Starfish 1/17

Before Thursday’s class I knew very little about Postmodernism. I had heard the word a countless number of times, but never realized that I was affected by it directly. I found learning about the different aspects of postmodernism interesting. Usually eras or certain points in history have exact dates, but no one seems to have pinpointed exactly when it started. There are many different theories, but I guess it is left up to the individual to decide for them selves. When I personally think of postmodernism I think of revolution and breaking new ground, therefore I think 1968, the time of the worldwide revolutions is a good contender for the actual start of postmodernism.





Another concept I found interesting was the idea of postmodernism being about absurdity. This idea really “clicked” in my head. Everyday we are surrounded by things that many believe to be normal. Just look at television for example. While flipping through channels I see tons of reality television shows. Survivor, The Amazing Race, Cheaters, Americas Next Top Model, Celebrity Rehab and dating shows like I love New York. To us, these shows are normal because we have been exposed to them and they are a big part of our media of our culture, but in reality they are absurd. The concepts for these shows are ridiculous but we find them entertaining and watch them anyway. They are labeled “reality” television shows, which I find to be a scary thought. “Reality is not what it used to be,” is a perfect quote for this subject because it is true. Many of these shows, especially ones on MTV preach that everything you are seeing is real and authentic, but it is hard to believe that these people aren’t being told what to do most of the time. These shows are scripted to an extent. This is also an example of certainty to indeterminacy. We are told that these shows are depicting real life and yet we believe the opposite. “