emilieronaldG325: POST-MODERNISM:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism

http://www.inplainsite.org/html/postmodernism.html

Ideas that exist together, (or a world view). It is a way of thinking or viewing the world, it can be a style or concept in art.

Modernism vs. Postmodernism

The term ‘Postmodernism’ is often hard to define and changes depending on what topic you’re talking about, but it is generally ideas that exist together, (or a world view). It is a way of thinking or viewing the world, it can be a style or concept in art; it has a general distrust of traditional theories and ideologies. Whereas modernism, is the quality of being current or of the present and is a movement towards modifying traditional beliefs in accordance with modern ideas and postmodernism is a reaction against this.

I am supporting the theory of ‘postmodernism’. One reason is because I like the idea of using double coding in giving media different meanings to different audiences. For example shows like The Simpsons are easily watched and enjoyed by children, however some of its content will only be understood by an older audience and so enables them to enjoy it also. Another example, is in Brian Helgeland’s ‘A Knight’s tale’, the medieval setting of the film is interrupted by the use of a modern day rock song (Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’) which makes the film more likeable to a young/modernised audience who may not have an interest in such an old fashioned setting.

I also like the idea of using ‘pastiche’, whereby a particular style is imitated by another, or where a piece of art is made up of different iconic pieces taken from various sources. This is done in the TV show ‘Family Guy’ where throughout most of their episodes, well known and recognised moments or themes from other famous programs and movies are used. This also links to the postmodern way of using a playful treatment of serious things; for example Quinton Tarrentino often puts humour on to taboo subjects such as racism and death.

Modernist views feel that the family should follow heterosexual norms and think that the best family structure is ‘nuclear’. Whereas a postmodernist view allow for alternate families, which I agree with more as in these modern times it is far more likely that we as a society will be comfortable with a different structure to what may be seen as ‘normal’. For example many celebrities and people who are in the public eye have various and alternate family structures, and are rarely looked down upon for not being of the ‘norm’.

To conclude, I have sided with a postmodernist view over that of a modernist one as I feel that postmodernism fits more with today’s society and also allows for more fun in relation to art and choices.