"The Postmodern" "Postmodernism" "Postmodernity" Approaches to Po-Mo Martin Irvine Communication, Culture & Technology Program Georgetown University

[Version 9.9.13] Postmodernity vs. the Postmodern vs. Postmodernism Approaching the Main Questions Postmodernism/Postmodernity is associate with an awareness o! societal an cultural transitions a!ter "orl "ar II an the rise o! mass#me iate consumerist $o$ular culture in the 19%&s#19'&s. In culture an the arts( inter$reters o! this era escri)e the *in s o! cultural hy)ri s that emerge !rom mi+ing ,or ren ering ino$erative- the categories o! .high. an .low. cultures( an hy)ri s in cultural !orms that have evelo$e in regions where local i entities see* e!inition against( or in ialog with( "estern .hegemonic. cultures ,the mi+ing o! .o!!icial. cultures an those e!ine as .other. in mo ernist i eologies-. Postmo ern views o! history an national i entity ty$ically cancel a commitment to mo ern .master narratives. or .metanarratives. li*e $rogress an goal# irecte history( an isru$t myths o! national an ethnic i entities as .natural. !oun ations o! .unity.. Com$licating the stu y o! .$ostmo ernism. is the wi e range o! terms an assum$tions in statements an arguments !rom i!!erent schools o! thoughtan movements in the arts. In all the iscourse( we nee to i!!erentiate the terms an conce$ts o! the postmodern ,as a con ition o! a historical era- orpostmodernity ,as sim$ly what we are in whether we *now it or not-( an postmodernism ,re!lecte in movements with varying levels o! intention an sel!#awareness-( "hen inter$reters o! culture iscuss $ostmo ern strategies or !eatures in architecture( literature( $hiloso$hy( an the arts( this usually inclu es uses o! irony( $aro y( sam$ling( mi+ing .high. an .low. ,$o$ular- cultural sources( hori/ontal vs. vertical analysis( an mi+ing historical an cultural sources an styles. The view that cultural hierarchies ,high0low1 o!!icial0local1 ominant culture0su)cultures- are unsta)le an constructe an that history is not a source o! authority un erlies the creation o! many !orms o! $astiche

,com)inations !rom unrelate sources-( collage( $aro y( an nostalgic styli/ation where earlier( historically situate styles are a)stracte an imitate as stylization. 2ome scholars see the macro conte+t o! .the $ostmo ern con ition. within !unctions o! glo)ali/ation an the in!ormation0networ* society. The glo)al economic system since the 19%&s has move towar the international merging o! cultures an the glo)al mar*eting o! cultural goo s. 3any see the !eatures o! $ostmo ernism that are associate with the sel!#re!le+ive criti4ue o! society( culture( $olitics( an economics as alrea y $art o! mo ernism( an thus an e+tension o! .mo ernism.. 5ut whatever the $hase o! .mo ernity. we acce$t now inclu es a)an oning the ho$e or )elie! in the necessary $rogressive movement o! history towar a goal( an en ( a!ul!illment. The post-postmodern view$oint ,wherever we are to ay a!ter having a)sor)e the issues in $ostmo ernismseems to )e ta*ing the .$ostmo ern con ition. ,$ostmo ernity- as a given an creating new remi+e wor*s isassociate !rom the mo ern#$ostmo ern arguments an o$$ositions. The $ost#$ostmo ern ta*es the .always alrea y. mi+e con ition o! sources( i entities( an new wor*s as a given( not a 4uestion or problem. The meta$hors o! .networ*. an .convergence. in creative su)cultures ,e.g.( musicians( artists( esigners( writers- are seen to )e live o$erations or con itions receive an re# $er!orme ( not 6ust a)stractions. 7rom this more recent $ers$ective( living in remi+e hy)ri ity is thus obligatory, not a choice( since it is the !oun ation !or $artici$ating in a living( networ*e ( glo)ally connecte culture. "e coul also argue that the terms in the iscourses a)out the $ostmo ern are no longer )e use!ul( or nee to )e re e!ine to )e use!ul !or to ay. 8ither way( the $oint is thin*ing through the $ro)lems an seeing i! there are terms that o use!ul cultural wor* !or us. Primary Prob em! Constructing Tra"ectories o# $istory and Cu ture Tal*ing a)out .the $ostmo ern. or .$ostmo ernism. $resu$$oses there is0was something *nown as

