Postmodernism Lecture

Postmodernism – Lecture One

The term “postmodernism” first comes into use in architecture to describe the reaction against postwar ugly modern concrete residential tower blocks.

It has become influential in areas of study: philosophy, political theory, economics and sociology.

There are many kinds or approaches to postmodernism – we will discuss the main ones but concentrate on how the notion of postmodernism is used in sociological theory.

§ anti-humanistic – death of “Man” – the rise of humanism – Mid Ages to Renaissance to Enlightenment
§ anti meta-narratives – anti transcontextual – truths not Truth
§ loss of origins and transcendental signifiers
§ overcoming of hierarchies and vertical knowledges
§ meaning can’t be nailed down
§ multiple subjects – not sovereign subject
§

In sociology – the term ‘postmodernism’ points to fundamental changes that have happened in society that distinguish those societies from earlier ones in the modern period.

Pre-modern and modern

Many classical sociologists such as Comte, Durkheim, Weber, and Marx shared a common interest in the social changes associated with industrialization.

All of them believed that they had, or could, use scientific analysis to uncover the underlying truth of human development (called ‘metanarratives’ by some postmodernists). All thought they could identify the future direction of social change.

This faith place in science – to be able to tell us the truth of things – and the belief in science can be seen as characteristic of the movement from pre-modern to modern.

Many sociologists would suggest that in pre-modern societies – such as tribal societies - were based on religion, superstition, and tradition – and that there was little conception of change as subject to human control – instead change was seen as determined by other, non-human forces.

The Enlightenment

Modern ways of thinking are usually seen as having their origins in the 18th Century Enlightenment. The rise of autonomous reason over revealed Truth – as found in the Bible, or told to us by the Church.

David Harvey describes, on page 12 of The Condition of Postmodernity the Enlightenment in the following way:

(quote one)

Postmodernism and the Enlightenment

Many postmodern theorists claim that the Enlightenment project of the modern age has come to an end in the 20th century – many people no longer believe in the inevitability of progress, that science can solve all our problems, or even the possibility of running societies in strictly rational ways.

Many people are less hopeful about the future and do not believe that the answer can be found in grand theories or ideologies such as Marxism.

People are also exposed – through the internet and other medium - to a wide varieties of understandings, knowledges, cultures, and beliefs – and can no longer believe that the absolute truth is to be found in one set of ideas or beliefs and all others are false.

Postmodernism and Architecture

The first place – in the West – that many of these postmodern understandings were expressed was in architecture. Modern architecture used many cheap materials to mass produce housing and offices for cities.

Scientific knowledge would solve the problems of accommodation. The swiss born architect – Le Corbusier saw architecture as producing ‘machines for modern living’

(quote two)

Postmodern architects distrust the scientific approach and instead of looking to a high technology future – borrow from the past.

Postmodern theorists say this loss of belief in grand plans for the future of humanity – extends past architecture to include all areas of social life.

(quote three)

Jean-Francois Lyotard – Postmodernism and Knowledge

Ask to write something on the state of knowledge in Canada – Lyotard writes The Postmodern Condition (1984).

In it he claims that postmodern culture begins to develop at the end of the 1950s.

Lyotard sees these as related to science and technology – but most importantly, he thought to changes in language – these he called “language games”.

Lyotard saw social life as organized around these ‘language games’ – which served to legitimate peoples behaviour.

Lyotard thought that saying that anything is true or right are just ‘language games’ in which the speaker is just trying to get their version of what is true or right accepted.

Narrative

In pre-modern societies the principle language games were stories, myths, legends and tales. The narrator established his right to speak and the legitimacy of wha he is saying according to who he is. Narratives like these help the tribe convey the rules on which its society is based.

Science and Metanarratives

Enlightenment narratives are different in that ‘who’ speaks the narrative is not as important as whether the scientific claim is judged as true.

The scientist sees narrative, such as myths, stories, etc, as being backward, primitive, and ignorant.

The truth or falseness of a scientific claim is establish by other participants in the scientific language game by evidence and rational argument – these decide whether the narrative will be accepted or rejected.

However, scientific statements can not separate themselves completely from narrative. Science tries to maintain a distance between it and narrative, but it can’t absolutely.

Science itself relies on metanarratives for its meaning and motivation. Why
do science?

The metanarratives – like the idea of progress - that humans can defeat ignorance and oppression – give scientific endeveavour a purpose.

Knowledge is seen as being inherently good for human beings.

The Postmodern Era

Lyotard says that in the pomo era these metanarratives are becoming harder and harder to believe – that: reason will conquer superstition or that political change can produce a perfect society.

The postmodern era is seen as having two main characteristics:

(1) the idea of their being a Truth idea is abandoned as denotative language games are seen as relative to context.
(2) denotative language games are replaced by technical language games – pragmatism. Richard Rorty.

So a philosopher or researcher might ask what is the use or my research rather than whether it is true or not.

Knowledge and Computer Technology

Lyotard said that one of the things that postmodernism rests on is miniaturization and commercialization of machines – particularly computers. Computers have become the principle means of production.

Knowledge that cannot be translated into a form useable by computers tends to get lost or disregarded.

