The 20th century generated a lot of philosophical movements as well as arts one. The world changed due to multiple historical events such as the rise and fall of modern ideologies (marxism, capitalism, communism, fascism etc.) and the two world wars. These events played a major role in the perception of the world today and in the apparition of postmodern philosophy.
Postmodernism was born in reactance to modernism (in art, philosophy and
especially architecture). Modernism in architecture started in the 19th century when people
started to move away from the rural area to the cities. The architecture became more
utilitarian and adapted to the urban life. It value efficiency over aesthetic. Architect like
Le Corbusier designed a lot of modernist buildings still used today. The move to the city
was caused by the industrialisation of the world and economical growth that followes. This
growth help to birth new ideologies like marxism or capitalism. Indeed, modernism goes
hand and hand with these new ideologies. The ideologies represented the modern era and
everything it carried with it. Modernism was built on logic. It rejected past traditions
or religions, valued rationality and efficiency. It was focused on the future. It was born
during the industrial era, which explains why it is a short sighted philosophy limiting
itself on the historical truth. Only seeing one aspect of the truth.
Postmodernism was created by reactance to the failure of 20th century ideologies: the downfall of communism and the disinterest of capitalism to make our societies happy. Postmodernism doubt the values of modernism. This philosophy is built on mistrust of the past and what led to the world we are living now. It criticise modernism and sees it as based on the most powerful ideas at the time without looking around at for other means or other truth. It was the authority at the time that dictated the truth. Postmodernism is based on difference and rather explore multiple points of views. Postmodern philosophy acknowledge that there is not only one truth but several depending the point of view. It is looking at deconstructing the subject. This philosophy was especially developed with what Americans call the “French Theory”, with philosophers like François Lyotard, Gille Deleuze, and Michel Foucault.
Now postmodernism sees itself at the brink of an apocalyptic future, too late to fix things, too early to see the end of it. It is always caught at the brink of a possible futures. Postmodernism is disenchanted as it saw the world of the humans, and the destruction they could bring, notably with the two world wars.
Now is an era beyond modernism and postmodernism. Our world seems to be fully disenchanted and critically at the brink of an ecological disaster. Nihilism seems to be the main philosophy of our time. Though people may look up at the stars and hope to colonise space. The possibility of such future is rather optimistic. The postmodern find its roots in pessimism and irony, looking at the truth from different angle, hoping for the best but expecting the worse.
Reference
– Giddens , A. (1981). ‘Modernism and Post-Modernism’, New German Critique, 22 (Special Issue on Modernism), pp. 15-18.
– Sandler, I. (1980). ‘Modernism, Revisionism, Pluralism, and Post-Modernism’, Art Journal, 40 (1/2), pp. 345- 347.
– Falk, R., Ambasz, E. and Beeman, W. O. (1981). ‘Post-Modernism: The Social Aspect’, Performing Arts Journal, 5 (3), pp. 54-64.