Why Doesn’t Fiction Take Itself Seriously Anymore?
Cynicism and New Sincerity in Modern Fiction
Modern fiction is more cynical than ever.
Compare modern films to those released in the 80s. Odds are, the last 80s film you watched, if it wasn’t a comedy, would appear naively sentimental if it was released today. Films back then simply didn’t have the hip self-awareness to relentlessly mock themselves, as recent films like Deadpool or Barbie do.
Fiction writing has moved into a new era, with postmodern irony emerging as a dominant force compared to past sentimentality. Even worse, any work that doesn’t incorporate irony risks falling victim to its relentless parody and cynicism.
In an era of such extreme self-awareness, how can writers possibly espouse sincerity in their art, without appearing regressive?
Irony and Cynicism
To understand how we can bring sincerity back into fiction, we first need to understand why ironic cynicism has become so pervasive. Pinpointing a root cause of postmodern irony is difficult, but the literary device became especially prevalent sometime close to World War 2. Postmodernist writers utilized irony to criticize and parody events and institutions related to the war, in novels such as Catch-22 and Naked Lunch. Irony proved especially effective in this context, tackling otherwise serious subjects in a humorous and playful manner.
In modern times, however, these conventions of postmodern irony have been extended beyond their original usage. Contemporary writers use the device as a safety measure, using self-awareness to criticize their own story before external forces have the opportunity to do so. This is often referred to as ‘lamp-shading’ and is now more common than ever. The humor and playfulness of irony has turned away from their outside targets and is directed internally instead.
As a result, media that portrays itself without self-parody or criticism appears deserving of contempt: who are they to take themselves so seriously?
David Foster Wallace and New Sincerity
In his 1993 essay ‘E Unibus Pluram’, author David Foster Wallace offers a solution to the problem of irony in modern fiction.
According to Wallace, fiction writers would have to make a conscious effort going forward to embrace values and sincerity. This couldn’t be performed by simply replicating the naive sincerity of past works, however. Postmodernism has already left its mark on fiction. In response, fiction would have to repurpose irony to its own ends, using the literary device in a style which still allows the writers to continue embracing the values espoused in their work. Of course, this would open them to criticism, but that is a necessary risk.
The next real literary “rebels” in this country might well emerge as some weird bunch of “anti-rebels,” born oglers who dare to back away from ironic watching, who have the childish gall to actually endorse single-entendre values. Who treat old untrendy human troubles and emotions in U.S. life with reverence and conviction. Who eschew self-consciousness and fatigue. These anti-rebels would be outdated, of course, before they even started. Too sincere. Clearly repressed. Backward, quaint, naive, anachronistic. Maybe that’ll be the point, why they’ll be the next real rebels. Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk things. Risk disapproval. The old postmodern insurgents risked the gasp and squeal: shock, disgust, outrage, censorship, accusations of socialism, anarchism, nihilism. The new rebels might be the ones willing to risk the yawn, the rolled eyes, the cool smile, the nudged ribs, the parody of gifted ironists, the “How banal.” Accusations of sentimentality, melodrama. Credulity. Willingness to be suckered by a world of lurkers and starers who fear gaze and ridicule above imprisonment without law. Who knows. — David Foster Wallace
This forward-thinking brand of fiction is known as “New Sincerity”, and is growing in influence every year. The mainstream success of Wallace, as well as that of authors such Michael Chabon, Dave Eggers, and Zadie Smith show that a market still exists for sincere fiction. Critics have also credited recent films such Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water as embodying a New Sincerity ethos, showing a mainstream appeal in Hollywood.
While irony likely isn’t leaving mainstream fiction anytime soon, hopeful fiction writers will be reassured to know that New Sincerity offers an alternative to the postmodern cynicism plaguing fiction today.
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