Economic activity is centered more and more on information technology.

Social life becomes more and more dependent on technology – internet, mobile phones, etc.

Postmodern society is based on the production and exchange of useful knowledge.

Grand theories of Truth are less important than knowledge language games which are efficient and marketable – rather than whether they serve some ultimate purpose or goal.

(quote 4)

The search for truth in modern thinking has led only to as much terror as we can take. Postmodernism offers the possibility of tolerance and creative diversity in which people are not corrupted by a doctrinaire metanarrative.

Lyotard – Critique

Lyotard indulges in performative contradictions – while attacking metanarrative Lyotard makes big statements about the direction of human development – as well as making moral assessments about its desirability.

While dismissing the idea of objective knowledge he claims that he has identified the key features of contemporary societies.

Terry Eagleton (‘Capitalism, modernism, and postmodernism’ in Against the Grain – a Marxist critic of Lyotard says that he sees nothing more than a justification for capitalism and pursuit of profit regardless of the human consequences.

Jean Baudrillard – Simulations

Baudrillard is widely amongst sociologists as the postmodernist par excellence.

The significance of Baudrillard for sociologists is his claim that the sociological idea that it is a study of a distinct domain – the ‘social’, the ‘political’, the ‘political’, the ‘economic’( Weber also cautions against the use of the terms such as ‘social’ and ‘sociology’

Signs and the Economy

Baudrillard states that society that has moved away from the Marxist idea of being based on production and economic forces – the importance of buying and selling goods has been replaced with the buying and selling of signs – BRANDING.

The Development of Signs

Baudrillard claimed that signs in human culture pass through four main stages:

(quote 5)

(1) signs represent a basic reality
(2) signs cover up a basic reality.
(3) signs cover up an absence of a basic reality – like icons may cover up the fact that God does not exist
(4) the sign has no relation to any reality whatsoever – it is pure simulacrum


(quote 6)

Simulacrum:

an image of something that does not exist and has never existed. To Baudrillard, modern society is based on the production and exchange of free-floating signifiers (words and images) which have no connection with what is signified (the things that words and images refer to).

Examples of Simulacrum

Disneyland – perfect model of a simulacrum

Not just theme parks – Los Angeles – made of stories and images that have no grounding in reality.

Power and Politics

The political implications of this are: if it becomes impossible to grasp reality through signs – then it becomes impossible to change things.

Baudrillard doesn’t think that power is distributed unevenly – power – the ability to change anything at all – has just disappeared and we are all trapped in a virtual prison – powerless to change anything at all and condemned to endlessly exchanging meaningless signs.

Baudrillard is different from Lyotard in that he saw humans as being trapped rather than being freed by the postmodernist age.

Television

Baudrillard had a lot to say about television.

Baudrillard spoke of ‘the dissolution of life into TV’ and said “TV watches us, TV alienates us, TV manipulates us, TV informs us’ – to Baudrillard it is television is primarily responsible for bring about a situation where image and reality can no longer be distinguished.

David Harvey – The Condition of Postmodernity

Harvey’s view very different than either Lyotard or Baudrillard.

Disagrees with Lyotard that metanarratives have outlived their usefulness – since he use a metanarrative – Marxism – as the basis of his analysis of postmodernism.

Puts most of the emphasis on economic factors.

Continuities and Changes in Capitalism

Harvey says that a capital system is still at the heart of contemporary Western societies. This economic system retains three basic characteristics:

(quote 7)

Capitalism is based on economic growth and is defined as being in crisis when there is no growth.

Capitalism is based on workers being paid less than the value of the commodities they produce so profits can be made.

Capitalism is dynamic. It is always producing or organizing work and technological innovation as businesses seek to get ahead of their competitors.

It is the changes in economics that causes changes in culture and society.

From WWII to about 1973 – the economy was fairly stable throughout the world – but economic problems came to a head in around 1973 – oil crisis, unemployment, profits fell, stagflation – these problems led to “different regimes of accumulation” – different ways of trying to ensure profit and growth.

This is turn was the cause of many of the cultural changes that we call postmodern.

Economic Change and Postmodernism

The change from modern to postmodern - is the change to “flexible accumulation”

He sees flexible accumulation as involving:


(quote 8)

rapid changes in labour markets, products and patterns of consumptions
more rapid technological change
increasing employment in the service sector
the reduction of trade union power
high unemployment
reduced security for workers who are expected to be flexible enough to accommodate the ever-changing demands of their employers

Patterns of consumption of products such as computer games and new services in the leisure industry have led to cultural changes.

Capitalist have succeeded in encouraging rapid shifts in fashion – ie. clothes and music.

Cultural and Social Changes

Harvey would say that it is economic change which has brought about the cultural and political changes that have been the focus of attention for theorists – such as Lyotard and Baudrillard.

Quick changes in fashion – to drive up profits –give us the difference, ephemerality, spectacle, etc of postmodernism.

Cheaper and cheaper – and faster – travel and the internet – all brought about to maintain profits – have changed the way in which people experience Time and Space – compressed it.

Thus: the sense of time and place has been weakened – I can listen to my favorite radio here in Chiang Mai – often you see places before you get there on television – ie. New York City.