Deconstruction & Post-MODERNISM

Deconstruction

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Applied to the question of modernism, deconstruction examines the assumptions that sustain the modernist worldview through what appears to be an anti–modernist worldview. It ‘deconstructs’ the tenets and values of modernism by taking apart or ‘unpacking’ the modernist worldview in order to reveal its constituent parts.

Uncovered and subjected to analysis, fundamental modernist ideas such as ‘liberty’ and ‘equality’ are shown to be not ‘true’ or ‘natural’ to human nature but are intellectual ideals that have no basis in the reality of the human condition.

Questions are then raised about who constructed these intellectual ideals and what were their motives. Who does modernism serve? When considered in a global context modernism serves Western social and political aspirations.

Modernism Vs. Postmodernism

The term postmodernism is used in a confusing variety of ways. For some it means anti–modern, while for others it means the revision of modernist premises. The seemingly anti–modern stance involves a basic rejection of the tenets of modernism, such as belief in the supremacy of reason, the notion of truth, and the idea that it is possible through the application of reason and truth to create a better society.

Modernism began in the 1890s and lasted till about 1945. Postmodernism began after the Second World War, especially after 1968. Modernism was based on using rational, logical means to gain knowledge while postmodernism denied the application of logical thinking. Rather, the thinking during the postmodern era was based on unscientific, irrational thought process, as a reaction to modernism. 


The fundamental difference between modernism and postmodernism is that modernist thinking is about the search of an abstract truth of life while postmodernist thinkers believe that there is no universal truth, abstract or otherwise.

Modernism attempts to construct a coherent world-view whereas postmodernism attempts to remove the difference between high and low. Modernist thinking asserts that mankind progresses by using science and reason while postmodernist thinking believes that progress is the only way to justify the European domination on culture. Modernist thinking believes in learning from past experiences and trusts the texts that narrate the past. On the other hand postmodernist thinking defies any truth in the text narrating the past and renders it of no use in the present times - history written by the winners. Modernist historians have a faith in depth & meaning. They believe in going deep into a subject to fully analyze it (Media Studies?). This is not the case with postmodernist thinkers. They believe in going by the superficial appearances, they believe in playing on surfaces and show no concern towards the depth of subjects. Modernism considers the original works as authentic while postmodernist thinkers base their views on hyper-reality; they get highly influenced by things propagated through media.

During the modernist era, art and literary works were considered as unique creations of the artists. People were serious about the purpose of producing art and literary works. These works were believed to bear a deep meaning, novels and books predominated society.


During the postmodernist era, with the onset of computers, media and advancements in technology, television and computers became dominant in society. Art and literary works began to be copied and preserved by the means of digital media. People no longer believed in art and literary works bearing one unique meaning; they rather believed in deriving their own meanings from pieces of art and literature. 


Interactive media and Internet led to distribution of knowledge. Music like Mozart, Beethoven, which was appreciated during modernism became less popular in the postmodern era. World music, Djs and remixes characterized postmodernism.

Postmodernist film attempts to articulate postmodernism (its ideas and themes and methods) through the medium of film. Postmodernist film attempts to subvert the mainstream conventions of narrative structure and characterization and destroys (or, at least, toys with) the audience's suspension of disbelief. ^[1][2] [3] Typically, such films also break down the cultural divide between high and low art and often upend typical portrayals of gender, race, class, genre, andtime with the goal of creating something different from traditional narrative expression.