“But it is hard to discuss ‘post-modernism’ theory in any general way without recourse to the matter of historical deafness, an exasperating condition (provided you are aware of it) that determine a series of spasmodic and intermittent, but desperate, attempts at recuperation. Postmodernism theory is one of those attempts: the effort to take the temperature of the age without instruments and in a situation we are not even sure there is so coherent things as an “age,” or zeitgeist, or “system,” or “current situation” any longer.”
Fredric Jameson
Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Captialism
Postmodernism keeps decrying that no such coherent of a thing as an “age,” or zeitgeist, or “system,” or “current situation” when all the while it is providing the coherence, of an age, system and current situation.
Here is the way it works. Post-modernism putatively calls into question all meta-narratives (i.e. — age, system, zeitgeist, etc.) into question. But all the while it is doing so it is providing a meta-narrative to replace the meta-narratives that it is destroying. As we consider post-modernism’s project we have to realize that meta-narratives just can’t go away. If post-modernism is successful at being a meta-narrative destroying virus it is only because it is providing its own meta-narrative to function as a substitute for those it has destroyed.
This post-modern meta-narrative that is creating an age, system, and zeitgeist is a meta-narrative that teaches that all of reality is person variable. It is a meta-narrative of philosophical anarchy but all the same it is a narrative. It provides cultural unity by allowing all people to think they are eschewing meta-narratives when in point of fact the meta-narrative they are embracing is the one meta-narrative that teaches that all meta-narratives are fiction. Post-modernism while it negates all meta-narratives in the same move affirms the meta-narrative of negation and offers it as a means to positively construct cultural perceptions of reality — something which all successful meta-narratives are responsible to do.
So, post-modernism is only a meta-narrative virus in the sense that it eats up all other competing meta-narratives. It is not a meta-narrative virus in the sense that in its success if leaves us without an “age,” zeitgeist, system or meta-narrative.
People tend to think that post-modernism is much more sophisticated then it really is. If one keeps their eye on the fact that it is only using it meta-narrative destroying ability to subtly inject its own meta-narrative it becomes far less easier to be fooled by post-modern pretensions offered by guys like Jameson.
Here are a couple of often supplied replies of postmodern-types to your apt refutation:
1) Postmodern “narratives” don’t try to supplant the meta-narratives of modernism, but rather they are “episodic” alternatives, none of which claim authority, but all of which wish to deny the authority of overarching explanations. Of course, claiming to be a non-authoritative episode doesn’t provide a very strong criticism against any meta-narrative, but such weak refutations are persuasive to those who are fed up with what modernism has promised but failed to deliver upon.
2) Yes, postmodernism is another meta-narrative, but by recognizing itself as such provides its own criticism and opportunity for avoiding the self-deception of modernist hubris. The weakness of this argument is two-fold: (1) The best thinkers of modernity did see their own problems, but hoped for a resolution in some future time and (2) endless self-critique is a short trip to nihilistic solipsism, which might as well commit suicide as it can never hope for resolution.
Postmodernity emphasizes the “giddy” pleasure of play (this is a Baudrillard formulation), but it can provide no justification for why “giddy pleasures of play” might not just as well be “depressingly empty masturbation.”
It is irrelevant whether or not they “try to supplant the meta-narrative of modernism,” if in fact that is what they accomplish. When they deny the authority of overarching explanations they are at that moment doing so on the authority of their own overarching explanation. The fact that they advocate for “episodic alternatives,” reveals their attempt at a overarching explanation, which is a overarching explanation that says overarching explanations aren’t possible. That remains an overarching explanation, all postmodern protestations to the contrary.
Such explanations have persuasive power not because they are convincing but because people desire to be deceived.
In the end postmodernism is still involved in the modernism project. Its objections that modernism has failed refuses to see that postmodernism is failing at the same thing in the same regard.
Or according to postmodernism it could be both or neither at the same time.
I agree with both of your statements Bret.
You are obviously a part of the paternalistic, hegemonic, power-thirsty, westernized, world-haters and must be “re-educated” to accept everyone and drop your tight-fisted insistence upon outmoded ideas of an absolute, universal logic.
Joshua,
Guilty as charged. I spend part of every day psyching myself up for the coming re-education camps.
My father-in-law graciously purchased for me my first firearm, a Glock 19, 9mm semi-automatic.
You might say I’m preparing a handful of answers for my re-educational expert’s most probing questions.
My father-in-law graciously purchased for me my first firearm, a Glock 19, 9mm semi-automatic.
You might say I’m preparing a handful of answers for my re-educational expert’s most probing questions.
I’ve already dealt with these morons two or three times in my life.
Let’s just say that I was able to give as good as I got.
They never asked me back.
I have a friend who, because of a domestic dispute, was sentenced to an “Anger Management” class. He told me the gist was that the students needed to stop thinking in terms of “right” and “wrong” I suggested that he ask the teacher why the heck he was sentenced to the stupid class, if that was the case.
Hello Robert,
Good to hear from you!
I trust all is going well.
Maybe he should have asked the teacher if it was right for him to stop thinking in terms of right and wrong.
Morons.