Customer Reviews

What is Post-Modernism

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From the architect who played a vital role in the formation of "Second Modernism" ("Post-Modernism"), here is a book that explains it all: why Modernism failed and why the polemical "post" was a necessary addition. Anyone who has been baffled by the vague connotations of either term will be enlightened with sufficient examples. This book lives up to its title; it is mandatory for anyone attempting to understand the rise of multiculturalism and self-consciousness. As such, it provides a great "lens" for viewing all works of the 20th century; and although it doesn't focus per se on Modernist literature (cf. Rand's The Fountainhead), WHAT IS POST-MODERNISM crushes any out-dated philosophers under its powerful weight.

This wonderful book has helped me understand the word "post-modern", which has replaced "serendipity" and "oxymoron" as the word I spew out when I am intimidated by how clever other people are and panic.

I have great respect for Charles Jencks as an architect, and as a critic of art relating to such. Therefore the book should be retitled, What is Postmodern Architecture? Or what is everything about Post-Modernism except the art? The main focus seems to be on the industrial world which created the art, rather then the art. Seems hardly revolutionary or even relevant since everyone and their brother and sister has written on that subject since 1820. I was hoping for something which would address the art, but I was sorely disappointed. The constant focus on the world around the buildings of postmodernism dragged and was inebriatingly dull (It got to the point where the author was forced to contradict himself to make the book interesting). The focus of Postmoderism was once architecture, however, now the focus has shifted, it seems everyone except the academics know this. Not only was his sections on art and literature stupid, but incorrect, and blunderingly light. I expected more from Jencks, being the great mind of the century he was. If you want to know anything helpful and relevant pretaining to Post Modernism today, do not read this book. But hey if you want to know about your father's post modernism, read this book!

'Post Modernism' often just sounds like an excuse to ramble incessant contradictory bs to justify the meaning behind why things are the way they are. It's some stupid alternative term for the cycle of evolution. The fact that the world is growing and ideas are changing. It's an interesting, yet very puzzling and irritating topic. The bottomline is - Post Modernism is open to personal interpretation and it's meaning is based on your own understanding and perceptions in response to it. You don't have to influenced by college textbooks or the typical cocky college-educated smart-@$$. Anyone who truly appeciates 'art' (I believe) should be open-minded and accepting towards different ideas and responses, and not constantly bitching and whining, trying to reinforce their own presumedly educated understanding of the ideals and aesthetics behind Post-modernism or whatever. As far as I am concerned, 'Post-bloody-Modernism' is over (if it ever existed) and we should all just enjoy art for what it is and not what it must be.