Re: Whats in a Name? (F.K.A. "Can Postmodernism Survive?")

In a message dated 5/21/00 2:52:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jehms@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<< Postmodernism is the discovery of the qualities and
strategies of language. >>

This is a bit too simple. The modernist thrust embodies science and
technology as well as the critical judgements of modern art. We simply
cannot deny this through
a celebration of PoMo. PM contains dangerous elements, especially the return
to
conservative and totalitarian attitudes. There are irresponsible aspects in
PM, for example, Derrida's claim that all writing is fiction, Foucault's
rejection of heterosexuality, Neitzsche's excessive exclusion of the masses,
etc... The critical spirit is still within the modernist thrust but now must
reconcile PM's critical techniques with the mythological component of
modernity.

Fred W.

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