.mo ernism. !rom which( or against which( something can )e .$ost.. 7or $hiloso$hers( historians( artists( an theorists who have evelo$e arguments a)out these historical moments or movements( .3o ernism0 3o ernity. an .Postmo ernism. are all caught u$ in a we) o! iscourses with assum$tions an i eologies that nee a sel!#re!le+ive criti4ue. 3uch o! the e)ate $resu$$oses the $ossi)ility o! a criti4ue o! history( conce$tuali/e as having a tra6ectory( goal( en ,telos 9 teleology-( which was( or was not( !ul!ille in the mo ernist $hiloso$hies( ho$es( an as$irations o! the 193&s#19:&s. ;n since aroun <&&&( a new e)ate on the .$ost# $ostmo ern. has o$ene u$. There is a share sense in many areas o! cultural $ractice an universityresearch that many o! the issues in $ostmo ernism are over or assume ( an the we are now in a i!!erent glo)al moment( however that it to e!ine. %hat &as Modernism ' ;s we *now( each iscourse concerne with history constructs its own historical o)6ects. Postmo ern theory constructs an image o! mo ernism. "as there ever a $re# $ostmo ern consensus a)out history( i entity( core cultural values= (i##erentiations! the idea o# the postmodern or postmodernity as anhistorical condition or position )po itica / economic/ socia *, an era &e+re sti supposed y in regard ess o# anyone+s state o# a&areness. vs. an intentional movement in the arts, cu ture, phi osophy, and po itics that uses various strategies to subvert &hat is seen as dominant in modernism or modernity.

,ean--ran.ois /yotard! "0imp i#ying to the e1treme, 2 de#ine the postmodern as incredu ity to&ard metanarratives."

The $ostmo ern as a historical0cultural .con ition. )ase on a issolution o! master narratives or metanarratives ,totali/ing narrative $ara igms li*e $rogress an national histories-( a crisis in i eology when i eology no longer seems trans$arent )ut contingent an constructe ,see The Post-Modern Condition: A Report on Knowledge-. -rederic ,ameson! Postmo ernism as a movement in arts an culture corres$on ing to a new con!iguration o! $olitics an economics( .late ca$italism.> transnational consumer economies )ase on glo)al sco$e o! ca$italism ,2ee Postmodernism, or The Cultural ogi! o" ate Capitalism-. Post-Modern Artists+ vie&s! Postmo ernity as a $hase o! *nowing an $ractice( a)an oning the assum$tions( $re6u ices( an constraints o! mo ernism to em)race the contra ictions( irony( an $ro!usion o! $o$ an mass culture. .?igh. an .low. culture0art categories ma e useless an irrelevant( art !rom outsi er an non#"estern cultures em)race ( consumer society turne insi e out. The gran linear narrative o! art history an "estern cultural history is e+$ose as i eological an constructe !or class interests. The Postmodern and 3 oba i4ation -rom $omi 5habha, "The /ocation o# Cu ture" I! the 6argon o! our times # $ostmo ernity( $ostcoloniality( $ost!eminism # has any meaning at all( it oes not lie in the $o$ular use o! the @$ost@ to in icate se4uentiality # a"ter# !eminism1 or $olarity # anti#mo ernism. These terms that insistently gesture to the )eyon ( only em)o y its restless an revisionary energy i! they trans!orm the $resent into an e+$an e an e+#centric site o! e+$erience an em$owerment. .... The wi er signi!icance o! the $ostmo ern con ition lies in the awareness that the e$istemological @limits@ o! those ethnocentric i eas are also the enunciative )oun aries o! a range o! other issonant( even issi ent histories an voices # women( the coloni/e ( minority grou$s( the )earers o! $olice se+ualities. .... The very conce$ts o! homogenous national cultures( the

consensual or contiguous transmission o! historical tra itions( or @organic@ ethnic communities # as the groun s o! cultural com$arativism # are in a $ro!oun $rocess o! re e!inition.

