 | By: Charles Jencks Binding: Paperback Publisher: John Wiley & Sons ISBN: 0470030119 ISBN-13: 9780470030110 Released: 30 Mar 2007 RRP: Average Rating:  |
Jencks begins well, rhetoricallly pondering if post-modernism is of any use to anyone or just pedantic description - many like myself begin the book in agreement with the latter. Quickly though, in the style of a defensive academic who stakes his life (and pride) in his neologism, he sets out on a course to affirm that post-modernism is a real transcendence in how society behaves & thinks - a 'critical overcoming of the paradigm (of modernism)'.
'What is Post-Modernism?' is in four main parts: 'the logic of history' which discusses modernity, 'post-modern culture' looking at architecture, art & literature, 'post-modern society' looking at the cultural & economic sphere & 'the universe as measure' which considers the move from anthropocentrism to a more complex & chaotic faith in the Universe - a new metanarrative. Jencks sees post-modernity's foundations in architecture, a shift from the 'white-international/machines-for-living' style that produced many of Britain's ugliest council blocks & car parks, to a more heterogeneous & eclectic style. This is where geography takes the stage, as this 'pluralism' is reflected in society. Po'Mo' is a shift from mass production to segmented production, of a global-culture to fragmented taste cultures, of few-styles to many genres & of national identification to both local & global consciousness. Jencks also follows the work of many specialists in the area, such as David Harvey & Edward Said, to discuss contemporary ideas of space-time compression & media culture.
Jencks, as grand defender of post-modernity, aims to convince the reader that Po'Mo' reallly does exist & is more than just an aesthetic movement - it is both an object (or condition) & a way of thinking (an attitude). He asks: 'is it a positive movement, negative condition or just plain description?', by the end of the book the reader is left in little doubt that it is indeed a positive movement.
While Jencks is a very eloquent author, he seems to be hell bent on intimidating the reader by inventing words that mean very little. He loves to discuss the 'cognitariat', his paraclass mix between proletariat & bourgeoisie middleclass - or why not try & swalllow his new 'socitalism' - a 'polemical' fusion of socialism & capitalism. When trying to distinguish who the books audience is one could only guess it's Jencks own ego! It is a suitable text for students reading a social science; once the authors bewildering vocabulary is mastered it is actuallly a very articulate & concise book, at fewer than 100 pages in length the language is a bearable imperfection.
The book is based upon a paper Jencks presented in conferences in 1985, & is as such descriptive in nature. The difficult task & skill Jencks has is to present a varied set of trends & theories in eighty pages - & from a diverse set of disciplines. He is clear to distinguish between late-modernism & post-modernism which makes it a good springboard to more difficult books & papers on more specific aspects of postmodernism. What I most enjoy about the book is Jencks' self-praise, it makes it a hilarious read, but his main skill is to crystalllise a concept many fail to understand - & on that basis I would highly recommend it.
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