Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions Book 74)

This is an excellent installment in a very useful series. Butler’s ‘very short introduction’ to postmodernism packs in a great deal of information and successfully characterizes the movement/phenomenon. This is no mean feat, since postmodernism is sometimes used as a philosophic nexus, one that is associated with capital-T Theory and the work of the French Nietzscheans (though Lacan receives no attention here). ‘Postmodern’ is also used to characterize fiction, photography, conceptual art, architecture (especially) and, to a lesser degree, music. Butler gives examples of all of these and attempts to make sense of a notion that is quite slippery. For example, Jameson’s famous account of the Westin Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles as quintessentially ‘postmodern’ is debatable. It does not, for example, have features that call attention, obstreperously, to function, as the Frank Gehry house on the west side of town does. The Bonaventure is ‘reflexive’ to the viewer because the viewer sees his reflection in the exterior but it is not reflexive in the sense that John Barth’s novels (or, for that matter, TRISTRAM SHANDY) are/is. In other words, this is a thicket and Butler leads us through it with great skill and lucidity.The overall characteristics of postmodernism are discussed in detail; it is anti-humanist, anti-foundational, intensely skeptical, relativist and deeply suspicious of traditional notions of truth, meaning and reasoning. It is anti-empirical and jealous of science’s cultural positioning as well as its truth claims. It denies the reality of the ‘individual’ and is anxious to deconstruct any remaining faith in the reality and authenticity of ‘history’. Like the internet it collapses history into the momentary and substitutes imagery for argument.Some of the Amazon reviewers have considered Butler to be contemptuous of postmodernism and, in effect, an unfair judge. I disagree; I find him to be quite fair. There are many commentators who see postmodernism as closer to the armament of the antichrist than a philosophic/cultural current. Since we are now 14 years beyond the publication of Butler’s book it has become increasingly clear that postmodernism’s impact has waned significantly. English department applicants to graduate specialties in Theory have shrunk to almost none and current graduate students are often heard to say that they feel lucky that they escaped this particular time in literary studies. Many believe that Paul Boghossian has cut the heart out of relativist/constructivist approaches in his FEAR OF KNOWLEDGE: AGAINST RELATIVISM AND CONSTRUCTIVISM (2007).Of course, it has long been a staple of those who would criticize relativism that those who would aspire to be relativists must stand somewhere. You cannot assert the authority of relativism without, simultaneously, undercutting your own argument. The same is true of Derridean deconstruction. The endlessly sliding signifier problem and the inherently contradictory nature of language problem are often dissolved by simple context. Deconstructionists are troubled by the fact that the Greek word for medicine is also the word for poison, but as Donald Greene has pointed out, we have no confusion with regard to the meaning of the word when we see one person with a sore back take a single Valium and another desperate individual take 50, washing them down with Scotch. Similarly, ‘cleave’ means to both join and separate, but we have no trouble understanding this when we hear a minister urging a marrying couple to cleave to one another and when we see an Amsterdam diamond expert preparing to cleave a large stone. Postmodernists have urgently informed us of the weakness of Enlightenment rationality but used Enlightenment tools to defend themselves against their critics. As Thucydides put it, “it is a habit of mankind to entrust to careless hope what they long for, and to use sovereign reason to thrust aside what they do not desire” (noted by Victor Davis Hanson in his brilliant new book on WWII).Butler attributes the postmodernists’ contempt for the Enlightenment to the fact that reason, logic and the empirical method have deflated the claims of both Marx and Freud (which, for them, are essential): “Postmodernists are by and large pessimists, many of them haunted by lost Marxist revolutionary hopes” (p. 114), a point explored at length by Stephen R. C. Hicks in his very important EXPLAINING POSTMODERNISM (2004). Frederick Crews has now deflated the claims of Freud once and for all (try to find his influence on a contemporary Psychological Sciences department) and the numbers are in on the number of people slaughtered in Marxist states. Hence the argument that the use of Enlightenment principles and techniques has undercut Marx; thus, the postmodernists attempt to undercut the Enlightenment and get back into Marxist business.Ultimately, Butler concludes, “the enduring achievements of postmodernism are therefore likely to be found not within philosophy or politics, or even in moral thought, but within the artistic culture” (p.123). In short, it will be remembered in the way that Dadaism and Surrealism are remembered. It will provide influences here and there and a few of its principles will be seen in our information technology but it will not displace Platonic idealism, Aristotelian empiricism or other foundational philosophic structures. I believe that this is spot on.Highly recommended.

