Post Modern

Post Modernism Essay

Post Modernism

Post Modernism is an idea, theory and set of principles, it challenges the normal structure or idea of something. A modernist would create something that just gets the job done, does not play around with idea’s to create something different or unusual. Examples of this could be a block of flats being built just so people can live in them, every room the same size, every window the same the whole building would be the same, this would be modernism. However an example of post modernism could be the A T and T building where it is plays around with ideas and looks different to the building we are mainly used to. However within this building half does look modernist. Another example that could be used could be the comedy genre, a modernist comedy would be the standard slapstick humour that we see then a post modernist comedy could be the mighty boosh for example where it uses many different ideas to make it more interesting. A post modernist idea is very playful and brings many ideas into one product it often uses intertextuality. There are many post modernist ideas another example could be how they would take an already made text and make it different, they would then call it their own. Whereas a modernist would call this copying, a post modernist would call this appropriation.

Post modernism is different to modernism in the manner that it challenges ideas and is willing to play with ideas to be successful. It almost doesn't need the perfect materials to make something it will make the most of what it has. Also i would say that it is not optimistic it challenges and questions all ideas does not believe that they are corrects. If there was a grand narrative a post modernist would question it and look for weaknesses within it. Post modernism lack belief in the human knowledge and is much more pessimistic.

The ideas of post-modernism have emerged because people are starting to challenge modernist ideas as they are running out, people want to be original with things such as tv shows. It has emerged so that people can stand out and be different to entertain or make things look better. The confidence within modernism has disappeared so we have entered a post modernist era that is much more pessimistic and lacking belief. Therefore the point is that post modernists almost believe they have to create everything themselves, you create your own truth there is no grand story to believe, you just believe what works for you.

There are various characteristic that we expect to see in post modern texts such as, intertextuality which is referencing other products or people that the audience will recognize to make it more interesting for them. Examples of this could the pacman in the mighty boosh or the rolls Royce look on the a t and t tower. Another characteristic that is commonly used is appropriation where something is taken, then adapted by the post modernist with them claiming it then as there own. Parody we would also expect to see within post modern texts this is when a text very cleverly mocks another one.