Postmodernity And Posthumanism PDF

POSTMODERNITY AND POSTHUMANISM GROUP 2 | BABR 3-1N  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism by FREDRIC JAMESON  Postmodernism, or the Cultural...

POSTMODERNITY AND POSTHUMANISM GROUP 2 | BABR 3-1N  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism by FREDRIC JAMESON  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism WHO IS THE MAIN Fredric Jameson (born April 14, 1934 – died September 22, 2024) was an influential American literary critic and Marxist theorist, known for his work on postmodernism, culture, and history. He gained recognition for his book Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (1991), where he explores the cultural shifts linked to postmodernism. Jameson’s work is deeply informed by Marxist theory, focusing on how economic systems shape culture and consciousness. His influence extends across literature, philosophy, political theory, and cultural studies, engaging with thinkers like Marx, Lacan, and Derrida. Major works include The Political Unconscious (1981), The Antinomies of Realism (2013), and Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (1991), where he examines the intersection of aesthetics and politics in a postmodern world.  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism THE RISE OF Pop culture dominates modern aesthetics.  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism POSTMODERNISM AS Pop culture dominates modern aesthetics. “Language and expression lose coherence in postmodern culture.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism “Shallow emotional responses in modern culture.” “Pursuit of pleasure leads to emptiness and self- destruction.” “Materialism and superficial beauty in postmodern culture.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism “Fragmentation of history and the loss of continuity.” “Pastiche imitates “History reduced to without critique; parody trends, disconnected once provided critique.” from real events.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism “What is real history? Distorted and commodified.” “Radical past movements diluted by consumerism.” “Nostalgia as a commodity—selling the past for consumption.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism “The cultural representation of China as a commodity in the West.” “Radical cultural “Disconnection between differences mixed words, images, and without seeking meanings.” harmony.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism “Emotional excess that “Capitalism becomes masks deeper meaning.” the ultimate, unquestioned force.” “Cities as spectacles and products of capitalism.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism “Technology and systems dominating human life.” “Loss of the ability to critically engage with media and culture.” “Hollow, commodified spaces of modern life.”  Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism maps the fragmented “Finding ways to navigate the social landscape, with complexities of postmodern symbols representing life.” shifting, context- dependent meanings in a postmodern world. Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism  The Precession of Simulacra by JEAN BAUDRILLARD Simulation is no longer that of a territory, a referential being, or a substance. It is a generation b model of real without origin or reality: a hyperreal.  The Precession of Simulacra 1. To dissimulate is to pretend not to have what one has. 2. To simulate is to feign to have what one doesn’t have.  The Precession of Simulacra To dissimulate is to pretend not to have what one has. To simulate is to feign to have what one doesn’t have. Representation stems from the principle of the equivalence of the sign and of the real. Simulation, on the contrary, stems from the utopia of the principle of equivalence, from the radical negation of the sign as value, from the sign as the reversion and death sentence of every reference. Whereas representation attempts to absorb simulation by interpreting it as a false representation, simulation envelops the whole edifice of representation itself as a simulacrum.  The Precession of Simulacra 1. He associates with the pre-modern period, the image is a clear counterfeit of the real; the image is recognized as just an illusion, a place marker for the real; 2. Baudrillard associates with the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century, the distinctions between the image and the representation begin to break down because of mass production and the proliferation of copies. 3. Associated with the postmodern age, we are confronted with a precession of simulacra; that is, the representation precedes and determines the real.  The Precession of Simulacra Disneyland is a perfect model of all the entangled orders of simulacra. The imaginary of Disneyland is neither true nor false, it is a deterrence machine set up to rejuvenate the fiction of the real in the opposite camp. Hence the debility of this imaginary, its infantile degeneration. Simulation is characterized by a precession of the model, of all the models based on the merest fact – the models come first, their circulation, orbital like that of the bomb, constitutes the genuine magnetic field of the event.  