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Showing posts with the label postmodernism

Postmodernism by Jameson -- Article Summary and Themes

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Fredric Jameson Postmodernism -- Article Summary Postmodernism originated in the 1950's-60s. Instead of visions of the future, there is a sense of endings of various movements, specifically Modernism. The article will examine whether there is really a difference between Postmodernism and Modernism, which is characterized by stylistic innovation. Postmodernism is especially evident in architecture. High modernism in architecture is characterized by the destruction of the traditional city/neighborhood scape by building new, different sculptural structures that are jarringly different from the surroundings. PM opposes this, and supports structures that are "populist". All views of Postmodernism are similar in that the border between high culture and mass or commercial culture is disappearing. Whereas Modernist creators discuss mass culture or allude to it, Mostmodernists embrace and merge with commercial culture. Aesthetic production is now integrated into the consumer marke...

"Postmodernism, Or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism" by Fredric Jameson - Summary

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Postmodernism is the sensing of the end of movements, particularly the modern movement. Modernism is characterized by the abstract in art for example, and by technology elsewhere. Postmodernism is characterized by the integration of commercialism, advertising, and cheap culture into people's character.  Fredric Jameson Other names for post-modernism are the "electronic" age or the postindustrial age. This suggests that the social system of postmodernism no longer obeys the laws of capitalism. Another argument is that postmodernism is simply more advanced modernism. Postmodernism has generally criticized the hermeneutical model of inside and outside, ideology and metaphysics. Other modern theories are that are disputed in postmodernism are: 1.        Essence and appearance 2.        The Freudian model of latent and manifest/repression 3.        The existential model of a...

"Johnny Mnemonic" by William Gibson - Analysis

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THEMES/MOTIFS/INTERESTING THINGS - QUOTATIONS Time clues: referring to 20 th century technology as old 1. I'd had to turn both those twelve-gauge shells from brass stock, on the lathe, and then load then myself; I'd had to dig up an old microfiche with instructions for hand-loading cartridges; I'd had to build a lever-action press to seat the primers -all very tricky. 2. He raised out of the water, showing us the crusted plates along his sides, a kind of visual pun, his grace nearly lost under articulated armor, clumsy and prehistoric. Secrecy 1. The meet was set for the Drome at 2300, but I rode the tube three stops past the closest platform and walked back. Immaculate procedure. 2. The girls at Under the Knife were big on Sony Mao, and it was getting harder to keep them from adding the chic suggestion of epicanthic folds. It probably wouldn't fool Ralfi Face, but it might get me next to his table. Changing outer appearance via technology...

"Johnny Mnemonic" by William Gibson - Summary

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Johnny packs a gun that he made bullets for himself into a bag. He tries to get to the Drome without being seen. He is trying to get close to Ralfi Face without the latter noticing. Ralfi has been evading Johnny, because the former owes Johnny money for a service Johnny provides- storing information he has no access to, retrievable only by Ralfi. Johnny heard that Ralfi hired a hitman to kill him so he changed his appearance and arranged a meeting with him under the pseudonym Edward Bax. Johnny, with his altered appearance, manages to sit next to Ralfi and his security guard. Ralfi recognizes Johnny and notices the gun. He triggers a neural disruptor which paralyzes Johnny. Ralfi reveals that the information stored in Johnny's brain he bought from someone who stole it from the Yakuza, a dangerous gang. Johnny understands that Ralfi is trying to kill him to end his involvement with the Yakuza. There are programs, called Squids, which can hack the brains of idiot savants, even...