Blurred lines

My Thursday class blog, entitled, “Modernity is dead,” challenged Habermas’ theory that we are still in modernity. I aligned modernity with another concept we’ve been talking a lot about, through the lens of other theorists: authenticity. In my mind, modernity and authenticity are implicitly interrelated – meaning, modernity is the inherently authentic and real, whereas post-modernity and anti-modernity are manufactured – or “reproduced.”

I remember a moment when I was maybe ten years old, realizing that every day I spent more time in front of screens than in front of faces or nature. Not realizing I was making a theoretical statement at the time, I went up to my mom and said “Mom, I think your generation will be the smartest one” – she looked stunned and asked why. I went on to say something along the lines of, “Your generation has seen the transformation from no technology – where you had to go out and play with real people – to constant technology – where you play with people through a screen.” The heart of what I meant: Your generation is the barrier between the drastically different old reality and new reality.

I realized at that age that my parents’ generation would likely be the last to live in that world – of focusing on what’s in front of you, living (at least someone more) within your means, and being genuine without trying. Now, in my generation, all of that is a challenge – which is why I did my CMC 200 research project on generational differences.

I was hopeful after reviewing existing literature that my generation could use our technology to build revolutions and make shit happen. And sometimes we do. But generally speaking, we feel like we can contribute to that revolution by simply “liking” something. And that was the overwhelming conclusion of my original research – that my generation is different from any other previously – and will be different from any other in the future. We’re the guinea pigs that will get to set the record for how to act in a digital world, where ‘reality’ and reproduction are one. The lines are blurred.

At the same time, I know that this blog (and a few of my previous blogs) have been pretty negative towards our era and pessimistic about the future. And although that’s an easy conclusion to make from my writing – it’s not what I think.

I think our era – whether you want to call it post-modernism or anti-modernism, or any other phrase – has the opportunity to un-blur the lines and create a new reality. But we can’t sit back and “like” what a small group of people are doing. We need to do it, too – otherwise the generations that follow us will feel alright doing the same – and anti-modernism, the rejection of advancement in my dictionary, will become the norm.

I think we can do that… there are young people around the world doing that. And guess what? They FEEL something from it. And isn’t that what we’re desperately looking for in this new reality? Something to authentically feel?

P.S. I think Habermas may be my gateway theorist. Or maybe my gateway to the gateway :)

Peace,

-UA191