Postmodern art, postmodern architecture, postmodern philosophy, postmodern literature, postmodern music, postmodern criticism, postmodern this, and postmodern that. “…when it becomes possible to describe all these things as ‘postmodern’ …then it’s clear we are in the presence of a buzzword (CTPC p182). 
OK, so everything is postmodern, but what does that mean? What ties postmodern art to postmodern philosophy? Basically, it is the rejection of a belief in Truth (with a capital T). Postmodernism argues that all the rules, laws, and the natural order of things do not really exist. They are only social constructs which change as society changes. Postmodernism is the questioning of all the things we used to be so sure about.Lyotard
Lyotard argues that while the metanarratives or grand narratives of modernity have collapsed under “‘positive’ science” (466) to liberate humanity (185), science has arisen as postmodernism’s grand narrative, however up until this point science had been seen as independent of narrative. Science is supposed to be purely “denotative” (466) or made of facts, true statements. Its denotative nature legitimated it; however Lyotard uncovers the flaw that science’s denotative nature presupposes a narrative developed during the Enlightenment which is universality (466). “A science that has not legitimated itself is not a true science if the discourse that was meant to legitimate it seems to belong to a prescientific form of knowledge, like a ‘vulgar’ narrative, it is demoted to the lowest rank, that of an ideology or instrument of power” (466). Lyotard shows that science does not legitimate itself, but the language of legitimation is dependent on “the Life of spirit” something like the “vulgar” narratives dismissed in lieu of science. Science becomes “the general mode of knowledge” or “the metanarrative” that umbrellas other disciplines (466). The metanarrative is a “language game” that tries to construct the self-evidence and primacy of science but fails which Lyotard says is evident by the “dividing of reason” into theoretical and practical according rules based on its relevance in the hands of practitioners of the “ethical, social, and political” (467). Science is not given, irreducible, nor self-legitimating—there is no “universal metalanguage” to declare its Truth (468).
Baudrillard
A woman came up to me after a presentation I gave at FedEx Corporate HQ a couple of weeks ago. She introduced herself and said she worked with my father (also Kevin Gallagher) a few years ago at another company and had recently re-connected with him on Linked In. She was shaken and a little confused when I informed her that my father had passed away in 2010.
As I was working on this blog post, I received the following email:
Between the email and the readings, I started thinking about the Facebook friends I have. I have never met some of these people. Others I haven’t seen in 20 years or more and wouldn’t recognize them if I passed them on the street. Despite the lack of physical connection, I would say I am very close to some of my FB friend. I chat with them regularly, follow their lives and careers, laugh with them, send birthday greetings, and try to comfort and encourage them in difficult times. But would I know if they died? I can’t even say with certainty that some of my close “friends” are or ever were real people. They could be fictitious personas created by some third party.
This is not the only intersection between “real” life and virtual life. In fact, the digital world has not only grown exponentially in the past two decades, it has become deeply integrated into daily life. Web presence is not just a convenient side part of a business; in many cases it is essential to profitability. Not so long ago, having a website was optional for a business. Now, having a business is optional for a website. Although Amazon is one of the nation’s largest retailers, it does not have a single store. At least they sell real things. Real world courts have been asked to rule on disputes between virtual people over the sale of virtual property using virtual money.
A decade before the internet and two decades before Facebook, Jean Baudrillard described the increasing dominance of the unreal over the real.
“It is no longer a question of imitation, nor of reduplication, nor even parody. It is rather a question of substituting signs of the real for the real itself; that is, an operation to deter every real process by it operational double, a metastable, programmatic, perfect descriptive machine which provides all the signs of the real and short-circuits all it vicissitudes. Never again will the real have to be produced: this is the vital function of the model in a system of death, or rather of anticipated resurrection which no longer leaves any chance even in the event of death (p480).
In the case of my father, his Linked In profile continued on two years after his death. For those who interacted with him only through Linked In, he did not die until last week when I had them pull the plug. Had he wanted to, my father could have scheduled messages to be sent long after his death. Or, I could have taken over his account and he would be alive today.
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| Simulated breast milk for better brain development in a Postmodern world. |
As stated earlier, objects, people, and other things which are replaced by simulations are the simulacra. But what of creations which are meant to represent something which never existed? For Baudrillard, this is the hyperreal. “Hyperrealism, he claims, is the characteristic mode of postmodernity. In the realm of the hyperreal, the distinction between simulation and the real implodes" (p187).
