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

I don't see PM as a whole return to conservative and totalitatrian attitudes, you have to
substantiate that. Exclusion of the masses? Would you have any confidence in the analyical
qualities of the average new age disneyland mcdonaldian? Marx was the only one who had
faith in the masses and perhaps Hitler. Philosophy was an elitist business since Thales
and Heracleitos. If you want to talk to the masses go to the marketplace and discuss the
qualities of the Jerry Springer Show.
The only critical spirit in Modernity is the skeptical movement, the ones who take science
for a religion. Come on, you should know better.

erik

Vunch@xxxxxxx wrote:

> 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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