Penny Lane- Habermas

Jugen Habermas’ article on modernity and its effects on culture and society exposed a relevant trend throughout history. “Culture in its modern form stirs up hatred against the conventions and virtues of everyday life, which has become rationalized under the pressures of economic and administrative imperative” (101). While examining this notion and other similar claims throughout the article, I began to draw correlations within my own generation that fit this description. As a whole, my particular demographic of peers and society as a whole have lost touch with the institution of religion. Even though this pattern is evident within younger western generations, it does not translate to all regions or ethnicities. While most Americans identify with some sort of faith or belief, the practice of organized and institutional religious practice seems to be on the decline. Habermas claims: “Modernity revolts against the normalizing functions of tradition; modernity lives on the experience of rebelling against all that is normative” (100). For nearly all of human existence, religion of one form or another has been the controlling force in morality and thought. Modern American society, only within the last several decades has shifted away from this way of thinking. Perhaps the influence of mass media and culture has replaced this previous influence as the new medium for socialization. Today, certain truths of right and wrong will always hold strong, but the Church is no longer the source enforcing this code upon society. We have begun almost resenting organized religion for its failure to see life in a different light than black and white. The notion of Gay Rights is only one factor that has come into the consciousness of societal morality. Popular culture now expresses more tolerant view than witnessed in the past. Furthermore, as our population has become more educated through legislature and science, it is difficult for religion to still be governed by literal interpretation of religious texts. The article also notes an observation made by Daniel Bell which asserts that “a religious revival to be the only solution. Religious faith ties to a faith in tradition will provide individuals with clearly defined identities and existential security” (101). This understanding lacks recognition of all the harm and devastation religious tensions have caused throughout recorded history. Most wars were in someway or another related to institutional religion, which combats the claim that dogmatic practice is strictly a unifying force in society. The current modern area seems to be moving away from the divisions of specific faith toward an agnostic view-point. Modernity in this way has sparked our resentment of “the preacher” in order to shift us toward a new more individual conclusion on morality.