10 things you need to know about Post-Modernism (themes, what it is)

10 Things you need to know about Postmodernism

1. Postmodernism comes after Modernism and refers to living in contemporary times - times that react against what has come before (nostalgia).

2. There is a lack of faith in anything new as Postmodernism believes everything has been done before and nothing new can be created (hybrids and remakes).

3. As Modernism celebrated science and technology Postmodernism celebrates the opposite - technology for technologies sake (Iphone).

4. Postmodernism suggest there is no literal meaning under the surface of things so things become superficial and empty (Derrida).

5. Postmodernism apposes "Meta Narratives" big theories or ideas that attempt to understand using the same approach (predicted grades, race theory and gender identity).

6. Postmodern culture tends to be pessimistic and dystopian lacking faith in leaders, questioning right and wrong and dark in tone (terrorism, Batman and Political sleaze)

7. Postmodernism suggests that knowledge has been gathered in a way that has benefited someone so can we actually trust it - has all knowledge been written from the winning team? (Foucault).

8. Postmodernism celebrates the image rather than the real so we may buy things that look good but do not perform there function - style over substance (ripped jeans)

9. Reality has become "hyperreal"- due to media saturation we are used to and prefer the artificial over the real experience (sweets, obesity crisis and tourism).

10. Postmodernism promotes alienation from nature, other people, reality and the self - culture and society becomes inverted (social networking)

However if Postmodernism is itself a "meta narrative" if it distrusts any thing new and suggests nothing has any meaning - then therefore how can we trust it and use to understand the world around us?