jl0630 - Jencks

I really liked the section of “post” and what post means. Jencks stated that in the word post, there is an appreciation of cultural roots and values and preexisting patterns. So when we say, “postmodernism” for example, we are suggesting a foundation of modernism that has been redefined with time. In everything, history has repeated and redefined itself on a number of levels – the anamnesis, or historical continuum. Whether it be gender roles – a topic I know we are all familiar with being critical media majors – or architecture, there is some foundation to be rooted and referred back to.
With post there is always a pre, and that pre – whether it may not be relevant to the past or present – there is an existence that justifies the meaning. Referring back to gender roles, we can look to old films and TV shows – like leave it to beaver - and clearly distinguish the homemaker, children, male/female and breadwinner roles. Though this image has been altered this present day, there is this idealist foundation of family life that still molds the quintessential American household.
Who defines the rules is also an interesting take-off of post as well. Jencks also talked about politics in reference to Marxism - and how these ideals can remain even if the rule does not. I think a better comparison to our recent election. Though democracy is a foundation of American rule, both Bush and Obama are going to have two different adaptations and interpretations of how to rule our country, as did George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.