1. Philosopher case studies on postmodernism
Jean Baudrillard was a social theorist that was best known for his analysis
of the modes of mediation and how technical communication affects
social change and how it covers different topics such as the social
understanding of history and consumerism. He defines the term ‘hyper
reality’ as a condition in which reality has been replaced by simulacra.
Simulacra is termed as a sign that loses its relation to reality and the
process in which a representation of something comes to replace the thing
which is actually being represented. He also describes that the division
between ‘real’ and ‘simulation’ (the active process of replacement of the
real) in hyper reality has collapsed. Because of this, an illusion of an
object is no longer possible because the real object is no longer there. He
states that there is a possibility to deny the message underneath the
medium has any substance at all. Therefore the audience comes to
perceive the media a world that appears ‘real’ but is not.
Fredric Jameson is another theorist that carries a Marxist view who is best
known for his analysis of contemporary cultural trends. He describes
postmodernism as “the spatialization of culture under the pressure of
organized capitalism.” In his view, postmodernity was the result of all
colonization of culture and that it is characterized by pastiche that has
also replaced parody. He also states how the postmodern era suffers from
a crisis in historicity: “there no longer seems to be any organic
relationship between the American history we learn from schoolbooks
and the lived experience of the current, multinational, high-rise city of the
newspapers and of everyday life.”
Jean-Francois Lyotard was a French philosopher and literary theorist. He
describes postmodernity as an “incredulity towards meta-narratives”
where he rejected what he called the “grand narratives” or universal
“meta-narratives’. These meta-narratives, sometimes called ‘grand
narratives’ are grand, large-scale theories and philosophies of the world,
such as the progress of history, the know ability of everything by science,
and the possibility of absolute freedom. They refer to the great theories of
history, science, religion and politics. For example, Lyotard rejects the
idea that everything is knowable by science or that as history moves
forward in time, humanity makes progress. He would reject universe
political ‘solutions’ such as communism or capitalism. He also rejects the
idea of absolute freedom. He also explains that we have ceased to believe
that narratives of this kind are acceptable to represent us all. We have
become alert to diversity and the incompatibility of our aspirations,
2. beliefs and desires. For this reason, postmodernity is characterised by
mironarratives. Lyotard also mentions how aesthetic matters. He saw
postmodernism as a hidden trend within thought throughout time and not
a narrowly-limited historical period.