The Precession of Simulacra This reading offers a provocative Impossibility of the Real critique of the postmodern world, Simulation vs. Reality where the boundaries between Media and Hyperreality reality and its representation have Power and Simulation irrevocably dissolved. The precession Hyperreal Sociality of simulacra, a condition where the simulation precedes the real, has profound implications for our understanding of identity, culture, and society.  Postmodernism and the Millennials Understanding Postmodern Thinking and Its Impact on Shopping  Postmodernism and the Millennials A way of thinking that began in the 1960s. Focuses on breaking traditions and mixing different styles and ideas. Things are more flexible and open to change. KEY POINT: Postmodernism says there are no fixed rules.  Postmodernism and the Millennials Fragmentation & Specialization: Shopping is no longer about just big brands. Now, many smaller, specialized shops (e.g., stores selling only teas or ties) exist. Blurring Boundaries: Art and pop culture mix. Brands like Nike and Coca-Cola use art in ads. Hyperreality: It’s hard to tell what’s real vs. fake (e.g., shopping malls designed like ancient Rome). Fake products like "sugar-free sugar" exist.  Postmodernism and the Millennials Millennials' Background: Born between 1980 and 2000, grew up in a postmodern world. They don’t follow traditional rules. Millennials’ Thinking: Believing truth is personal and different for everyone. They value feelings over strict logic. Key Point: They think everything is open to interpretation.  Postmodernism and the Millennials Millennials' Identity: No fixed identity—they change their style and how they express themselves. Celebrities like Madonna and David Bowie also changed their images. Feeling of Being “Fake”: Sometimes Millennials feel like they are pretending to be something else. Brands as Identity: Millennials use brands to show who they are. It’s about what the product says about them, not just what it does. Key Point: Brands become part of their identity.  Postmodernism and the Millennials Millennials & Technology: Use smartphones to shop online and connect with people. Technology is a huge part of their lives, and companies know this. Key Point: Online ads target Millennials because they shop on their phones. Postmodernism mixes styles and breaks old rules. It makes shopping more complex with more choices. Millennials believe feelings matter more than facts and have flexible identities. Brands help Millennials express who they are. Technology plays a huge role in their shopping habits.  THE MEME FACTORY: HOW TIKTOK HOLDS OUR ATTENTION  THE MEME FACTORY: HOW TIKTOK HOLDS OUR ATTENTION TikTok, a short-form video app, has exploded in popularity, surpassing Twitter and Snapchat in monthly users. It's not just a platform for entertainment, but a cultural force shaping how we consume content, interact with each other, and even create music. The app's addictive nature, with users spending hours scrolling through endless feeds of short, engaging videos, has made it a subject of both fascination and concern. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is a Chinese tech giant with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI).  THE MEME FACTORY: HOW TIKTOK HOLDS OUR ATTENTION TikTok's success lies in its ability to harness the power of memes. Users create and share short videos, often using music, trends, and challenges to gain attention. These videos quickly go viral, spreading across the platform and beyond, becoming part of the collective cultural consciousness. The app’s powerful algorithm recommendation quickly adapts to user preferences, drawing them in by providing tailored content that maximizes engagements and gains profit through doom scrolling. TikTok's algorithm plays a crucial role in determining what content users see, creating a personalized and addictive experience. The algorithm gives us whatever pleases us, and we, in turn, give the algorithm whatever pleases it. As the circle tightens, we become less and less able to separate algorithmic interests from our own.  THE MEME FACTORY: HOW TIKTOK HOLDS OUR ATTENTION Tolentino highlights how TikTok capitalizes on the “attention economy”, making its user’s attention into a commodity. The platform’s business model encourages long periods of scrolling which the advertisers benefit from the users engagement. The constant simulation and the fast content delivery has it effects on the psychological health of users. The dopamine-driven feedback loop keeps users hooked, that leads to a distorted perception of time that the users spent on the app.  THE MEME FACTORY: HOW TIKTOK HOLDS OUR ATTENTION The platform accelerates how trends are created and consume, that impacts both the individuals and pop culture on a global scale. The app empowers everyday users to create viral content, shifting its dynamics of who gets the attention. This opens up opportunities but it also raises questions about fame and mental health. It also question what is a good content, what is beneficial, and what is bad. The app has a lot of creative and interactive effects wherein you can find in the “create a video” area in the app. This mainly attracts users and creates different trends. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of music is very influential to the tiktok users depending on the beats and message of the sound.  THE MEME FACTORY: HOW TIKTOK HOLDS OUR ATTENTION