POST MODERNISM

‘2003/2004 it’s a world where lies coexist with truth, inseparably. Lies and truth are no longer opposites. There is no reality only relativism. The difference between right and wrong is a matter of perspective. What and who do you believe? The power of language has been discovered and abused. The only way you can experience the world is through language. You can’t express or comprehend without reference to the words you have to describe it. Those words are not transparent. They are chosen very carefully around a set of discourses evoking all manner of powerful political and social prejudices. Think about: Australia day / white invasion day, children overboard, war for peace, multiculturalism, fashion, what is it? . . . There are no longer valid opinions. Only regurgitated dialogues and monologues. You want to make a decision? You want to hold an opinion? You can’t because all your reference tools are as corrupt as the information you are trying to process. Even the desire to hold an opinion is similarly constructed in language. . . The concept of individuality, of human worth, of self-concept, are all relative and constructed by language. Who are you anyway? And who am I? Why ask these questions?’

Nobody Brand Manifesto

POST MODERNISM AS IDEOLOGY

1.     Everything is ideology

2.     Because I can see that everything is ideological, I am not fooled by ideology

3.     I will still act according to particular ideologies, because to resist ideologies would be to seriously believe in an alternative ideology (and I’m above that. . .)

4.     There is no ultimate truth (So don’t dedicate yourself to any cause)

5.     There is no ultimate you (Everyone is always pretending)

6.     There is no ultimate purpose to life – so you might as well have fun and play.

YOU MIGHT HEAR PEOPLE SAY

}  There is no absolute truth, only different stories or versions of the truth.’

}  ‘Our perspective is always clouded by our cultural point of view, so we cannot objectively judge other cultures.’

}  ‘Who we are and what we think is determined by our culture’

}  ‘Christianity is wrong because it’s intolerant of other religions and cultures.’

POST MODERN IRONY

}  The ideology of postmodernism leads to tendency to treat all political or religious belief systems in an ironic manner.

}  A key feature of the postmodern world is an ironic depthlessness in regards to self-identity, belief systems and life in general.

}  Postmodernism: The ideology that I am above all ideology

IN SHORT…

}  Christian ethics are what makes possible an ethics of openness and tolerance.

}  Truth is necessary condition of any language activity. 

Handout based on Postmodernism Seminar by C. Boardom, 2010