Postmodernity is Everywhere

I'm reading an interesting book called "A Primer on Postmodernism" by Stanley Grenz.

The book is just what the title implies, a primer into the murky world of postmodern thought. Written by an academic to non-academics, it avoids as much as possible the coded, specific language philosophical texts are usually full of.

I'm about 50 pages in and its been very interesting. Learning that postmodern ideas can be both disturbing and transformational has gotten me thinking greatly about how to engage it when necessary.

The lack of "absolute truth" in postmodernity is disturbing, but interestingly enough, God is not 100% incompatible with all postmodern beliefs.

One interesting idea that has come from postmodern art is the collage; a juxaposition of varied images, media, or ideas (truth/fiction) into a final output.

We are hit with this daily in the form of television, but even more so in the form of television "news." The proliferation of "news"-talk programs on TV where they impart fact, distortion, editorialization, sound bites, quotes without context all come from the postmodern viewpoint.

And, following postmodern thought, they all appeal to their own "community."

I see this as another danger. While postmodernism has destroyed the modern idea of the "superiority" of Western thought, etc., the idea of every community, culture, or tribe being equally valid in their worldview can be problematic. Especially if that worldview is being twisted to nefarious ends.

Granted, this is not a problem that in inherent to modernity alone. Christian and Muslim fundamentalists, radical Marxists or Maosists, and extremists of any kind have always twisted information to their own end.

I suppose what I am learning is this: Postmodernism was a necessary progression to wipe away the ills of modernity. It presents its own challenges going forward, specifically a place for God (absolute truth), and the challenges of pluralism leading to increased tribalism in an ever growing and changing world.