chapter 8 synopsis

Chapter Eight makes a clear distinction between the differences in modern culture as compared to postmodern culture. Some of the aspects of modernity that remain relevant in today's society are the emphasis on science, technology and progress. Postmodern culture tends to have a cynical sense that everything has been done before and therefore, has an obsession with remakes. It is common knowledge today that, “images” are more real than reality itself.
People today, in the postmodern world are constantly searching for recognition that reality is not simply mirrored in human understanding. It is developed as the mind tries to grasp its own particular personal reality. For this reason, postmodernism is highly skeptical of explanations which claim to be valid for all groups, cultures, traditions, or races, and instead focuses on the truths of each person.
Interpretation is the most important factor in the postmodern world of thinking. Reality only comes into focus through our interpretations of what the world means to us individually. We all have to be aware that postmodernism relies on concrete experiences and not abstract principles. The author explains that we do not live in a postmodern world, but instead a world with touches of modernity that are in constant tension with post-modernity. The philosopher, Jean Baudrillard has shared his view that the twentieth century was a time when there was an explosion of hyper-reality, or a time where images replaced the meaning and representation regarding art, media and advertising.
Postmodernism denies the reality of any decisive principles, and it lacks the optimism of there being a scientific, philosophical, or religious truth which could explain everything for everybody. The irony of the postmodern view is that, in placing all principles under the scrutiny of skepticism, it must realize that even its own principles come into question.
Although we don’t have an exact date as to when postmodernism began, we can assume that it began sometime after 1968. Some theorists describe postmodernism as, "cultural logic of late capitalism." This definition certainly emphasizes the important role of various economic and political conditions of the time.
Modernity relates to a time in history characterized by industrialization, with an emphasis on the value of science and the progress that it creates. On the other hand, postmodernism emphasizes the demise of the nation-state and the skeptical embrace of science and technology referring back to the nuclear bombing of Japan. Modern thought was characterized by a sense of “knowing” that was always looking forward, positive and had the belief that one will always be able to find the truth. The postmodern thought process is characterized by the questioning of the supposed structural knowledge.
Some questions the book raises to relate to postmodernism are: “Can we really know the human subject?” “How can any experience be pure or unmediated?” “Do we really know that progress is always a good thing?” Therefore, postmodernism is described as questioning the very framework that supports society or the “master narrative.”
Postmodernism emphasizes irony and a sense of one's own involvement in popular culture and images. Conversely, modern culture basically opposed the saturation of the world with images. Postmodernism blurs the line between low and high class and makes it extremely difficult to obtain an unbiased viewpoint on culture from the outside.
Animation films such as Shrek help one to understand postmodernism. This type of film is a parody of older films and draws in the adult audience as well as the children. This movie is layered with references that date back to early fairy tales as well as what is current in today’s world. The Postmodern culture allows the ability and unfortunately, the availability to change oneself. We are living during a time where people are flooded with images that are politically or aesthetically pleasing, and messages hidden beneath their glitzy surface. With plastic surgery on the rise, the modern ideal of being who you are has changed drastically. Young girls today are being flooded with media advertisements implying they are not good enough without a little touch up here and there. It is giving a whole generation the impression that you are not good enough to succeed in today’s world without a trip to the plastic surgeon.
It is my hope that our postmodern society is on the way to changing that type of mindset and leaving a positive legacy for our children. Hopefully, their future will be filled with appreciation, not just for the world around them, but more importantly, for what God has given each of them as a person.