The Not so New Postmodernism

I want to apologize in advance for my shakiness on the topic, because I missed the discussion, I’m going off the readings! Hope this makes sense.

Postmodernism is a difficult concept, most easily grasped, I believe, through references to cultural artifacts we know and understand (music, films, etc.). Ironically enough, the act of referencing this way is postmodern in itself. Pastiche is a form of postmodern representation, which imitates, mimics, or makes use of popular culture references for the sake of comedy or clarity through intertextuality.

We see the use of pastiche in the structure of genre films—they follow a very tried, easily predictable plot line. The exaggeration or reference to these well-known structures provides as much entertainment as novelty. A very relevant example is the Austin Power films. These films are effective in their comedic attempts because the audience recognizes the references to and mockery made of the impossible feats of bravery and cunning in the Bond-esque “spy” genre film. Furthermore, our knowledge of 60’s culture is played upon, as is the ridiculous stereotype of a Brit with bad teeth, a thick accent, and a plethora of personal items proudly donning the British flag.

In a postmodern world we do not advance new thoughts singularly. Rather, we express them in terms of the past and in ways we already understand. The symbolic meaning or emotional context of a certain film plays on our knowledge of another, and that of another. It is the ‘image of an image’ problem. What is the original? Why did these genres become so prevalent? It seems, postmodernism is a mode of living according to the symbolic function of an item or experience rather than creating original meaning. In this way, postmodernism is in no way modern. But because of the influence of mass media, our knowledge base has become more centralized, making postmodern references more and more effective.