postmodernism

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.

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 October 4, 2007

postmodernism

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."

by Orphanator January 20, 2008

postmodernism

The concept that the whole is greater than the the sum of its parts. As opposed to modernism which tenders that the whole is EQUAL to the sum of its parts

Postmodernism massively increases the size of the whole, occupies the interstitial space between part and whole, and deconstructs the parts; leaving the whole intact but massively nebulous.

The "whole" can also be called the context.

While formally opposing objectivity, Postmodernism actually assumes it, because it leaves the whole (the context) intact although greatly enlarged; while deconstructing only the constituent parts ie it ASSUMES a whole.

by sandraxine June 19, 2017

Post Modern Rock

A genre of music, really a supergenre, encompassing many other genres including indie rock, indiepop, twee, britpop, shoegazer, electronic, electro, glitchpop, some singer/songwriter, lo-fi, and older genres including punk, new wave and Madchester. Former terms were "Modern Rock" or "Alternative," but these became obsolete when their meaning was corroded circa 1992. They then became used to describe corporate nu-rock.

Record store clerk 1: "So, I listen to a lot of bands. Like, Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, Ballboy, Doves, My Bloody Valentine, Royksopp, Adult., Lali Puna, Denison Witmer, Daniel Johnston, The Ramones, The Clash, Talking Heads, New Order and Primal Scream, just to name a few. I feel like it's all one supergenre, but I don't know what you call it."

Record store clerk 2: "You'd call that Post Modern Rock."

by Dave Cusick April 30, 2006

post modern

a term used most often in academia to describe an event, work of literature, style of art, or particular way of thinking in an extremely vague manner referring to a virtually unidentifiable era or quality that existed at some point after the "modern" period ended.

i wrote a paper called "Post Modern Perspecives on Female Genital Mutilation" so full of academic gobbely-gook that I believe I got an A just because neither myself nor the professor clearly understood what it was about.

by cicaita May 12, 2006

Post-modern Classics

Any fragment of today's culture which epitomizes its own functionality; meta-technology. Basically like steampunk things but not so shitty and gay.

Person 1: "Post-modern classics is basically the epitome of technological awesomeness, meean."

Person 2: "What is postmodernism anyway?"

Person 1: "Idk man i'm stoned as fuck."

by jazzersizer69er_89 April 13, 2013

postmodernism

A reaction to the work of Modern philosophers, most of whom created vast systems of meaning founded upon one central concept. In many religions, the central and beginning premise is some supreme being or concept. The postmodernist critique removes that central concept, it "decenters" the system of meaning. Postmodernism points out that all systems of meaning are in constant negotiation and flux, therefore claims of transcendant morality are suspect.

Furthermore, postmodernism critiques all claims of "objective" truth by revealing that human subjectivity always exists in every truth proposition. Due to the pervasive effects of subjectivity, postmodernist critiques are critical of all sweeping claims concerning social policy, truth, justice, morality, and ethics.

Finally, postmodernism is a school of thought which examines the traditional "either/or" dichotomies in modern philosophy, and reveals that these supposedly neutral dichotomies actually favor one side over the other. (Good/Evil, Above/Below, Male/Female)

Example one:
Modern Philosopher: "The word "justice" means ______"

Postmodernist: " The term 'justice' means many different things, depending on the subjective positions of the members of the discussion. Outside any discussion of 'justice', there is no meaning which we can find. 'Justice' 'exists' so long as we negotiate its meaning as between ourselves in our society."

Example Two:
Ignoramus: "Postmodernism means _______"
"Postmodernist" : " The label 'postmodern' applies in many different contexts, and it cannot be abstracted into only one meaning or definition, for that defies the very essence of 'postmodern', which of course is a non-essence. "

by entris February 17, 2005