Jameson
Where Lyotard points to the fall of metanarratives or grand narratives, it seems that Jameson points to history, a metanarrative that must be uncovered, grasped again to understand what capitalism is doing now. Jameson references the word whole like “whole global…postmodern culture,” “whole new economic world system,” “whole object world” (3-7). There is an ongoing, whole system at work that has been made inaccessible by components of postmodernism such as pastiche. Jameson explains: "Pastiche is, like parody, the imitation of a peculiar or unique, idiosyncratic style, the wearing of a linguistic mask, speech in a dead language. But it is a neutral practice of such mimicry, without any of parody's ulterior motives, amputated of the satiric impulse, devoid of laughter and of any conviction" (17). Pastiche as “dead language” keeps the artists saying nothing with the intent to say what was said. At best it is allusion to stereotypes of a mythic past. Jameson uses the example of nostalgia films where “the desperate attempt to appropriate a missing past is now refracted through the iron low of fashion change and emergent ideology of the generation” (19). The films try to regain and reminisce the past through distorted “pastness” or semblances of the past in films from the 1930’s and 1950’s (19). Pastiche makes it necessary to cannibalize “all the styles of the past” (18). This is also the case with historical novels, “it can only ‘represent’ our ideas and stereotypes about the past” (25). Ultimately Jameson wants to point the reader to accept “the dissolution of an autonomous sphere of cultural sphere,” in fact everything has become “culture” (48). Storey restates that everything has become culture at the expense of “critical space,” which makes culture the vulnerable mechanism of capitalism (194).
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| 10 Commandments (God, 1200 B.C.E.) |
Discussion:
1) Consider the power of the image. God thought representations of other gods (which may or may not exist) could be powerful so he banned them. What other images or simulations affect your daily life, despite the fact that they represent things that do not really exist?
2) Discuss the importance of 3D in Avatar. In particular, if the film is a contemporary version of Orientalism, how does the added dimension affect the meaning or impact of the film?
3) (The authors of this blog post have intentionally left the third discussion question open to your interpretation. Please elaborate in your response.)
Baudrillard writes, “The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth-it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true”(ST, 479). Though attributed to Ecclesiastes, this statement is not in The Bible. Baudrillard seems to be making a point about simulation, or “to feign to have what one hasn’t” (ST, 480). By using this quote, Baudrillard is feigning the support of God, something so many people are guilty of doing, not only with religious texts, but also with simulacra ranging from fortune cookie messages to scientific “facts.” This consideration of simulacra goes right back to the reader-centered approach of text analysis which “allows readers to symbolically play out desires and fantasies in the texts they read”(CTPC, 98). Except, the net is cast much wider and there is hardly a moment of daily existence that cannot be read as symbolic interplay. “God himself has only ever been his own simulacrum”(ST, 481).
ReplyDeleteWith the 3D craze sweeping through movie theaters, mostly as a fast and cheap thrill, it is easy to forget that with Avatar the experience links directly into the context of the movie. 3D glasses permitted viewers to feel one step closer to experiencing Pandora (the world of the film), not unlike the movie’s characters, who inhabit avatar surrogates. With the standard 2D movie experience, viewers have more of a choice as to whether they will vicariously experience the symbolic world depicted onscreen. But, when the 3rd dimension is added, viewers are thrust deeper into the fabric of the film whether they like it or not. In the case of Avatar, and in the context of Orientalism, this means every viewer gets to simulate the interloper amongst a tribe of blue people. The experience of Pandora was so intense for a number of viewers that upon leaving the movie theater, they found themselves depressed and experiencing a form of withdrawal. This withdrawal probably had something to do with having to give up the idyllic natural beauty of Pandora, but it may have also had something to do with giving up the role of the interloper.
I keep thinking about Spivak’s consideration of the “subaltern.” How does the symbolic act of “sati” make sense within the postmodern context? Unless it is witnessed first-hand, the act seems doomed to simulation. In her writing, isn’t Spivak simulating the “speech” inherent in the act of self-immolation? At what point does sati become pastiche?
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ReplyDeleteKevin, great illustration of postmodernism. Loved the examples.
