English 3044 Post-Modernism& Late 20th Century

The Rise of Popular Culture in England (1950s)

English culture, 1960s

Despite its actual ‘empire’ shrinking, England recovered by the 1960s to become an affluent nation and a fashion, music, and cultural trendsetter.

The BeatlesRolling Stones

English culture, 1970sEngland was increasingly hurt by energy crises, labor strikes, violent conflicts with Ireland, and declining standards of living in the 1970s. One reaction was the ugly street-level subculture of punk, a reaction to the economic troubles of the younger generation.

The Sex Pistols

English culture, 1980sEconomic recovery was slow, and England was increasingly split by a cultural conflict between conservative, traditional England (pro-Thatcher) and a new vibrant subculture of new wave and metal. Immigration was also making the country more ethnically diverse.

Human LeagueJudas Priest Culture Club

English culture, 1990sAlthough England had a revival of culture in the “Cool Brittania” movement of the late 90’s with bands like Oasis, The Spice Girls, and Robbie Williams, the 90’s were less economically or culturally eventful, though the country continued to become more multicultural through immigration.

Modernism 1890-1970Modernism is a revolt against the idea that art should continue traditional cultural values and styles. “Make it new!” “Less is more!”• A rejection of realism; what we understand as ‘truth’ is affected by our own imperfect and inconsistent senses; everyone has their own perception of reality• We can find truth through abstract, surreal, or partly-unconscious experiences or representations• Technology and science can be dehumanizing, but they can also be tools to help investigate ideas and truth• Women and the marginalized should be included in creative art

Postmodernism 1970-Postmodernism is a revolt against the idea that there is a single unifying truth to discover at all.• A rejection of objective truth; what we understand as ‘truth’ and ‘reason’ is only a social construct which nations (often oppressive, dominant ones) force on others• The self isn’t any better at finding truth; it’s just a social idea • Technology and science are mostly ideologies which perpetuate the idea that rationality exists.• Postmodern feminism: gender doesn’t exist; it’s just a social idea

Traditional Approach Let’s show things as they really are, or as they could be in Heaven. Our art will show truth, and it will be beautiful and please God. Modernist Approach Traditional ideas are bad; they nearly destroyed the world. Realism is boring. Let’s show things as we see and feel them inside, and that will be closer to the truth. Postmodern Approach There is no single truth; there are just ideas society agreed on. If we realize this and make our own meaning in our art, it will be more honest.

Sounds depressing. But:Postmodernism can also be liberating for artists as it continues to reject some of the assumptions which modernism still kept:• Modernism still retained the idea of high and low art; postmodernism holds that comic books are just as much art as paintings and opera• The artist is not obligated to “create” (as there’s nothing left to create), but can mash and mix all existing art freely (pastiche)• Plural versions of reality and narration can be mixed in literature and narrative• The artist is more open to non-western ideas of indefiniteness (either/or/and) as well as foreign cultural ideas generally• The architecture is richer and fuller (“less is a bore!”)

Criticisms of postmodernism• Many scientists reject postmodernism, arguing that a rejection of the possibility of truth and reason makes scientific conclusions impossible• Many theologians reject postmodernism, arguing that a society with no consistent morality at all has no basis or possibility of surviving• Many critics argue that postmodernism doesn’t actually stand for anything; it mostly denies meaning or truth• The music and art can be difficult, inaccessible, and pretentious• Postmodernism can be ‘parasitic’ in that it doesn’t necessarily create anything new; it just re-uses older art

Postmodernism in literatureIf our own experience of reality is incomplete, and there isn’t any actual truth anyway, how can stories be written?• Postmodern narrators (first or third person) can be unclear or contradictory (A Pale View of Hills) or dishonest (The Satanic Verses); there may be unclear or multiple endings (Crying of Lot 49)• Magical realism (A Hundred Years of Solitude, Pedro Paramo), where the magical/impossible is treated as routine• Intertextuality: The text may refer to other texts, admit itself as a text, or move between genres• Temporal distortion: The text may jump between time or present a fragmented and incomplete version of chronology

Why else? Because it’s fun. Modernism… can be boring

Korea when I came here… zzzz….

Or

Neo-Futurism: An Idealized (but Retro?) Techno-“Future”

Neo-Futurism

“Fusion food” is post-modern- “Pastiche” dishes of national cuisines and foods

Architectural “Pastiche”

Literary and Movie “Pastiche”

- “Zombie” literature which re-writes classic literature with horror movie monsters

Literary and Movie “Pastiche”

- “Steampunk” sets modern stories in 19th-century technology - Variations: parody; homage; self-parody

Literature as Graphic Novel

Video Games as Literature

Non-linear and interactive hypertext

Michael Joyce's Afternoon (1987)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPJwz39Hfk8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqQcAVm3SJM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFBijDU8PpE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrq4o3zY2EY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZG6lQPQKlI