Modernism vs. Postmodernism

Modernism vs. Postmodernism

• Industrialisation, manufacturing standardised goods for the mass market, manual workers in full time jobs.
• Work and social class most important source of identity. Bradley: identity is predictable, unchanging and stable.
• Culture reflects class structure, obvious distinction between middle and working class culture.
• Politics centre around social class interests.
• Nation states, national economies and national identities dominate.
• Mass media is one way, owned by big companies, reflects ruling class views.
• Religion replaced by rational thought and scientific explanations. Seen as superior for understand the world.
• Science and technology are progressive and provide meaning and explanations. (Make the world a better place.
• Reflected in sociology with the development of positivist structural theories like Functionalism and Marxism.
• Wider consumer choice, more flexible workforce.
• Media = major source of identity. Bradley: identities fluid and fragmented. More choice, change at will. Bauman: meaning from consumption choices and global media.
• Culture more fragmented, pick and mix elements from global culture. Distinctions between classes dissolve.
• Politics are more personalised, new movements and specific campaigns for personal concerns and interests.
• National identities replaced by globalisation, multi-national companies and global media turn the world into a global supermarket.
• Media becomes increasingly removed from reality. Strinati: media is a source of identity, creates hyper-reality.
• Lyotard: lost faith in metanarratives, replaced by doubt, risk and uncertainty. Reliant on science and technology.
• Science and technology can cause problems such as wars, pollution etc.
• Constant state of change and uncertainty, threatens current structures in society.