Monday, October 09, 2006

What is this Postmodernism Anyway


Just a quick post this morning as I feel that I have been neglecting my blog this weekend. I have spent the last couple of days grappling with such terms as postmodernism, metafiction and fabulation for my critical studies homework - nothing like throwing you in at the deep end - and we haven't even had a critical studies class yet!

It's postmodernism that has foxed me most though - I understand that loosely it is a mixture of old and new, basically anything goes, but there is so much written on the subject that it is easy to get bogged down and a lot of it is hard to understand.

What I can't get to grips with is when did modernism stop and postmodernism begin. I may be naive but I thought that anything new was modern. But modernism seems to be ideas that conciously break with the past and try to be different. Although of course it is dabatable as to whether anything can be truly original. So postmodernism differs in that it uses both new ideas but also elements of what has gone before. Like using opera in a pop video, or a gothic arch on a modern building. It's all very confusing and I haven't even got into the philosophy part yet! and that's only one question of the six we had for homework...better get back to work!

2 comments:

Turtle Guy said...

A mix of old and new can be tantalizing!

"I feel that I have been neglecting my blog this weekend."

Blogging is, as I see it, an invitation to share and to be sociable around the world. It should never be an obligation to post. I've noticed many people make reference to blogging as if it's yet another thing on their list to do. Much as there's always the feeling of "I must keep up with my friends", we each have a life - which makes us the interesting people we are - so I post when I can and catch up when it's necessary.

Thanks for dropping by my page. I look forward to hearing more from your corner of the world.

Julia said...

thanks for the feedback turtle guy. I don't really see blogging as a chore - I enjoy it - that's why I do it, but somehow I feel like I have let myself down if I miss it for too long. Of course, all it really means is that I am busy in the real world, or ill or lazy!