%ays o# &or6ing &ith the term postmodern

7ses o# the term "postmodern" after modernism su)sumes( assumes( e+ten s the mo ern or ten encies alrea y $resent in mo ernism( not necessarily in strict chronological succession( or wor*ing out 4uestions an $ro)lems im$licit in mo ernism without a )rea* !rom core assum$tions contra modernism su)verting( resisting( o$$osing( or countering !eatures o! mo ernism e8uiva ent to " ate capita ism" culture ominate )y $ost#in ustrial( consumerist( multi# an trans#national ca$italism( )eginnings o! glo)ali/ation the historica era #o o&ing the modern an historical time#$erio mar*er( recogni/ing cultural( i eological( an economic shi!ts without a new tra6ectory ,trium$halism- or $rivileging o! values artistic and sty istic ec ecticism )aesthetic postmodernism* hy)ri i/ation o! !orms an genres( com)ining .high. an .low. cultural !orms an sources( mi+ing styles o! i!!erent cultures or time $erio s( ehistorici/ing an re# conte+tuali/ing styles in architecture( visual arts( literature( !ilm( $hotogra$hy "g oba vi age" phenomena! g oba i4ation o# cu tures, races, images, capita , products .in!ormation age. re e!inition o! nation#state i entities( which were the !oun ation o! the mo ern era1 issemination o! images an in!ormation across national )oun aries( a sense o! erosion or )rea* own o! national( linguistic( ethnic( an cultural i entities1 a sense o! a glo)al mi+ing o! cultures on a scale un*nown to $re#in!ormation era societies.

Postmodernity, $istory, Mediation, and 9epresentation

Crises in the 9epresentation o# $istory Postmo ern historians an $hiloso$hers 4uestion the re$resentation o! history an cultural i entities> history as .what @really@ ha$$ene . ,e+ternal to re$resentation or me iation- vs. history as a .narrative o! what ha$$ene . a .me iate re$resentation. with cultural0i eological interests. ;rt wor*s are li*ewise caught u$ in the $ro)lem o! re$resentation an me iation##o! what( !or whom( !rom what i eological $oint o! view= ,ameson! .history is only accessi)le to us in narrative !orm.. ?istory re4uires re$resentation( me iation( in narrative( a story# !orm enco e as historical. Aissolution o! the trans$arency o! history an tra ition> Can we get to the ,unme iate - re!erents o! history= 3ulticulturalism( com$eting views o! history an tra ition. 2hi!t !rom universal histories( !rom the long dur#e ,long time#s$an o! historical $erio s-( to local an e+$licitly contingent histories. ?istory an i entity $olitics> who can write or ma*e art= !or whom= !rom what stan $oint= %a ter 5en"amin+s recognition o# the non-neutra ity o# history! ."here are the em$athies [o! tra itional historicism=] The answer is inevita)le> with the victor. ?ence em$athy with the victor invaria)ly )ene!its the rulers. ?istorical materialists *now what that means. "hoever has emerge victorious $artici$ates to this ay in the trium$hal $rocession in which the $resent rulers ste$ over those who are lying $rostrate. ;ccor ing to tra itional $ractice( the s$oils are carrie along in the $rocession. They are calle cultural treasures( an a historical materialist views them with cautious etachment... They owe their e+istence not only to the e!!orts o! the great min s an talents who have create them( )ut also to the anonymous toil o! their contem$oraries. There is no ocument o! civili/ation which is not at the same time a ocument o! )ar)arism... [; historical materialist] regar s it as his tas* to )rush history against the grain.. .7or every image o! the $ast that is not recogni/e )y the

