Literary Studies 2015

Tarantino M. Beln

Professor: Mucci, Mara Rosa

Essay on Postmodernism

In Paths to the Postmodern Best and Kellner explain and analyze the works of
Kierkegaard, Marx and Nietzsche as pioneers of the postmodern turn. It is interesting to
note how the reflections made by those thinkers in the 19 th century, later developed by
postmodern theorists such as Baudrillard, Lyotard, and Derrida can be seen in everyday life.
The power of the press and the creation of the abstract body called public by
Kierkegaard, the fragmentation of the individual by Marx and the multiperspectival vision
of Nietzsche can be seen in todays society.
Firstly, in the 19th century, with the development of the press, Kierkegaard saw its power to
claim what was true or false, to the point of creating an abstract body in which every
individual left critical thinking aside and embraced the common opinion of the public.
According to Kierkegaard the public cannot even have so much as a single
representative, because it is itself an abstraction. This phenomenon developed and
installed in society throughout the world with the expansion of technology and mass media.
In our times, the world of simulation created by the media precedes and determines our
reality as Baudrillard explained it in his theory of Simulacra (1981). This phenomenon not
only alienates individuals and makes them live in a deceitful world, in which reality is
created to fit the grand narratives (Lyotard 1979) spread by the media and the entertainment
industry; but also contributes to the creation of an unreal self. This can be observed in
discussions in social networks where opinions are expressed through a mask, through a
virtual self; also it can be observed in peoples definition of their self-worth in likes and
retweets.
Secondly, Marx wrote of an alienated, fragmented individual, referring to the condition of
the working class in his studies of Capital (1867). As Best and Kellner state it, Marx saw
alienation as a loss of human reality, and that due to labor, the creative, imaginative, and
transformative activity that defines the genuinely human atrophies. In the present times
Marx would be able to observe how capitalism grew into becoming the only reality, and
that those faculties he described as genuinely human are lacking in society. A society
saturated with consumption of images and products; where critical thinking or imagining is
no longer required, but only buying information, products, lifestyles, and others. By
walking in the street, by watching television, one can notice the amount of advertisements
and their message seems to be: if you want to be happy, do not think about it, just buy it.
Thirdly, Nietzsche created the concept of multiperspectival vision, which can be linked to
Derridas Deconstruction (1967). Nietzsche claimed that it is important to avoid a one-side
perspective for the analysis of society, and states the need for employing a variety of
perspectives and interpretations in the service of knowledge, for each perspective is
tainted by that individuals bias. His theory can be linked to Lyotards call for paying
attention to local narratives, which will help provide with a vision of the others reality; and
with Derridas decentring and recentring. For one perspective can be taken to be center, a
story or interpretation which has been considered the best and was placed at the center.

Nietzsche claimed that Through thus ceasing to treat oneself as a single rigid and
unchanging individuum one takes an intelligent interest in the life and being of many
others, it could be now said marginal others. This approach towards life could lead to a
better understanding of an individuals reality and that of others. Nietzsches
multiperspectival theory could be an interesting reply to the nowadays common phrase
nobody cares what happens to the other.
The events and phenomena first observed in the 19 th century can be traced in their
development together with the emergence of Postmodernism in the 20 th century, and in the
situation of society in the 21th century. It is interesting to note how theory advanced side by
side with the social phenomena observed and how its analysis can be applied to conflicts
from our present times.

Bibliography:

Baudrillard, J. (1981) Simulacra and Simulations in Rivkin, J. and Ryan, M.

Literary Theory: and Anthology. (Pp 365 377) Maiden, USA. Blackwell
Publishing.

Best, S. and Kellner, D. (1997) Paths to the Postmodern in The Postmodern Turn.
(Pp 38 - 78) New York, USA. Guildford Press.

Lyotard, J F. (1979) The Postmodern Turn in Rivkin, J. and Ryan, M. Literary

Theory: and Anthology. (Pp 355 364) Maiden, USA. Blackwell Publishing.

Marx, K. (1867) Capital in Rivkin, J. and Ryan, M. Literary Theory: and

Anthology. (Pp 665 672) Maiden, USA. Blackwell Publishing.

Mucci, M. R. (2015) A question of meaning. (pp 1- 4) Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Mucci, M. R. (2015) Introductory deconstruction. (pp 1- 4) Buenos Aires,

Argentina.

Mucci, M. R. (2015) The Time of the Posts. (pp 1- 4) Buenos Aires, Argentina.