Post-Modernism

Many articles online start out by saying that postmodernism cannot be defined but only described. This holds truth to many postmodernists because they believe that their are no limits or boundaries when speaking of postmodernism.

Postmodernism was created to reject the ideals of the modernist movement. This new movement wanted to fully reject the existence of any ultimate theory or guideline to adhere to. Ultimately, many might think that this would consist of rejecting modernism in its entirety. However, postmodernists simply referenced the past movements of modernism as if it was embarrassing to remember, in order to create a new response in its rejection. By doing so, the postmodernist was able to use the past in order to make something new and different, showing an absolute change in its comparison to the past movement of modernism. Through change, the rejection of the past was fully shown by reactions to the new.

One example of comparing modernism and postmodernism was shown in the film The Fountainhead. In this film, the people of New York believed that the city buildings (or any new buildings being built) should consist of the ideals that modernists used in the past. Many believed that a buildings architectural design should be strongly based off of past design principles, and its views of rationality. They felt that each building in the city should have cohesiveness with one another rather than being different. The people running the city mostly didn't care about change. Howard Roark (the lead character and architect in the film) wanted to stray away from old traditions, focusing on the experimentation of new ideas. Roark was unwilling to compromise and change his designs because he felt strongly about his own ideals. Roark rejected modernist ideas of the past in order to create something new. Having the idea of change and the will to reject past principles and beliefs defined Roark as a postmodernist.

The full Wikipedia document about postmodernism talks about religion, literature, architecture and so on. After reading the wikipedia article you can only follow the consistencies and or the commonalities of postmodernism as it relates to each topic.