Media Futures - Postmodernity Group 7 Teri Gillings

Postmodernity Throughout this presentation we will discuss some of the key features of Postmodernity, what role it plays within the media and its aim. What is Postmodernity? Postmodernity in Practice Postmodernity in the Media The aim of Postmodernity Postmodern Youth Ministry, n.d.,

What is Postmodernity? Postmodernity is a complex topic that is considered to be a new perspective, it is a multiplicity of meanings and viewpoints in which challenges the conventional grand narratives. Postmodernity is all about breaking down the barriers and deconstructing everything we know from pre-modern and post-modern times. It forms ideologies and the disbelief toward our current and previous social constructs. It argues that there is NO absolute truth to these social constructs. Jean Francois Lyotard a French philosopher was a strong advocate for postmodernity and encourages people to become skeptical about the already established and to recognize the limits of modern thinking and therefore create something new. Due to the nature of postmodernity, there is no real agreed definition, it isn’t a philosophy; it is a way of analyzing things. The simplistic ideal is to accept a number of different perspectives. Postmodernity holds the disbelief toward meta-narrative or grand narratives, (an abstract idea that is supposed to be a comprehensive explanation of historical experience or knowledge) a term introduced by Lyotard, Post + modern = a break with thinking about the world or looking at the world in a certain way. Postmodernity is, therefore, a new perspective on the modern, a challenge to the modern or an alternative view of the modern. In so doing, it recognises that there are limits to what modernity can provide (Bainbridge, J, Goc, N, & Tynan, L 2011 pp.398). The Grand Narrative, June ,

Post Modernity in Practice Postmodernity can be viewed in a negative light for many reasons as it goes against the grain and enforces the idea to challenge what we already know. Postmodernity can mean the abandonment of structure and order and lack meaning and depth, but why should we be content with what society has already constructed and decided that this is how it is going to be? Postmodernity can provide an optimistic idealism that will break down the barriers and norms in today’s society. As stated in Chapter 20 of Media & Journalism, in the past we had failed to recognize the wrong done to Indigenous Australians or failed to fight for equal rights for women or refugees, yet due to postmodernity these things now have recognition and changes have been made. There will be a continuation of effects that require further questioning, further social constructs that require deconstructing and rebuilding. Postmodernity co-exists or better yet, compliments modernity, however postmodernity breaks away from the tradition and favours those ideologies that may not be ‘legitimate’ or ‘authorised’ (Lyotard, 1999). Postmodernity is a way of thinking, an array of ideals that takes into account the pre-disposed modernity whilst going against objectivity and fixity. It encourages the undulation, fragmentation, difference and respect for alternative perspectives (Bainbridge, J, Goc, N, & Tynan, L 2011 pp.406). Postmodernity, n.d.,

Postmodernity in the Media It is well known that mass media can make a huge impact in society, whether it be reporting on the Haiti Earthquake or updating us on the latest Kardashian news. It allows us to understand the diversification throughout the globe from the comfort of our homes. Due to postmodernism, postmodernity and the postmodern becoming so interchangeable and versatile within so many contexts throughout academia and the media it can become an empty signifier (Bainbridge, J, Goc, N, & Tynan, L 2011 pp.396), however it can also remain to be quite valuable when engaging in media. It allows us to analyse and comprehend the shifting relationship between media and society, understanding from another’s viewpoint while being able to form our own perspective; it changes the way we think. Postmodernity in the media and the public sphere sanctions all ideologies and inspires consideration in all forms. Postmodernity believes that modernity can be a limited way of thinking and may not always have the minorities’ best interest at heart and in turn, postmodernity will often favour the minority’s view. This can allow a more accurate view to be portrayed in the Media if postmodernity is employed. Quentin Tarantino, an American film director is renowned for his postmodern movies such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. Tarantino defies modernism by challenging the existing forms and conventions of traditional media. His films don’t follow the modern narrative and completely abandon structure and order. If you have seen any of his movies it is easy to see that scenes are disjointed as he embraces intertextuality and hybridity (Postmodern Surfer, 2010). Bricolage (in art or literature) construction or creation from a diverse range of available things. Intertextuality the relationship between texts, especially literary ones Hybridity is a cross between two separate races or cultures. A hybrid is something that is mixed, and hybridity is simply mixture. As an explicative term, hybridity became a useful tool in forming a fearful discourse of racial mixing that arose toward the end of the 18th Century (Google ) Canvas Art, n.d.,

The aim of Postmodernity The aim of Postmodernity is to work alongside with modernity and if need be even against it, it’s aim it to be able see the world through a different light. Postmodernity encourages not only diversity in all forms but to allow disjointed or fragmented viewpoints and organization outside of the grand narratives already pre-disposed. Postmodernity is expressed through ideas of hybridity, bricolage and intertextuality and breaks away from tradition. Postmodernity is all around us and is expressed through our social networks, television, music artists, comics and even fashion. It aims to breakdown the conventional good vs evil, man vs woman and embrace that nothing is purely objective. Lyotard encourages people to become skeptical about the established, recognize the limits of modern thinking and to create something new (Lyotard, 1999) Postmodern, n.d.,

References Bainbridge, J, Goc, N, & Tynan, L 2011, Media and journalism: new approaches to theory and practice, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, pp , Bricolage, Google, n.d., viewed 13 September 2015, Confession of Inadequacy, Word Press, 26 May 2009, viewed 12 September 2015, Hybridity, Google, n.d., viewed 13 September 2015, Intertextuality, Google, n.d., viewed 13 September 2015, Lyotard, J 1999, Toward the Postmodern, Humanity Books, Amherst MIA: Encyclopedia of Marxism: Glossary of Terms n.d., viewed 12 September 2015, Postmodern Surfer 2010, n.d., viewed 12 September 2015, The Postmodern Condition A Report on Knowledge, n.d, viewed 12 September 2015, UnboringLearning 2012, Post-Modernism, 20 May, viewed 8 September 2015,. Images: Can Christians be postmodernists? 21 April 2015, viewed 13 September 2015, Emerging Youth’s Webblog, n.d., viewed 13 September 2015, Quentin Tarantino Canvas Art, n.d., viewed 13 September 2016, SXSW Interactive Sketchnotes 08 n.d., viewed 13 September 2015, The Grand Narrative, 3 June 2013, viewed 13 September 2015, The Postmodern Jesus and Us, n.d., viewed 13 September 2015,