kuloco, Habermas

“Since then, the distinguishing mark of works which counts as modern is ‘the new’ which will be overcome and made obsolete through the novelty of the next style. But while that which is merely ‘stylish’ will soon become outmoded, that which is modern preserves a secret tie to the classical. Of course, whatever can survive time has always been considered to be a classic” (99).

I think it is interesting how Habermas describes modernity, especially in relation to the term “the new”. Obviously, to be modern is to understand the demand of the present public opinion. Modern is only a fleeting moment in time. When I read this quote and the rest of the article, I thought about trends in our society. We have all looked at past pictures—maybe of parents or grandparents—and asked: “What were they thinking?” But, by using Habermas’s thoughts on modernity, we understand that things change. What was considered “stylish” when that picture was taken seems outdated and maybe even odd when looked at today. The things that become timeless are those that can be defined as classic, even if they once started as a “new” or modern idea.
Trends also pertain to advertising, especially in a society that is as consumer-driven as ours. The majority of advertisements we see on a daily basis are promoting something that is “new.” Media has created the ideology that we must consume what is new, because we have begun to use the terms new and better synonymously. In example, we could take a look at another photograph—one of a vehicle your parents owned and the one you may own now. This gives a view of the differences in our society and the technological advances in creating “new” products.
The other thing that I found interesting about the article was Habermas’s comparison of the different variations of modernity: antimodernism, premodernism and postmodernism. These terms combine the different progressions away from modernity. This also relates to trends, drawing examples from different time periods that can still be seen in society today.