POSTMODERNISM: I need your help
Rowland Croucher
I've been asked to talk to some clergy conferences on the differences between
modernism and postmodernism, and want to make it simple. How about helping me complete
this imaginary overhead projector transparency? (As a pre-postmodernist I like things
to be logical/understood :-)!
(P.S. I know a little of the debate about whether 'postmodernism' ought to be regarded
as a misnomer: Lyotard speaks of postmodernism as the 'acceleration of modernism')
***MODERNISM*** ***POSTMODERNISM***
Truth is 'given'/there are absolutes All underlying premises are banished
somewhere (Relativism reigns)
Individualism The Group
Rationality/logic/scientism Search for transcendent / resacralizing
of nature
Media icons: The Brady Bunch (Mike is The Simpsons: no order, no one's in
the God-figure, sorting out good/evil charge. Main idea: what's right, now?
Best book/overview (secular): ??? ???
Best ditto (Christian) ??? ???
etc.
etc.
etc.
Thanks!
--
Shalom! Rowland Croucher
Director, John Mark Ministries - resources for pastors/leaders.
(Bookroom, library, and worldwide F.W.Boreham Trading Post)
Home Page: http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm
CLERGY/LEADERS' LIST: clergy-...@pastornet.net.au
('SUBSCRIBE' on subject-line)
(I inadvertently crossposted this to three other groups - two of them non aus.-
Andrew's auto-cancel thing worked wonders! Wow!)
Murray Hogg
Rowland Croucher wrote;
>I've been asked to talk to some clergy conferences on the differences
>between modernism and postmodernism,etc
Dear Rowland,
I gleened the following from Stanley J. Grenz "A Primer
on Post-Modernism" (Eerdmans, 1996). This book was written
to help those unfamiliar with the post-modern scene obtain
some handle on the issue, so it might be a good reference
for you to track down. I warn that I am far from an expert,
and the following relies entirely on my understanding of
Grenz - discretion appears to be the order of the day - there
is the point, however, that in a postmodern world there are no
incorrect interpretations of a text, so perhaps I'm safe even
if Grenz has contrary opinions!
>(P.S. I know a little of the debate about whether 'postmodernism'
>ought to be regarded as a misnomer: Lyotard speaks of postmodernism
>as the 'acceleration of modernism')
Grenz shows that there is some continuity from modernism to
postmodernism through the writings of Nietzche (chapters 4,
5 and 6, esp ch 5). Note that some notable postmodernists
reject the label postmodern (see comments on Foucalt, p.128
and Rorty p.151)
Anyway, a few possible additions to your overhead - with reference
to pages in Grenz where relevant;
***MODERNISM*** ***POSTMODERNISM***
Optimism in inevitable progress Wary of claims to absolute
knowledge or truth
>Truth is 'given'/there are absolutes All underlying premises are
banished
Perhaps better to state that;
Objective truth lies "out there" Underlying premises are so influential
to be discovered (pp. 109) that objectivity is impossible
(i.e. realist epistimology) (i.e. nonrealist epistimology)
Seeks to find universal rules to Considers such rules a human construct
explain reality ie we discover and thus not ontologically valid
reality and discribe it by rules (p. 152) ie we "make up" reality as a
construct to enable us to live in a
meaningless world
Representational understanding Non representational understanding
of language - words and language of language - words and language
objectively describe objects in are tools for dealing with reality but
the real world have no objective correspondance with
reality (p.158)
"TRUTH" is what corresponds with "TRUTH" consists in the ground rules
reality - it is universal, that facilitate personal well-being in
supracultural and timeless. the community and the well-being of
the community as a whole.
Emphasis on conformity to rational Welcomes diversity and pluralism
norms
>Individualism The Group
or rather;
Emphasises the self-reflective, Emphasises the individual - within
self-determining autonomous subject - community (subject to, and unable
who stands outside the tradition or to escape from, socially conditioned
community and is able to stand modes of thought and language usage)
"above" reality to understand it (p. 168). Cannot escape his
environment to objectively view
reality
>Rationality/logic/scientism Search for transcendent / resacralizing
> of nature>Media icons: The Brady Bunch (Mike is The Simpsons: no order, no one's in
Star Trek (origional series) Star Trek: the Next Generation
Mr Spock - absolute rationality Data - rationality seeking humanity
represents the ideal of enlightenment represents the post modern quest
humanity for wholistic existence
Counselor Troi - emphasises the
intuitive as complementary (not
opposed) to the rational
Mission:"to boldly go where where no "where no ONE has gone before"
MAN has gone before" de emphasises anthropocentrism
and emphasises cooperation with
other species (more aliens in crew)
reflects increasing emphasis on
wholistic naturalism
Not mentioned by Grenz is the fact that the most dangerous enemy in the
later series is the Borg - the ultimate assimilation of humanity by
technology which reflects the post-modern view that technology controls
and ensnares as much as liberates humanity.
Other parallels could be drawn.
>Best book/overview (secular): ??? ???
Detective stories (e.g. Sherlock Holmes) are modernist in that they
demonstrate that, despite apperances, reality and truth always lie
below the surface of apparently discordant events (p. 30)
conversely, science fiction and spy novels are postmodern in that they
blur the distinction between reality and fiction - Grenz speaks of the use
of "juxtaposition" (p. 28) of apparently discordant ideas to invoke
uncertainty in the reader.
>Best ditto (Christian) ??? ???>etc.
Art;
Modernist art displays, and in fact aims for, stylistic integrity (p. 25)
Conversely Post Modern art rejects this aim. Juxtapositioning techniques
from many different schools. The epitome of such techique is the collage.
The aim is to "deny the singleness of works of art" (p. 26) "Postmodern
artists seek to challenge the modernist focus on the stylistic integrity
of the individual work and undermine what they see as the modernist "cult"
of the individual artist." (p.26)
Architecture;
Interesting point:
The term post-modern was first used of architecture (p. 2)
As with art, modernist architects seek for unity in a buildings
appearance, leading to simplicity of form and employment of an overall
theme.
Conversely, post modern architectures use features from many different
periods "their works, in contrast, purposely explore and display
incompatibilities of style, form and texture" (p. 23)
Movies and Television
Again, modernism displays unifying themes, but post-modernism uses widely
differing images in rapid succession - evidence many rock clips - or the
mixing of widely disparate images through modern video imaging techiques
(eg Diet Pepsi add with Groucho Marx)
Inherent in all the above forms is a tendancy in post modern art to deny
the overriding effect of a single creative author.
Grenz' final chapter on presenting the Gospel to the post modern world
also has some interesting points, but perhaps later!
Kindest Regards,