"What is truth? A mobile army of metaphors, metonymies, anthropomorphisms: in short a sum of human relations which became poetically and rhetorically intensified, metamorphosed, adorned, and after long usage seem to a nation fixed, canonic and binding: truths are illusions of which one has forgotten they are illusions; worn-out metaphors which have become powerless to affect the senses; coins with their images effaced and now no longer of account as coins but merely as metal." (From Nietzsche: "On truth", 1873)
"But postmodernism basically leaves you free to make up your own mind instead of blindly accepting the values and concepts of other people."
Because everyone has a different cultural heritage, upbringing and personal belief system – views about science, religion art and literature will always clash according to Postmodernism. Postmodernists believe that everyone clings to the metaphorical content (beliefs, legends and morals (even scientific musings) that their culture and upbringing has ‘feed’ them. It doesn't matter if someone has proof of a belief or aspect of science or art – because if someone else’s view contradicts this proof, then according to Postmodernism – that proof is now null in void. Really, it’s about breaking down the structure of our society and recognizing that everyone has a different view. It is the metaphorical stripping away of right and wrong, and leaving opinions and lack of opinions, impressions and lack of impressions, to determine validity – in fact Postmodernism says that everything is valid and nothing is valid.
I’ll give you an example that may help to explain the basic fundamentals of this belief system (or non belief system – unless you believe that it is an actual belief system, in which case neither one of us is correct. But we can believe both things at the same time, because neither is right or wrong it is simply a view that exists in our brain as a result of our personal environment…unless you believe that it does not exist as result of our personal environment – in which case you are still not wrong…or right – you just are, and you just believe, and because you believe, it can be proved neither right or wrong because it is relevant to you and you have eliminated the very fundamentals of right and wrong by simply believing something…what if you believed that right was wrong? Are you right, or wrong…that you believe ‘right’ is ‘wrong’, because technically if you believe that ‘right’ is ‘wrong’ you aren't wrong – but you aren't right, either…Confused? Welcome to the world of Postmodernism…now let’s get back to that example)
If we were at an ice-cream store, and were buying an ice-cream cone of a certain flavour, we would each have to choose which flavour we wanted. Let’s say I had to choose first. There are three flavours to choose from: Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry - but because I was brought up in household that only ate Vanilla – my personal first response is to choose that flavour, and in my opinion it is THE best flavour according to by culture and environment. Ok, it’s your turn next. For arguments sake let’s suppose you choose chocolate because your sister is allergic to strawberries and you prefer the taste of chocolate to vanilla (as does your father – your mother doesn't eat ice-cream because she is probably lactose intolerant) you choose chocolate because of your environment, upbringing and culture too.
Now Religion says that both of us are wrong, because it is only through Strawberry flavoured ice-cream that we can truly experience true ice-cream gastronomic bliss on our taste buds. Science says that while 67% of the population prefers chocolate over vanilla and strawberry, vanilla is technically the best choice because it is 97% fat free. Postmodernism says that no one is right, or wrong for their personal choice - no one choice is superior to the other because we all have different opinions which have influenced our choices. Postmodernism believes that no opinion should be affected or judged and therefore changed by another - so we can all eat our ice-creams and smile in unity, because really, we all made the best choice.
"But postmodernism basically leaves you free to make up your own mind instead of blindly accepting the values and concepts of other people."
Because everyone has a different cultural heritage, upbringing and personal belief system – views about science, religion art and literature will always clash according to Postmodernism. Postmodernists believe that everyone clings to the metaphorical content (beliefs, legends and morals (even scientific musings) that their culture and upbringing has ‘feed’ them. It doesn't matter if someone has proof of a belief or aspect of science or art – because if someone else’s view contradicts this proof, then according to Postmodernism – that proof is now null in void. Really, it’s about breaking down the structure of our society and recognizing that everyone has a different view. It is the metaphorical stripping away of right and wrong, and leaving opinions and lack of opinions, impressions and lack of impressions, to determine validity – in fact Postmodernism says that everything is valid and nothing is valid.
I’ll give you an example that may help to explain the basic fundamentals of this belief system (or non belief system – unless you believe that it is an actual belief system, in which case neither one of us is correct. But we can believe both things at the same time, because neither is right or wrong it is simply a view that exists in our brain as a result of our personal environment…unless you believe that it does not exist as result of our personal environment – in which case you are still not wrong…or right – you just are, and you just believe, and because you believe, it can be proved neither right or wrong because it is relevant to you and you have eliminated the very fundamentals of right and wrong by simply believing something…what if you believed that right was wrong? Are you right, or wrong…that you believe ‘right’ is ‘wrong’, because technically if you believe that ‘right’ is ‘wrong’ you aren't wrong – but you aren't right, either…Confused? Welcome to the world of Postmodernism…now let’s get back to that example)
If we were at an ice-cream store, and were buying an ice-cream cone of a certain flavour, we would each have to choose which flavour we wanted. Let’s say I had to choose first. There are three flavours to choose from: Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry - but because I was brought up in household that only ate Vanilla – my personal first response is to choose that flavour, and in my opinion it is THE best flavour according to by culture and environment. Ok, it’s your turn next. For arguments sake let’s suppose you choose chocolate because your sister is allergic to strawberries and you prefer the taste of chocolate to vanilla (as does your father – your mother doesn't eat ice-cream because she is probably lactose intolerant) you choose chocolate because of your environment, upbringing and culture too.
Now Religion says that both of us are wrong, because it is only through Strawberry flavoured ice-cream that we can truly experience true ice-cream gastronomic bliss on our taste buds. Science says that while 67% of the population prefers chocolate over vanilla and strawberry, vanilla is technically the best choice because it is 97% fat free. Postmodernism says that no one is right, or wrong for their personal choice - no one choice is superior to the other because we all have different opinions which have influenced our choices. Postmodernism believes that no opinion should be affected or judged and therefore changed by another - so we can all eat our ice-creams and smile in unity, because really, we all made the best choice.
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