$resent as one o! its own concerns threatens to isa$$ear irretrieva)ly.. ,7rom .Theses on the Philoso$hy o! ?istory. in $lluminations, e . ?annah ;ren t-

%or6ing &ith -rederic ,ameson+s categories ) Postmodernism and Consumer Society *

):* "the trans#ormation o# rea ity into images" )c#. (ebord and 5audri ard* );* "the #ragmentation o# time into a series o# perpetua presents" .the erosion o! the ol er istinction )etween high culture an so#calle mass or $o$ular culture. ,Bameson-. Pastiche an $aro y o! multi$le styles> ol !orms o! .content. )ecome mere .styles. stylistic mas*s( image styles( without $resent content> the meaning is in the mimicry .in a worl in which stylistic innovation is no longer $ossi)le( all that is le!t is to imitate ea styles( to s$ea* through the mas*s an with the voices o! the styles in the imaginary museum. ,Bameson-. Co in ivi ualism or in ivi ual style( voice( e+$ressive i entity. ;ll signi!iers circulate an recirculate $rior an e+isting images an styles. The $ostmo ern in a vertising> attem$ts to $rovi e illusions o! in ivi ualism ,a s !or 6eans( cars( etc.- through images that e!ine $ossi)le su)6ect $ositions or create esire $ositions ,)eing the one who@s cool( hi$( se+y( esira)le( so$histicate ...-. .our a vertising...is !e )y $ostmo ernism in all the arts an is inconceiva)le without it. ,BamesonPo#3o as late ca$italism> transnational ca$italism without )or ers( only networ*s an in!o !lows. 0ome #eatures o# postmodern sty es! Costalgia an retro styles( recycling earlier genres an styles in new conte+ts ,!ilm0TV genres( images( ty$ogra$hy( colors( clothing an hair styles( a vertising

images.?istory. re$resente through nostalgic images o! $o$ culture( !antasies o! the $ast. ?istory has )ecome one o! the styles1 historical re$resentations )len with nostalgia. .the isa$$earance o! a sense o! history( the way in which our entire contem$orary social system has little )y little )egun to lose its ca$acity to retain its own $ast( has )egun to live in a $er$etual $resent an in a $er$etual change that o)literates tra itions o! the *in which all earlier social !ormations have ha in one way or another to $reserve... The in!ormation !unction o! the me ia woul thus )e to hel$ us to !orget( to serve as the very agents an mechanisms o! our historical amnesia. ,Bameson-. Bameson@s own nostalgia= Ai this ever e+ist= Culture on 7ast 7orwar > Time an history re$lace )y s$ee ( !utureness( accelerate o)solescence. Criti4ue> note the image o! the $ast an origins $resu$$ose in the view o! history an the $ostmo ern( the sense o! ?egelian tra6ectories with no $ossi)le !uture in view to )e argue !or.

The Modern and the Postmodern! Contrasting Tendencies

The !eatures in the ta)le )elow are only o!ten# iscusse ten encies( not a)solutes. In !act( the ten ency to see things in seemingly o)vious( )inary( contrasting categories is usually associate with mo ernism. The ten ency to issolve )inary categories an e+$ose their ar)itrary cultural co# e$en ency is associate with $ostmo ernism. 7or heuristic $ur$oses only. Postmodern/Postmodernity "uspicion and re#ection of Master Narratives for history and culture$ local narratives, ironic deconstruction of master narratives% counter-myths of origin &!rogress& seen as a failed Master Narrative

Modernism/Modernity Master Narratives and metanarratives of history, culture and national identity as accepted before WWII (American-European myths of progress) Myths of cultural and ethnic origin accepted as received !rogress accepted as driving force behind history 'aith in &(rand )heory& (totali*ing

+e#ection of totali*ing theories$

e,planations in history, science and culture) to represent all -no.ledge and e,plain everything 'aith in, and myths of, social and cultural unity,hierarchies of socialclass and ethnic/national values, seemingly clear bases for unity

pursuit of locali*ing and contingent theories "ocial and cultural pluralism, disunity, unclear bases for social/national/ ethnic unity