ReplyDeleteLOST is real. It’s not something that was created by J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof. There was no set, no camera crew, no script. It occurred in 2004 (but extended to centuries earlier and the future). As Jack’s father Christian tells him in the final scene of the series, “[I’m real], you’re real, everything that has happened to you is real, all [the other people you knew] - they’re real too.” The characters refer to real things in my life, people/events that are a part of my reality. Ben, for example told Jack about the Red Socks winning the World Series, Martha Stewart being arrested, and George W. Bush getting re-elected. There is a book club held by “the Others,” a club I can actually be a part of (http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/94.LOST_Book_Club). I can go to the Oceanic Airlines website and book a flight (although I’d feel uncomfortable doing so given that one of their planes crashed on a mysterious island) (http://FlyOWA.com/). A new book called “LOST Thought” approaches LOST “as living, breathing text whose mythology, themes, and theses challenge our culture and our society at every level. “ It discusses the “cultural impact of the series” and the “social implications of specific characters” (http://darkufo.blogspot.com/2012/02/announcing-lost-thought.html). LOST is postmodern because it does more than just give people something to talk about. It “both helps to constitute an audience as bricoleurs and is watched in turn by an audience who celebrate the program’s bricolage “ (CTPC p. 198). As we see the characters wear Dharma uniforms, play backgammon, and discuss literature and philosophy, we too can buy and wear the uniforms, play the games, and enter the discussions (http://abctvstore.cafepress.com/lost/s_lost_home-gifts).
Still don’t believe me? Perhaps you would be interested in attending LOST University. This site is very worthy of a dissertation. It contains faculty, tutors, discussion forums, semester schedules, and a course catalog that provides lectures and information on topics like Spanish Exploration or philosophy - all things LOST! (http://www.lostuniversity.org/index.php) LOST is clearly a strong example of postmodernism because of its “view of the audience” (CTPC p. 199).
I LOVE LOST!!! It is totally real :)
DeleteI was never a fan of LOST, but have had experiences with other shows where I would text back and forth with friends about characters from the show as if they were real people. SO, yeah... I can see where you guys are coming from.
DeleteAnd I hate to nitpick, but it's Red SOX, not Socks.
DeleteYou nitpicker you.
DeleteJean Baudrillard argued that there has been a historical shift in the West, from a society based on the production of things to one based on the of information. He goes on to argue that the distinction between the original and copy has itself been destroyed, a process called simulation (Storey 187). When I think of simulation I reflect back to last semester when I took a Synchronous course. Technology has evolved so much that as a student I was afforded the opportunity to learn from the comfort of my own home. The synchronous course resembled the traditional-campus courses, in which you had to meet at a scheduled time with your professor and other students in the online classroom. The course simulated the traditional classroom experience. With the use of the audio, we were able to communicate with one another. The professor gave 'live' lectures as we listened and chimed in when necessary by clicking on the raise hand symbol. The professor would call on us when he noticed the hand raised or we had the ability to chat as well during this time. Being able to have discussions with the professor and the other students made you feel as if you were actually in the same room together. Of course you do realize that you are not truly in a traditional classroom setting, but by way of a computer.
ReplyDeleteBaudrillard also called simulation 'the generation by models of a real without origins or reality: a hyperreal' (187), what is real and what is fiction integrated together. When I see reality shows such as The Real Housewives of Atlanta (which is one of my guilty pleasures) I'm persuaded to believe, according to the title, that these women are 'real' housewives and supposedly wealthy. But, after having watched the show for a while, I learned that the reality is these women are either divorced, in the process of getting a divorce, never been married or someone's mistress. Furthermore, not all of these women are actually of any wealth. Some are, in fact, flat broke with homes in foreclosure and cars repossessed. But all we see are the false images through the eyes of the television, which are portrayed as real and many women see this and want to live this distorted lifestyle.
While reading for the week and thinking about images that are real I ran across a picture I had taken last summer. It is a simple, winding dirt road, with a very lush green canopy of trees. This road leads to the cabin where my grandmother and her nine brothers and sisters where born. When I show people this picture they often do not believe that it is real. However, when I show this picture to my grandmother she has a completely different response. When she looks at this picture I believe she demonstrates hyperrealism. “When the real is no longer what it used to be, nostalgia assumes its full meaning” (CTPC, p.190). This is what happens to my grandmother when she looks at this picture.
ReplyDeleteEvery time she comes into my house and sees the pictures she tells stories of how she used to walk down the road to her Uncle’s house, and how you can’t tell but over to the left just around the curve there use to sit an old barn where they would hang tobacco. The stories she tells are always happy and warm. However, other times when she has not looked at the picture her story changes. This road is not a trip full of skipping children…it’s the road that led to a two-room house with 11 people living in extreme poverty.
