December 23rd, 2008 / 7:51 pm
Random

today i saw the word POSTMODERNISM like 5 times so i thought about something

i like the books POSTMODERNISM: THE LOGIC OF LATE CAPITALISM and also THE POSTMODERN CONDITION: A REPORT ON KNOWLEDGE.  i think that after reading those two books i actually knew what postmodernism meant, not just like: “oh there’s a giraffe eating fritos and watching himself on television” type of postmodernism.  frederick jameson wrote the first book and jean francois lyotard wrote the other.  they both explain the idea in terms that apply to production and technology and to me that makes them applicable.  i think before, when someone said “postmodernism,” i thought, “oh there must be a giraffe eating fritos and watching himself on television in that story.”  but no, sadly, i think there doesn’t need to be a giraffe eating fritos watching itself on television for it to be postmodern.  after reading the books previously mentioned, i threw away my manuscript: THE POSTMODERN GIRAFFE EATING FRITOS AND SHIT.  i really liked the two books i mentioned above.  i have read them both twice and it was like being at a playground sitting in the sandbox in that it was relaxing and at a certain point my legs were covered in spiders.  i will probably read these books again.  i am glad you have read this.  if you are not busy, and um, you wouldn’t mind reading these two books, um, that would be nice.  i am sorry if this post was boring, i think there might be some arguing going on somewhere on this site.  enjoy!

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32 Comments

  1. jereme

      “i am sorry if this post was boring, i think there might be some arguing going on somewhere on this site. enjoy!”

      i want to snuggle you.

  2. jereme

      “i am sorry if this post was boring, i think there might be some arguing going on somewhere on this site. enjoy!”

      i want to snuggle you.

  3. gena

      :)

  4. gena

      :)

  5. gena

      oh that smiley looks gay

  6. gena

      oh that smiley looks gay

  7. gary

      i hate the word postmodernism but it could be because i have yet to read either of those two books. some critics saddle writers with the term postmod and it doesn’t even fit. barry hannah for instance. it’s like a giant with a baby shoe. fucking postmodernism.

  8. gary

      i hate the word postmodernism but it could be because i have yet to read either of those two books. some critics saddle writers with the term postmod and it doesn’t even fit. barry hannah for instance. it’s like a giant with a baby shoe. fucking postmodernism.

  9. sam pink

      gary, yes i agree. that is why i said to myself, “goddamnit man, write a post that indirectly makes sense.” thank you for reading it.

      jereme, i have a beard now. that might hurt your chest.

      gena, what is this little yellow creature you have trapped in a box and why is it smiling at me.

  10. sam pink

      gary, yes i agree. that is why i said to myself, “goddamnit man, write a post that indirectly makes sense.” thank you for reading it.

      jereme, i have a beard now. that might hurt your chest.

      gena, what is this little yellow creature you have trapped in a box and why is it smiling at me.

  11. Ken Baumann

      sam: have you read Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal?
      I have not, but someone I respect recommended it.
      I started reading the tenets of Objectivism, I haven’t really found something I disagree with.
      Which feels good and horrible.

  12. Ken Baumann

      sam: have you read Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal?
      I have not, but someone I respect recommended it.
      I started reading the tenets of Objectivism, I haven’t really found something I disagree with.
      Which feels good and horrible.

  13. higgs

      Hi, Sam,

      Good post.

      Both texts you’ve mentioned are quintessential. I would also recommend Brian McHale’s Postmodernist Fiction, which includes his amazing essay “From Modernist to Postmodernist Fiction: Change of Dominant.”

      In that essay, he makes a really interesting distinction between modernist and postmodernist works by defining the dominant characteristic of modernist texts as a concern with questions of epistemology while postmodern texts concern themselves with questions of ontology.

      I find this idea engaging because it doesn’t concern itself with Marxism like Jameson & because I think it’s an interesting elaboration or extension or reworking of Lyotard’s attack on meta-narratives.

  14. higgs

      Hi, Sam,

      Good post.

      Both texts you’ve mentioned are quintessential. I would also recommend Brian McHale’s Postmodernist Fiction, which includes his amazing essay “From Modernist to Postmodernist Fiction: Change of Dominant.”

      In that essay, he makes a really interesting distinction between modernist and postmodernist works by defining the dominant characteristic of modernist texts as a concern with questions of epistemology while postmodern texts concern themselves with questions of ontology.

      I find this idea engaging because it doesn’t concern itself with Marxism like Jameson & because I think it’s an interesting elaboration or extension or reworking of Lyotard’s attack on meta-narratives.

  15. J

      I accidentally the whole postmodernism

  16. J

      I accidentally the whole postmodernism

  17. gena

      hahahah. YES!

  18. gena

      hahahah. YES!

  19. jereme

      sam,

      i have a beard and hair chest. your beard hair will spill into my chest hair and my beard hair will nestle your head hair.

      we will be one for a brief moment.

      utterly unalone.

  20. jereme

      sam,

      i have a beard and hair chest. your beard hair will spill into my chest hair and my beard hair will nestle your head hair.

      we will be one for a brief moment.

      utterly unalone.

  21. sam pink

      after i read lyotard’s book i felt fucking insane because if you think about every action and justification as a form of legitimacy, then it goes on nonstop and nothing is justifiable.

      jameson, i think, applies to internet writing a lot.

  22. sam pink

      also, i just ate arby’s and it fucking ruled.

  23. sam pink

      after i read lyotard’s book i felt fucking insane because if you think about every action and justification as a form of legitimacy, then it goes on nonstop and nothing is justifiable.

      jameson, i think, applies to internet writing a lot.

  24. sam pink

      also, i just ate arby’s and it fucking ruled.

  25. peter b

      I read about that in college but I don’t remember what it means anymore at all. This worries me occasionally.

  26. peter b

      I read about that in college but I don’t remember what it means anymore at all. This worries me occasionally.

  27. sam pink

      just remember, “giraffe eating fritos watching itself on tv” = not necessarily.

  28. sam pink

      just remember, “giraffe eating fritos watching itself on tv” = not necessarily.

  29. dipset

      ska sucks nards

  30. dipset

      ska sucks nards

  31. sam pink

      i am glad you used the word “nards”

  32. sam pink

      i am glad you used the word “nards”