POSTMODERNISM & YOUTH CULTURE

Remember the ‘good old days’!

Life was once predictable

Things were well structured – mapped out for us

We knew who we were – a clear identity

We had firm beliefs about the nature of things

From modernity to post-modernityModern age (Functionalism/Marxism) Post modern age (Postmodernism)

• Production• Community • Social class (can’t move between)• Family• Continuity (things stay the same)• A role of education• A one-way media (them to you)• One nation• Science aided progress and finding the truth

• Consumption• The Individual• Identity from other sources• Families (many options)• Breakage with the past/tradition• Education for what?• Two way media (choice/interchange)• Global• Science is only one source of knowledge

Structure/security/place/stabilityYOU KNEW WHO YOU WERE

Confusion/lack of structure/incessant choice

YOU CREATE WHO YOU WANT TO BE

Key features of post-modernism

• Truth depends on the source• Consumerism is all – what you buy defines who

you are• Transformation of the self (‘pick ‘n’ mix’) – I can

have ‘emo’ clothing and listen to ‘chav’ music• Disillusionment with the idea of progress• Globalisation• The impact of IT on social life

Postmodernism & Youth Culture

• Postmodernists believe the idea of subculture is outdated

• It could be argued that youth subcultures have become fragmented

• Hetherington (1998) made this point when looking at the fashions and the music styles of the 1980’s

Postmodernism & Youth Culture• Willis (1990) believes that there is too much diversity

for any one subculture to be dominant

• Willis noted that the old spectacular subcultures were quite passive (they accepted the norms and values of their group)

• Young people today are noted for being active and adventurous with regards to their individual style.

• Willis called this ‘symbolic creativity’

Postmodernism & Youth Culture• Bennett (1999) says that we should not discuss

subcultures anymore

• Instead, we should talk about neo-tribes (a term that he invented)

• A neo-tribe is a group that is loosely based around fashions and lifestyles

• Members of Neo-tribes do not share the same values like those in traditional subcultures did

Some points on post-modernism & style

1. Emphasis on the centrality of style

2. Recycling past cultures and styles

3. Mixture of high and low culture.

4. Intermixing – different styles – collaging

5. Accepting the collapse of distinction and difference - sameness

6. Rejection of single definitions of culture e.g. focus on class

7. Decline of the idea of only one source of meaning – religion

What would a postmodernist make of this…

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p__WmyAE3g&ob=av2e

Post-modernism illustrated – ‘reality TV’

Reality TV illustrates the relationship between the consumer and the media

They are ‘real people’ who people can be observed and scrutinised.

They do not entertain – rather than exist…they are a mish-mash of cctv surveillance and gameshow

In the real world they are talentless nobodys who are treated as stars

Post-modernism ilustrated –’Disneyland’

Disneyland is a simulated reality.

It is artificial – yet ‘real’.

It is a place that exists and is accepted because our imagination makes it so.

The fine line between reality and fantasy is ‘greyer’.

The power of the symbol over substance.