Baudrillard suggest that hyperrealism calls into question the claims of representation (CTPC, 190). I have no way of telling which representation of this road and it’s meaning is the “truth”…maybe both are. Or maybe there never was a barn and this road really doesn’t lead my grandmother back to her birthplace. In fact, it could be a picture I took of a random dirt road (but it’s not) that makes her think back to the road she traveled as a child.
Also two random thoughts that I took note of while reading: 1.) When Lyotard is talking about metanarratives “silencing and excluding others” (CTPC, 185), I could not help thinking back to the week I discussed Queer Theory. Am I wrong to draw the following example: Heterosexuality is the metanarrative that is silencing homosexuality?! 2.) When Baudrillard talks about simulacrum being a copy I could not help but think of how Titanic 3D is just a copy of the original Titanic…the story has not changed it will be the same movie that I watched in the sixth grade.
It seems as though I spent a lot of the last week trying to pick apart and make sense of the concept of Postmodernism. (I know this sounds complete and total bulls***, but hey at least hear me out before you pass judgement.)
ReplyDeleteSo, the first subject of debate was the concept of the postmodern actor (arose from a discussion with David), and the conversation was quickly turned to Sasha Grey. For those of you that don’t know Sasha Grey is a porn star (in act she is the self-proclaimed ‘existentialist’ porn star), who has made a modest transition into mainstream films. Grey appeared in Soderburgh’s The Girlfriend Experience (playing a call girl, a definite stretch) and on the seventh season of Entourage on HBO. (Playing herself, it was really quite a stretch.)
Grey is the deconstruction of the porn star and the actress mythos, she blurs the line between mainstream and the counter culture or underground- disassembles the binary configuration of actress. Grey does not many of our pre-conceived notions of someone working in the adult industry (that they are an airheaded bimbo or an innocent young girl being taken advantage of by a cruel and malevolent industry). Rather she presents herself, and seems to actually be, a somewhat intelligent person who enjoys sex and seems to be okay with doing it on camera. (Well, she did ‘retire’ from the actual doing it on camera thing, but cited that “Don’t worry, I haven’t found Jesus. One thing's for certain, I’m proud to say I have no regrets, I genuinely feel I accomplished everything I could as a performer.”) Now, she looks to make the jump into the mainstream and so far, she’s had more success than the average person that follows a traditional path (traditional path meaning- taking classes or going to school, or through a training program, etc.)
Now, the second instance of postmodernist conversation came last night at Zinnie’s[1] in midtown. (For the record, I did not impose any sort of reference or mention to PM in the discussion, but I immediately thought of Kevin’s post.)
The conversation turned to discussion of our friend who had recently lost an old highschool friend. (It was sudden in a car accident.) Specifically though the conversation centered around the impact of Facebook in the event. I, myself, have lost three people from college (one also attended my high school as well) and learned about each of their passings via Facebook.
Our discussion, though, was focused not on the deaths involved, but the way in which social media (be it Facebook, Tumblr, or even Twitter) has changed the event of death in many aspects. Take for instance its impact on mourning. Facebook takes something that has traditionally been a very private thing and put it out into the world for all to see. Is that really a bad thing? Well, that’s not an easy question to answer. On the one hand, the concept of privacy is greatly diminished. However, with a decrease in privacy, you at the same time allow the interconnected nature of social media to serve a greater, more useful purpose. People can come together, people who have not ever met or have no reason for knowing save that they have both in that very instant experienced the same substantial loss of a friend or loved one. It’s represents a whole new method to the grieving and healing process and it allows this new support network to be born.
Social media can also help as a release valve. For example, a friend of mine from Ohio (after the loss of another mutual friend about month ago) was able to take to tumblr and share the thoughts and feelings and memories that he could bring himself to say at the wake when there was an opportunity to address that then and there. He may missed his opportunity at the wake, but in a world where the majority of those people are still connected by this other means, he can finally say what he had wanted to say and not have to carry around regret because of it.
Footnote:
Delete1. It was a very slow, kind of somber night at Zinnie’s. The crowd was scattered and looked sort of depressed as it were. (It probably didn’t help that I had pumped the jukebox full of a song run that included slower songs like Adele’s Someone Like You [because of the SNL sketch featuring Emma Stone] and My Heart Will Go On [because of Titanic 3D opening up this weekend.]) Anyways, sparse crowd, kind of a downer, but I digress...