15.1 An Age of Uncertainty After WWI, new ideas and inventions replaced many traditional ones. Changes in physics, psychology, art, literature, communications, transportation, and music still affect our lives today.
Science Challenges Old Ideas 15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Science Challenges Old Ideas Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity interrelationships between time and space & between energy and matter speed of light is constant but space and time can change as an object approaches light speed Newton’s view, that the world operated according to absolute laws of motion and gravity were replaced by Einstein’s relativism
Science Challenges Old Ideas 15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Science Challenges Old Ideas Sigmund Freud’s Freudian Psychology (Psychoanalysis) - believed human behavior is irrational, derived mostly from unconscious motivation - eros (sexual instinct) and thanatos (death instinct) shape behavior developed a theory including developmental stages, pathology (when things go wrong), and why we act the way we do. - weakened faith in reason
Literature in an Age of Doubt 15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Literature in an Age of Doubt The brutality of WWI caused philosophers and writers to question accepted ideas about reason and progress TS Eliot wrote that Western Civilization had lost its spiritual values
15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Friedrich Nietzsche : Existentialism people’s choices shape their lives - There is no universal meaning of life - Each person gives meaning to life by making choices Friedrich Nietzsche : - people should return to a philosophy of pride, assertiveness and strength, and put less faith in religion, reason, democracy, and progress Franz Kafka: wrote The Trial about a never-ending trial and The Metamorphosis about a man turned into a cockroach—dark, foreboding, disturbing novels
15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Rebellion in the Arts Architecture Artists start to break away from tradition by adding the inner world of emotion & imagination Surrealism art movement that sought to link the world of dreams with real life -- tried to call on the unconscious part of their minds -- surrealist paintings showed "a dream-like quality" Architecture functionalism -- buildings in which the design reflected the building's function instead of creating highly ornamented structures
New Compositional Stules and the Jazz Age 15.1 An Age of Uncertainty New Compositional Stules and the Jazz Age 12-tone compositions embraced mathematics and discarded tonality Dissonance and percussive works became more common JAZZ – created and performed mostly by African Americans in New Orleans, Memphis, and Chicago. Shocking at first, it symbolized the freedom and spontaneity of the time (1920's = Jazz Age)
15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Jazz Age The Jazz Age does not only refer to the birth of jazz but also a change in literature, art, and the people. Society becomes more Open - new kind of individual freedom - changes in woman's lives (the right to vote) - war gave woman new roles and after the war, woman's suffrage became law in many countries - Flappers - shorter clothes & hair, drove cars, drank and smoked in public
Technology Changes Life 15.1 An Age of Uncertainty Technology Changes Life the pace of inventions quickened by WWI included - new drugs and medical treatments developed that helped millions of people in postwar years - better transportation and communication The Automobile - as time went on, the # of production of cars increased and prices dropped - more leisure travel time & more availability to middle class Airplanes - Charles Lindbergh - 33 hour solo flight from NY to Paris - passenger airlines established Radio and motion pictures - commercial radio established unlike expensive air travel, most families owned a radio movies revolutionize popular entertainment