The conceptualization of postmodernism is certainly a journey, which I have chosen to embark upon. I can honestly say that I have only began to touch the surface of a complex, fragmented, and multifaceted philosophy. My journey began because I became increasingly frustrated by merely uttering words while explaining a phenomenon that felt organic and natural to myself. I felt that my education was incomplete because I didn't know that I knew what it meant to live, teach, and learn through a postmodern education. Many times this frustration lead to an all out assault on the tenets of Critical Pedagogy. In addition to this frustration was the conflict that arose from my religious and spiritual beliefs. The ideas of universality, absolute truth, and resolution were tightly ingrained in my identity and my reality. Consequently, The concepts, notions, and ideas promoted by postmodernism at times not only challenged by faith and world view but created anxiety, tension, and at times anger and hostility. Such feelings were simply not directed towards postmodernism but also myself, society, and being. The process of learning, relearning, and unlearning continues to be a hard fought and sometimes painful undertaking. For centuries society has relied upon the powerful wisdom of sages, teachers, intellectuals, philosophers, and artists. Through there music, art, and prose people searched for answers to questions unknown. I remember vividly a segment from a popular movie titled "Hitchhikers guide to the universe". The segment highlighted how the human beings are always looking for the the answer to the ultimate question. Eventually human beings develop the largest and smartest computer that answers the ultimate question and tells them the answer is 46. However, the computer never tells them the ultimate question. Instead it directs them to discover the ultimate question. This movie illustrates the notions of postmodernism. A modernist seeks to answer the ultimate question and uses religion, art, and prose, to communicate the answer. In the process the modernist clings to the past to search for clues, and interprets art to seek meaning. The emphasis is placed upon logic and rationality. However, one may also argue that I am over simplifying the nature and origins of modernism. While I may be not giving much credit to the modernist platform I do credit some modernist movements for their liberatory power. Like postmodernism, modernism is hard to define because one can argue that modernism declared war on itself several times during the course of world history. However, modernism continued to seek homogeneity under the disguise of unity, absolutism through truth, and equality through universalism. Modernism provides an end to the means and instills a sense of hope for citizens to aspire too. Such a notion leaves many citizens vulnerable to manipulation, control, and oppression. What was once was the powerful progenitor of democracy, liberation easily became a new, clandestine, and power mode of oppression. Such power can be witnessed in the art and music of stalinism and nazism. One can certainly argue that such perversion can be witnessed in elements of the capitalist American society. For example, the advertising industry, Americana music, political campaigns, military recruitment, and education.
Modernism tried challenging and reinventing itself many times which helped keep society relatively heterogeneous. However, postmodernism goes beyond simple rejection and questioning. Postmodernism is about living through challenge, tension, difference, and diversity. There is a skepticism about accepting hierarchy, establishments, and absoluteness but and acceptance towards challengeing the status quo, intense transformation, and critical reflection. One must be aware however that there is no single definition or conceptualization about postmodernism. Postmodernism is a very open, playful, and radical philosophy that takes contemplation. Another, tenet of postmodernism especially in education is problem posing. Paulo Friere coined that term by stating that students and teachers must redistribute power among teachers and students. In addition the goal of the teacher is to engage students in the process of problem posing. In postmodernism questions are more important than answers. Such a mindset can have intensely powerful results in education. Rather than me tell you exacally what post modernism actually is I suggest reading "Introducing Postmodernism: A graphic guide to cutting edge thinking".
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