[Anonymous No.2593229]

Perhaps it would be best to begin within ultimate summary and deconstruct from there. In truly short: Post-modernism is the refutal of modernism. This notion of the Modernist Age being dehumanizing, if not actually evil in construction, began following the second world war; mostly due to the hyper-violence, hyper-narratives, a heavy return of mythology, a convoluting of political spheres, and the mere existence of the atomic bomb. These acts sparked existential deconstruction, which is essentially another way to say Post-modernism, except, instead of simply a refutal, Deconstruction means to break apart all tenants of constructed thought. To analogize this: Post-modernism on it’s own is to ignore someone who is speaking to you, while Deconstruction is to kill that person. They both share to same mission, Deconstruction is just taking that mission to another level.
Now we understand what post-modernism simply is: the refuting of modernism, and how it was created: WWII. Now let’s go into linguistics. When people say, and they often do, that “we live in a Post-modern age,” what they really intended to say is that “We live in an age where modernism is now utterly horrible and carnivorous.” In this sense it is possible to live in a Modernist and a Post-modernist age. The instruments, psychological, political, and physical, of the age are still Modernist, hence calling this age a “Modernist” age is acceptable. However, Modernism being perverted into something sinister makes this age a “Post-modern” one as well. Orange juice is still orange juice if it’s spoiled. A Modern age is still a Modern age if it’s horrendous. And this is what the Post-modernists believe.

[Anonymous No.2593231]

All of the above listed qualities of Modernism are shunned by those who call themselves Post-Modernists; they live in a Post-Modern world where Modernism has utterly failed. This being said, the majority of the first world and nearly all of the people in power in this first world, (the only people that matter in guiding human philosophy) are still fully entrenched in their support of modernism. And while Post-modernism lives in the underground, with no political power whatsoever, we will continue to live in a Modernist Age. And while Modernism is dehumanizing, we will continue to live in a Post-modern age.

[Anonymous No.2593235]

tl;dr lol.

[Anonymous No.2593237]

Not as good as Twilight.

[Anonymous No.2593240]

Are you a post-modernist? you sure read out like one.

[Anonymous No.2593250]

it are shit

[Anonymous No.2593258]

you are a very bad writer

[Anonymous No.2593295]

>>2593227
The way you defined modernism is actually closer to postmodernism. Two of the most prominent characteristics of postmodern philosophy are
"nihilism" and "philosophical apathy". The problem seems to be that you have put far too much emphasis on the Dadaist movement which was founded upon a disenchantment with the brutality of WWII but the postmodern movement has since then evolved into many sub-species. However the common thread between all postmodern philosophical systems is a sentiment of anti-intellectualism and flying in the face of the scientific empiricism that characterized the modernist age. Also postmodernism has hardly become the Zeitgeist of our age. We are arguably more scientifically minded than ever before. Just look at the prominence of the secular-humanist movement which emphasizes the application of rational thought to our lives and how we structure society.

[≦(￣^￣)≧ !!x+mnmrU0sW+ No.2593299]

Do those fucking pixels bother anyone else?

[Anonymous No.2593306]

>>2593295

Writers like Kierkegaard Dostoevsky and Nietzsche identified nihilism as characteristic of their age.

The modern builds public value in the spite of nihilism. The postmodern tears down public value embracing nihilism.

[Anonymous No.2593318]

>>2593237
>>2593250
>>2593258

Seconded.

The concept is there, but holy hell you need to go to the academic support center and clean that bad boy up.

6/10 Troll?

[Anonymous No.2593326]

>>2593306
yeah that makes sense but my point was a "nihilistic ethos" is hardly incompatible with postmodernism even though your sentence seems to be setting up that idea. You also seem to imply postmodernism is some resolution to the evils of modernism and is concerned with righteousness.

[Anonymous No.2593328]

you should just write "i am a fish" and turn that in

[Anonymous No.2593331]

>>2593328

>mfw this is probably good advice, academically.

[Anonymous No.2593337]

>>2593328
That's modernism, bro.

[Anonymous No.2593339]

>What is Post-modernism?
>Before we define the term we must define modernism. It’s fairly simple enough.

This is what you sound like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSB9SZvtP2I&t=61s

[Anonymous No.2593359]

Thank me later.

[Anonymous No.2593373]

>>2593328
>>2593337
Bricolage is pomo. Happenings are pretty pomo too.

[Anonymous No.2593375]

>>2593373
Everything and nothing is pomo.

[Anonymous No.2593378]

>>2593359

wtf is this?

[Anonymous No.2593382]

>>2593378

A handy graph.