Postmodernizzzzzzzm

I totally get why people are fond of the term, "postmodernism." I do. I didn't so much obect to its invocation in the discussion on being post-gay or PoMo. Mainly, I simply got what the message was and moved on. Finding something in the Urban Dictionary, such as that, allows for a bit of technical misuse. The message made sense to me and I didn't fuss over it. But for the most part, and especially when I see someone trying to use postmodernism as the basis for their argument, I am annoyed at its use.

Why is this, you ask? Sit down and listen, minions.

I attempted, and rightly got my hand slapped, when I tried to slip this word into my thesis. Why would one do this? Simply, because it's the lazy way out of expressing what you are really trying to say. If you wax poetic about a postmodernist view, does your audience know exactly what you are talking about? No. If you resort to using postmodernism as your evidence or methodology instead of clarifying your thoughts and process...congratulations, you the author of a junk argument.

Here are some other views on the term:

Is it Postmodernism yet? Surely someone can define Postmodernism—or at least Modernism? That way, I could remember which one is dead and which is still fighting to save alive ~ John Haber.

Suppose you are an intellectual impostor with nothing to say, but with strong ambitions to succeed in academic life...
Isn’t it the whole point of [postmodern theorists'] philosophy that anything goes, there is no absolute truth, anything written has the same status as anything else, no point of view is privileged? Given their own standards of relative truth, isn’t it rather unfair to take them to task for fooling around with word-games, and playing little jokes on readers? Perhaps, but one is then left wondering why their writings are so stupefyingly boring ~ Richard Dawkins

Of or relating to art, architecture, or literature that reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes ~ Dictionary.com

Postmodernism is "post" because it is denies the existence of any ultimate principles, and it lacks the optimism of there being a scientific, philosophical, or religious truth which will explain everything for everybody - a characterisitic of the so-called "modern" mind. The paradox of the postmodern position is that, in placing all principles under the scrutiny of its skepticism, it must realize that even its own principles are not beyond questioning. As the philospher Richard Tarnas states, postmodernism "cannot on its own principles ultimately justify itself any more than can the various metaphysical overviews against which the postmodern mind has defined itself." ~ Pbs.org

Minions, read Nietzsche, read Heideggerread, read Foucault, read Baudrillard, read Derrida, (oh please!) read Sokal, read anyone you like and analyze the more tangible nuggets of what you are trying to understand. To use this catch-all term in a way that is devoid of thought and definition, you are using a junk term and instantly screwing your own argument.

Just so you know, if you are writing something and you think it's fabulous but it sounds like this:

Postmodern Essay Generator
(Refresh to get a new essay!)

It is junk to me and to your audience because you didn't say shit.