widely debated state or traits exhibited in cultural expressions (architecture, literature, visual arts, etc.) and in social and cultural theory. argued to be the "cultural logic of late capitalism" (Lyotard, 1984) both an extension of and a breaking with modernity, signified by a primacy of the visual, the valorization of form over substance and simulation over authenticity(Baudrillard), the narrativity of science (Lyotard), fragmentation of the liberal subject (Jameson), decentering of (sup/im)-posed systems of meaning in infinite interplay with chains of signifiers (Derrida)
see "Postmodernism for Beginners"
see "Postmodernism for Beginners"
by c joseph April 27, 2004
Postmodernism: pseudo-intellectual Trojan Horse of tyrants everywhere in the western world. Began in Arts faculties in various universities under "thinkers" like Derrida, Baudrillard, Foucault and Irigaray, and spread like a cancer into at least the "soft" sciences, if not further afield.
Works insidiously by establishing in the minds of the faithful that there are no ultimate truths in either a moral or a scientific sense, and dressing up bullshit in flowery language. Postmodernism pretends to be a guarantor of pluralism (a concept far better served, btw, by rational debate), and is in love with concepts such as the "transgressive" and the "paradigm shift". Unfortunately these matters are brought up in the midst of reams and reams of tendentious twaddle which constitute a dreadful waste of perfectly good trees, and the most notable effect of postmodernist (un)thinking is not the freeing of anyone's mind from conservative tyranny, but the scrapping of the very idea of objective truth. Once this happens, of course, what follows (outside the ivory towers of academia) is that the game goes, set and match, to the fellah with the biggest guns. Many conservative factions claimed that September 11 spelled the end of postmodernism. Ohhhh nooo, postmodernist twaddle was only just getting its boots on.
To take an (admittedly anachronistic) example of what is essentially the same thing:
"A new and magical understanding of the world is on the rise, one based on will rather than truth. There is no truth, in either the scientific or the moral sense."
- Adolf Hitler
Works insidiously by establishing in the minds of the faithful that there are no ultimate truths in either a moral or a scientific sense, and dressing up bullshit in flowery language. Postmodernism pretends to be a guarantor of pluralism (a concept far better served, btw, by rational debate), and is in love with concepts such as the "transgressive" and the "paradigm shift". Unfortunately these matters are brought up in the midst of reams and reams of tendentious twaddle which constitute a dreadful waste of perfectly good trees, and the most notable effect of postmodernist (un)thinking is not the freeing of anyone's mind from conservative tyranny, but the scrapping of the very idea of objective truth. Once this happens, of course, what follows (outside the ivory towers of academia) is that the game goes, set and match, to the fellah with the biggest guns. Many conservative factions claimed that September 11 spelled the end of postmodernism. Ohhhh nooo, postmodernist twaddle was only just getting its boots on.
To take an (admittedly anachronistic) example of what is essentially the same thing:
"A new and magical understanding of the world is on the rise, one based on will rather than truth. There is no truth, in either the scientific or the moral sense."
- Adolf Hitler
They didn't find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but Blair says they still except to find them and he walks in hope! How beautifully in line with the creed of postmodernism!
A recent postmodernism-infected view of the war in Iraq explained that Bush and Blair were "creating new realities" for the rest of the world to study.
A recent postmodernism-infected view of the war in Iraq explained that Bush and Blair were "creating new realities" for the rest of the world to study.
by Fearman June 18, 2007
The crap you go thousands of dollars in debt to universities to learn only turning you into a complete idiot.
"Postmodernism teaches us that gender and race are social constructs created for the purpose of white supremacy."
"From postmodernism we understand that ianimate objects are racist, such as maps."
"Math is racist."
"From postmodernism we understand that ianimate objects are racist, such as maps."
"Math is racist."
by Fr333thought August 24, 2018
The idea that there is no objective meaning, only subjective meaning, the meaning one brings to a thing, irrespective of the intent of the author, or of the Author, or of reality.
by David Malcolm Porta December 17, 2005
Imagine that on everyone's hand there is a penis and a vagina. Now imagine what it would be like to shake hands with someone.
Fred: Hi, I'm Fred Derkowitz, nice to meet you.
Bob: Hi Fred I'm Bob. Oh God.
Fred: That feels amazing.
Bob: L’important, c’est que le sexe n’ait pas été seulement affaire de sensation et de plaisir, de loi ou d’interdiction, mais aussi de vrai et de faux. Postmodernism booyakasha.
Bob: Hi Fred I'm Bob. Oh God.
Fred: That feels amazing.
Bob: L’important, c’est que le sexe n’ait pas été seulement affaire de sensation et de plaisir, de loi ou d’interdiction, mais aussi de vrai et de faux. Postmodernism booyakasha.
by Josh12345 May 14, 2007
Postmodernism is a movement thought up by the French, and promulgated by academics which has contributed massively to all of our lives by:
1) ensuring that no child going to school in the 70s and 80s was taught grammar
2) confusing the hell out of, causing to fail, and generally annoying any uni student studying philosophy or law
3) of course the veracity of (1) and (2) depend on context, and truth is subjective, and as all meanings are a product of both THE MAN and THE SYSTEM what you say is only valid from your own point of view as is this whole urban dictionary entry, anyway
All the people who thought this up, and continue to promulgate it, and make people write essays about it, will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.
1) ensuring that no child going to school in the 70s and 80s was taught grammar
2) confusing the hell out of, causing to fail, and generally annoying any uni student studying philosophy or law
3) of course the veracity of (1) and (2) depend on context, and truth is subjective, and as all meanings are a product of both THE MAN and THE SYSTEM what you say is only valid from your own point of view as is this whole urban dictionary entry, anyway
All the people who thought this up, and continue to promulgate it, and make people write essays about it, will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.
The planes flying into the twin towers didn't cause them to burst into flames and collapse, using a different frame of reference, in accordance with postmodernism, the towers collapsed of their own accord in line with the inevitable consequences of capitalism
by MichelF September 22, 2007
A pseudo-intellectual excuse to do whatever the hell we want to do without respect to any immutable principles of time and space.
"O yeah, the funeral...I guess I flaked." <shrugs>
"Um..well, that's YOUR truth. I guess I'm just not as incestophobic as you are. Hey, could you get me a beer while you're in there dad?" <leans over to kiss Mommy>
"Don't listen to him. He left his brain in the postmodernism drop-box."
"Um..well, that's YOUR truth. I guess I'm just not as incestophobic as you are. Hey, could you get me a beer while you're in there dad?" <leans over to kiss Mommy>
"Don't listen to him. He left his brain in the postmodernism drop-box."
by Orphanator January 20, 2008