What is post-modernism?

Question

I've heard it mentioned in terms of art, politics and a whole range of topics but don't know what it means.

Answer 1

Jean-François Lyotard coined the term. One should start their travails in postmodernism with what he thinks. For, many who have been lumped into a post-modern attitude have also denounced their affiliation. Likewise with existentialism: if you want to know what it stands for, you should go to the source, vis., Jean-Paul Sartre, before uncovering all the other 'sources' to his understanding.

What Lyotard has to say, more or less, is that the modernist goals of universality in science, meaning, ethics is unrealizeable and false. The 'myth of progress' is readily discounted as a 'meta-narrative' -- a story about the stories we tell ourselves, a dissimulation that attempts to suppress the anti-foundationalist, interpretive, perspectival elements of this age.

Postmodernism opposes modernism (arguably). Modernism is an extension of the enlightnement project to discover through reason, true justice, utopia, progress for mankind, better technology, a theory of everything, etc. Postmodernism opposes the idea of reason & progress (the 20th century was a war-ridden disaster, aided by reason), is wary of totalitarian ideology, takes issue with all things transcendental, questions everything reified as "natural" (such as gender identity), shows the limits of translatability, opens texts to multiplicity of readings (a la Derrida: "there is nothing outside the text"), denies essence (with the existentialists), and denies originary thinking -- which seeks to explain in reference to foundations that always have a slippery, historical basis.

Whether post-modernism relishes in valueless nihilism, or is over-laden with so much skeptical analysis and jargon as to be mostly useless seem to be available criticisms-- and most likely why no one learns about it without looking for it.

Answer 2

is an idea that has been extremely controversial and difficult to define among scholars, intellectuals, and historians, because the term implies to many that the modern historical period has passed. Nevertheless, most agree that postmodern ideas have influenced philosophy, art, critical theory, literature, architecture, design, marketing/business, interpretation of history, and culture since the late 20th century.

Postmodernity, a separate term, describes social and cultural conditions connected to the era in which postmodernism arose.

Answer 3

Using your logic (?) the art of the new (22nd Century?) millenium should be known as post-post-modernism. However, the second post is redundant - anything post-modern is post-modern, if you get my drift - as are labels of any kind. Why not just enjoy the art and forget about labels?

Answer 4

Post-modernism is a style of art, popular following World War I. It is also useful when discussing film and popular culture but somewhat fraudulent.

Answer 5

I'll tell you tomorrow!