Postmodernism – 3 Big Ideas!

The Big Ideas for Postmodern Media:

  1. NOTHING NEW…There are no new ideas. All art (and media) is simply a copy of a copy of a copy….of a parody, of a pastiche, of an intertextual reference.
  2. NOTHING TRUE…The audience can no longer tell the difference between reality and media reality.
  3. NOTHING CERTAIN…Society (the audience) has become disillusioned with the BIG IDEAS and traditional beliefs.
    • Lyotard

      How very postmodern? Bet you don’t get a single one!

The Contexts and Critical Debates (essay questions topics) are:

  • The blurring of media representations with reality.
  • The complex relationship between audience and text / representations.
  • Different definitions of ‘postmodernism’ with examples.
  • Apply postmodern ideas to media texts.

Representation & Reality

The audience have become mesmerised and  entranced by the glittering, glamourous and entertaining media reality. Which, after all, is much more ‘significant’ than reality. Which is cold and wet and dark and difficult.

Perhaps, it is more than that.

A lot of people genuinely believe that ‘the media’ is a truthful representation of reality.

Imagine! They really believe that!

Sorry to break it to you.

Audience & text relationship

Pride & Breadprejudice.

1) We suspend our disbelief.

2) The intertextuality (parody, pastiche & quotation) links to the audiences’ cultural competence. If you don’t get the reference, you don’t get the joke.

3) So, the audience are in on the joke (culturally competent). We recognise the intertextual reference.

4) Not only are the audience in on the joke, sometimes they / we are also the butt of the joke.

5) Postmodernism is the interplay of codes and conventions from other texts (media language).

A screenshot from the Lizzo, ‘You’re Special’ video. Is it a superhero pastiche, a cereal ad, a typical representation, a great example of synergy, an intertextual reference? Could be all of them.

6) Postmodernism (re)mixes conventions, tropes and memes and makes something new and often rebellious and challenging of Grand Narratives (Lyotard) & Representations (Hall)

Conclusion: The relationship between text and audience is really complex!

Definition(s) of Postmodern media

“Postmodernism is often associated with a revolt against authority and signification and a tendency towards pastiche, parody quotation, self referentiality and eclecticism.” The Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought

So, to translate…Postmodernism is…

…when popular culture becomes obsessed with other media images and texts rather than reality. (Simulacra & hyperreality).

Modernism was the ‘movement’ that became before postmodernism. Modernism values = rationality, progress, science, logic, structure, capitalism, socialism, fascism, scepticism, psychology, cynicism, lack of faith, nihilism… kinda cold and bleak with lots of …isms.

For the artists. Edvard Munch and existential modernist art.

Postmodernism is, by contrast, colourful, fun, playful, popular ‘culture’, rebellious, challenging of representations, a rejection of all ‘values’ as relative.

Pop art. Postmodern Art. Warhol.

There are no big ideas…stories, beliefs, signs, symbols, ideas, myths, scriptures… which aren’t fair game for parody and pastiche.

Go to Plato’s cave for your ‘go to’ conclusion. We’re prisoners in the hyperreal Disney cave.

The Disney Conglomerate. The Biggest of the Big Six!

You could also say how we’re now in a situation where we are post postmodern, but that’s for another essay. (You’ve only got 30 minutes)!

Applying Postmodern ideas to texts

Refer to at least one case study text. We recommend two…

Pride and Breadjudice.

Lizzo

Bo Burham

Alternatively

…do you own text which you get at an intertextual level, from the last five years!

Just make sure you give it the postmodern treatment- see notes above.

Have a go with these:

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