Master narrative of progress through "-epticism of idea of progress, antiscience and technology technology reactions, neo-0uddism$ ne. age religions "ense of unified, centered self$ &individualism,& unified identity Idea of &the family& as central unit of social order% model of the middleclass, nuclear family 1eterose,ual norms "ense of fragmentation and decentered self$ multiple, conflicting identities Alternative family units, alternatives to middle-class marriage model, multiple identities for couplings and childraising !olyse,uality, e,posure of repressed homose,ual and homosocial realities in cultures "ubverted order, loss of centrali*ed control, fragmentation )rust and investment in micropolitics, identity politics, local politics, institutional po.er struggles +hi*ome/surface tropes Attention to play of surfaces, images, signifiers .ithout concern for &2epth& +elational and hori*ontal differences, differentiations

1ierarchy, order, centrali*ed control 'aith and personal investment in big politics (Nation-"tate, party)

+oot/2epth tropes 'aith in &2epth& (meaning, value, content, the signified) over &"urface& (appearances, the superficial, the signifier)

3risis in representation and status of 3ulture adapting to simulation, the image after photography and visual media becoming mass media undifferentiated e4uivalent forms, simulation and real-time media substituting for the real 'aith in the &real& beyond media, language, symbols, and representations$ authenticity of &originals & 1yper-reality, image saturation, simulacra seem more po.erful than the &real&$ images and te,ts .ith no prior &original& &As seen on )5& and &as seen on M)5& are more po.erful than unmediated e,perience

2ichotomy of high and lo. culture (official vs popular culture) Imposed consensus that high or official culture is normative and authoritative, the ground of value and discrimination Mass culture, mass consumption, mass mar-eting Art as uni4ue ob#ect and finished .or- authenticated by artist and validated by agreed upon standards

2isruption of the dominance of high culture by popular culture Mi,ing of popular and high cultures, ne. valuation of pop culture, hybrid cultural forms cancel &high&/&lo.& categories 2emassified culture$ niche products and mar-eting, smaller group identities Art as process, performance, production, interte,tuality Art as recycling of culture authenticated by audience and validated in subcultures sharing identity .ith the artist Navigation through information overload, information management$ fragmented, partial -no.ledge$ #ustin-time -no.ledge !aradigms% )he Web

6no.ledge mastery, attempts to embrace a totality 7uest for interdisciplinary harmony !aradigms% )he 0ibrary and )he Encyclopedia

8roadcast media, centrali*ed one-to- 2igital, interactive, client-server, many communications !aradigms% distributed, user-motivated, broadcast net.or-s and )5 individuali*ed, many-to-many media !aradigms% Internet file sharing, the Web and Web 9 : 3entering/centeredness, centrali*ed -no.ledge and authority 2eterminacy, dependence, hierarchy "eriousness of intention and purpose, middle-class earnestness "ense of clear generic boundaries and .holeness (art, music, and literature) 2esign and architecture of Ne. ;orand 8erlin 3lear dichotomy bet.een organic and inorganic, human and machine !hallic ordering of se,ual difference, unified se,ualities, 2ispersal, dissemination, net.or-ed, distributed -no.ledge Indeterminacy, contingency, polycentric po.er sources !lay, irony, challenge to official seriousness, subversion of earnestness 1ybridity, promiscuous genres, recombinant culture, interte,tuality, pastiche 2esign and architecture of 0A and 0as 5egas 3yborgian mi,ing of organic and inorganic, human and machine and electronic Androgyny, 4ueer se,ual identities, polymorphous se,uality, mass

e,clusion/brac-eting of pornography )he boo- as sufficient bearer of the .ord )he library as complete and total system for printed -no.ledge

mar-eting of pornography, porn style mi,ing .ith mainstream images 1ypermedia as transcendence of the physical limits of print media )he Web as infinitely e,pandable, centerless, inter-connected information system