Postmodernism

Emily Sceery

Response 3

9/15/2016

Postmodernism

The post-modern era that we are living in right now is different than the modern era discussed in class. Postmodernism the most rapid growing era due to the communication and technology created. The transformation occurring from the modern era of communication to postmodern era is so extended the younger generations are not realizing how it has changed. In the chart written by Professor Soha, he explains how in the postmodern era generations are alienated from others. Due to such drastic adjustments the gap between generations are so large. Communication between individuals have become so depended on technology that interacting without technology sometimes is a fear of society. With the advancement of IPhones, Apple products, television, and the Internet, the younger generations values are much different than older generations and the older generations values are being undermined.

Religion in the oral, traditional and the beginning of the modern era was a practice that was worshiped. With not much authority and hierarchy in the past eras, religion was looked at as a code of law or rules to follow. As we discussed in class, religious figures were the authority in the earlier eras and with the postmodern era emergence religion is less important than it use to be. As the Internet was formed more ideas were created and more thoughts were produced within individuals. Professor Soha described in his four eras chart, because of the new ideas and thoughts formed, due to the Internet, this creates an information overload. The postmodern era allows each individual to have their own point of view and to have open opinions about many different topics. This is what creates an information overload on the Internet. In McLuhan’s book The Medium is the Massage, he explains how when new information is released it is not considered “new” information anymore because of how rapidly another set of new information is created. The term “expert” is a contradictory term in the postmodern era due to the amount of information shared today. Individuals who use to be considered experts in past generations are not technically experts in today’s generation. With the Internet, enabling students and younger people to go on the web and search certain questions, key terms, and events; doctors, professors, and teachers are no longer the knowledgeable people. An example of an occupation that uses to have authority and hierarchy were lawyers and attorneys. Although both of these occupations today are very good jobs, people are able to research online certain laws and documents for legal purposes instead of contacting and lawyer or an attorney. Institutions are also no longer in authority because individuals have their own way of thinking. When the Internet was created it allowed individuals of this era to have more of a choice in everything they did.

In the modern era students were not given the choice to go back to school and receive a masters. The norm was to graduate college, receive and degree, get one job, and maybe raise a family. In the postmodern era, under certain circumstances, each individual has the ability and the choice to go back to school, learn more, and even receive a second degree that will allow them to get a better occupation. Another aspect of education and occupations in the modern versus the postmodern era is “networks.” The phrase “it’s not what you know it’s who you know” revolves from postmodernism. Networking is one of the most important parts of how to get a job after someone graduates. In the modern era the authority and hierarchy were the “experts” and those people were the focal point of social emergence. The postmodernism form of hierarchy is the Internet and online. Networking and communication with the Internet and technology is at a much faster pace than it used to be. The network is the new era.

The differences between the modern and the postmodern era are drastic and result in new technologies and ways of communication. As the world keeps growing and globalization is rising these technologies are becoming even more advanced and will not stop growing. The new social formation and values of society are changing every day due to this era.