tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post3658364113714402498..comments2024-03-27T09:14:27.496+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: Consumer Culture and PostmodernismPhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-37382780126690564252010-07-24T16:37:14.052+01:002010-07-24T16:37:14.052+01:00Dave
How about postmodernism in 350 words?
In t...Dave<br /><br /><br />How about postmodernism in 350 words?<br /><br />In the 1960s a group of academics, growing tired of trying to make it in their chosen fields and unable to come up with a truly original thought, had a smashing idea; create a new field where the field itself was the new thought, but nobody could really know or be allowed to discover, what that new thought was, or if there was really a new thought there at all. <br /><br />If they were successful in doing so, they would be on the gravy train for life.<br /><br />Creating this new field would be like creating a new language. But that would be difficult, and why bother? Someone had already invented Elvish and Klingon. Why not take existing languages and add new vocabularies or, for even better obfuscation, add new meanings to existing lexical items, but, and here’s the keystone; don’t add them to the dictionary. Only allow access through the new priesthood, the academics.<br /><br />“Lorsqu'il ya ambiguïté, il ya la permanence, où il ya occupation, il est en laiton,” said Baudrillard.<br /><br />But what about a new grammar? Not needed. Existing grammar had, in its infinite wisdom, and without prejudice, to those who could see it, or even, without prejudice to those who could see it, already provided the solution.<br /><br />The relative clause, both defining and non-defining, where the judicial positioning of a single comma could result in more Phd grant applications than any sociology department could have previously dreamed. Add multiple clauses to sentences with more than one subject and / or object and you reach levels of complexity even the FBI could not penetrate.<br /><br />When finished, they sat back to admire this thing of beauty. Language, the defining skill of mankind, the basis of meaningful communication, had been transformed into a means of obfuscation in order to create a new academic discipline whose sole purpose was the continued existence of that discipline. It served no other master than itself; for only in true meaninglessness can you find the true meaning of life.<br /><br />“But isn’t that complete bollocks?” said the undergraduate.<br />His professor thought for a second, before asking “What do you say to a sociologist without a Phd?”<br />“I don’t know,” said the student.<br />“Can I have a large fries with that,” said his professor.Boabnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-86363583375768977732010-07-17T10:24:50.427+01:002010-07-17T10:24:50.427+01:00Easier said than done, Dave. I've not read one...Easier said than done, Dave. I've not read one book that offers a decent intro to all aspects of pomo. That said I really liked <i>Postmodernism for Beginners</i> by Appignanesi and Zarate (it trades under the name <i>Introducing Postmodernism</i> these days) back in the day. Callinicos's <i>Against Postmodernism</i>, though dated, is a good intro and critique of most of the French post-structuralist scene. There's a chapter in there on Habermas too who is very much <i>not</i> a pomo thinker but has tried to think through some of the social changes associated with postmodernism.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-13491618635783327572010-07-16T16:30:10.014+01:002010-07-16T16:30:10.014+01:00Phil
As someone who had his higher education in t...Phil<br /><br />As someone who had his higher education in those far off days before all this bollox was current, can you recommend a 200 page or so book that will bring me up to speed on PoMo?<br /><br />Dave ODavehttp://www.davidosler.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-11394514673100218192010-07-15T03:52:56.840+01:002010-07-15T03:52:56.840+01:00Located within a materialist framework I think som...Located within a materialist framework I think some postmodern theory and research has useful insights to offer into recent changes in political subjectivities.<br /><br />I think Graham Taylor's recent book argues this case well. My comments on his book are here:<br /><br />http://nextleft2010.blogspot.com/2010/05/period-of-transition.htmlNext Lefthttp://nextleft2010.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-68609869072001502632010-07-14T19:55:10.520+01:002010-07-14T19:55:10.520+01:00I remember in my post-grad days an argument somewh...I remember in my post-grad days an argument somewhere that stated that media workers form part of a 'creative class' (a new class) as the product they produce is not tangible in a physical sense.Rash Humanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07699489189848970524noreply@blogger.com