aro0823, Habermas

"Modernity revolts against the normalizing functions of tradition; modernity lives on the experience of rebelling against all that is normative... This aesthetic consciousness continuously stages a dialectical play between secrecy and public scandal; it is addicted to a fascination with the horror which accompanies the act of profaning, and yet is always in flight from the trivial results of profanation."

Modernity is inherently immensely hypocritical. Modernists claim that there are absolutes; things can only be done a certain way. With my limited understanding definition of modernity, I am perplexed yet fascinated with the above quotation. I had always interpreted modernity to be tradition, not revolt against it. In contrast to postmodernists, modernists believe in order, objectiveness, and formality, whereas postmodernists embrace chaos, subjectivity, and loosened regulations. However, it is entirely possible that Habermas is making the comparison between pre-modern and modern times and, in this specific argument, discounting postmodernism from the equation.

In some respects, what is tradition if not modern? Though tradition insinuates the past being involved, we embrace tradition and incorporate it into our everyday lives in the present. As the second part of the quotation enumerates, like profanity, we scoff at tradition, yet continue to be fascinated by it. In the world we live in today, no one wants the ultimate insult of being considered “behind the times,” yet so much about our present lives is firmly rooted in those good ol’ times. This dialectical play draws a thin line on which to navigate from past to future. If this consciousness of time is illustrated on a continuum, it easy to imagine premodernity, modernity, and postmodernity in terms of Habermas’ ideas. However, as Dr. Rog taught, the unfortunate thing about postmodernity is the lack of clear destination. So, the avant garde artists will continue pushing the envelope further and further, and we will eventually have to choose whether to latch onto tradition or throw caution to the wind and being the downward spiral into chaos and disorder.