A.O. Habermas

As with any discussion on modernity, it’s a strange idea to engage and the language used to engage the concepts doesn’t make it any better, unless I’m misunderstanding something (which is certainly a possibility.)

On page 100, Habermas gives a definition of modernity saying “Modernity revolts against the normalizing functions of tradition; modernity lives on the experience of rebelling against all that is normative” (Habermas 1997, 100). Should we continue to follow this definition of modernity then Habermas is right in saying “Modernism is dominant, but dead.” (Habermas 1997). However, I cannot agree that we are in a Post-Modernist time either. The prefix "post-" means “after”, “following”, subsequent, etc. (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/post-). So, combining this definition with Habernas’s definition of modernity, we would have Post-Modern meaning a subsequent time after our revolt against traditions and the normative. Granted this conclusion was reached on some assumptions I don’t quite feel our society is quite complacent with everything.

  I don’t know if it’s fully appropriate to say modernity is dead or if we’re in a sort of philosophical equivalent of Neoconservativism. In a more concise definition than the reading, Neoconservativism, is a way of thinking where you want a modified form of a traditional viewpoint. Bringing it back to today we respect certain aspects of the past we enjoy (even down to aesthetics and companies preying on feelings of nostalgia), but we actively reject some classical ideals that, while not at the forefront of society are still prevalent (race and women’s rights have gotten better but not the best they can be). On that note I feel what most people want nowadays isn’t really rejection of tradition and anarchy, but just updates and clarifications to our traditions to fit our rapidly developing society.

Having read about the modernity project of the 18^th century, I do feel sorry that the pursuit of specialized culture perhaps fell flat from what the philosophers had intended, but who knows. I feel their ideas haven fully died, as we have modernistic tendencies in our society even if people don’t know it, and with the increase in activism and movement developments in the 21^st century perhaps modernism will make a comeback.