When the title says A Very Short Introduction they are not kidding. Nonetheless, Christopher Butler has done an outstanding job of boiling down the essence of Postmodernism. In fact, he has done so well I would direct anyone to this book who wanted a good foundation in the subject before reading further. Even if you know the subject of Postmodernism this is a good read because it is so well written. While supporters of the ideology may quibble over the critique I don't think they could complain (reasonably) about the presentation. It is clear, concise, and very insightful. The author has managed to zero in on the essence of the subject and then explain that core belief system accurately and clearly.If you want an introduction to Postmodern thought this is the book to read. Extremely straightforward, no guff or misdirection, no unnecessary discussion of anything out of the mainstream.I've now read several titles in the Very Short Introduction series and every one of them has been good to outstanding.AD2

Let me summarize the book for you. Derrida, Barthes, Baudrillard, Jameson, McLuhan, Debord, etc. are all total and complete morons and all of their ideas are invalid. All art produced since the 60s is all horrible, capitalism is so awesome that any critique is unjustified. Just forget about things like World War II, enviromental devastation, mass unemployment etc. Enlightenment optimism is the way to go! We have nothing whatsoever to fear from technology. Everything is peachy folks!!!! There. Now you can save your money and buy something else. Literally any..any book on postmodernism is better than this.

This is not my idea of a book in very good condition. This book is practically unusable. Not happy at all with the seller. This is not a complaint about the books contents.

What I love about this book is Christopher Butler's thinking and use of language. While postmodern pseudo-intellectuals hide behind obscurantist language, Butler carefully deconstructs their kitsch pretenses.

I was trying to understand postmodernism and this book provides a very nice overview. I am not yet certain if postmodernism is the proper solution to our challenge. I think anything is worth consideration and we may always choose bits and pieces from this concept to help us form the next attempt at improving our existence.Thank You, Christopher Butler, for sharing your thoughts.

Very helpful. After studying postmodernism years ago, this summary clearly organized the knowledge I had gathered and clarified some confusion. There are still some points evading understanding not because of the author's presentation, but because postmodern thought is not always coherent. Postmodern architects could not translate literary theory directly into steel, plaster, and glass. I will refer to the book in future.

Overall good book, I guess. It provides a clear intro to postmodernism. The author, however, in my opinion, is too negative about the topic. Expect a bit more difficulty in reading this compared to other books from this series.

The first point of merit is the fact that the publishers of this series has elected to add this to the collection. The question of 'what is postmodernism' has been a much contended question. Butler gives consideration to notable figures/illuminaries, the question of what is modernism, and the apparent commonality postmodernists share in realms of philosophy, aesthetics, perspectives, among other considerations from pertinent fields.

See my comments on Foucault. The same limitations apply really.

A good book about Postmodernism.

This book was the perfect tool for my studies in Fine Art at University. Written in simple to understand terms, it offers the reader a condensed version of events surrounding Postmodernism. Handy small size too, for carrying around.

A good read on this complex issue.

Excelent summary of the situation

Excellent

Great

Gift

Very very short, but very very concise

A very good quality paperback copy promptly delivered.

Item not arrive originally, contacted company, they sent another one out straight away, it arrived couple of days later, brilliant book, husband very pleased with it.

Excellent

I love it!

Useful book for my PhD studies, font sizes could be bigger!