Postmodernity (II)
Written by Alfonso Elizondo
This period is characterized by a lack of focus on the traditional sense of History:
1.- Form is privileged over content in the mass media.
2.- Attention is focused on the ‘non-structural’: hybridity and fusion replace strength and linearity.
3.- Popular culture replaces academic and scientific culture.
4.- Narrative replaces historical and factual information.
In Postmodernity, the values and practices of religion, beliefs, faith and spirituality are no longer relevant. Postmodern man leans towards pluralism, diversity and immediate satisfaction, turning his body into the tool to achieve those goals.
Postmodernity is characterized by rebellion against the standardized and against conformity. Questioning is the essential key and it is expressed in the historical, scientific, literary, religious and artistic domains.
The language of Postmodernity defines itself as the notion of truth, since it is used to model thought, contextualizes reality and is applied from personal points of view and not as an unquestionable universal medium. Language explains reality and is experienced and interpreted according to one’s own opinion.
In Postmodernity, the focus of power is on the consumer industry; the media and large corporations become the constant modifiers of the economy and the market as their representatives assume greater importance than the ideologies they claim to represent.
Paradoxically, the postmodern era sees the emergence of important movements for the protection of the environment as well as species in danger of extinction and the injustices suffered by the most deprived sectors of society:
1.- Greenpeace was formed as a global entity in 1978.
2.- In 1985 the ‘USA for Africa Foundation’ was created.
3.- In the decade of the 80’s Pepsi and Coca Cola launched huge campaigns, giving rise to the ‘Cola War’ and changing the advertising and marketing landscape forever.
In the absence of a vision of the future in Postmodernity, the only objective personal purpose was ideological, physical, and existential freedom and freedom of communication, although some changes were also included such as the social acceptance of mysticism, gender and identity movements and eclectic fashions.
In Postmodernity everything is relative and everyone creates his own Reality. Truths are relative, depending on the circumstances, belief, style, country, culture and generation. Reason and Thought are not trusted as the only options for decision-making and space is given to feelings, emotional intelligence and intuition.
In Postmodernity, philosophy and its various currents are converted into Pragmatism, where nobody is going to be killed because of an ideology anymore. The Reality is that there is neither Absolutism nor Totalitarianism; instead the coexistence of different points of view is promoted without creating problems or contradictions.
In age of Modernity it was assumed that the general good must be placed above that of individuals. But today individual effort is celebrated and the value of subjectivity is acknowledged. Nowadays, an individual perspective must be taken into account, even if it does not coincide with the majority way of thinking.
Addendum: Right now human society is no longer living in Postmodernity, but is going through a period of change in paradigms that is totally indecipherable. At least for me.