Chapter 2

Modelism was discussed in chapter two and includes modernization, modernism and post modernism.

First of all Modernization will be explained. Modernization is a historical process. It’s all the historical events that radically changed the world since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, capitalism and the colonialism in Europe and America. New technologies and scientific developments that contributed to social migration are also included in the definition of modernization. Since political and cultural events are also included I would argue that modernization is happening in the 21 century. The inauguration that occurred January 20 is a political event that fits under the definition.

Secondly there is modernism. Modernism refers to the cultural practices where as modernization refers to historical processes; refers to escaping from new worlds of modernization. It sounds to me as if modernism is a way of starting a new form of modernization or starting over if one can escape from new worlds of modernization. Furthermore, modernism is expressed with the help of pressures and consequences of modernization; in this way modernization shapes modernism. Modernism is carrying out what modernization created or planned out. Modernism is shaped by new forms of leisure and communication technology put in place by processes of modernization.

Finally there is postmodernism. Postmodernism is what the world reflects today, and started after WWII. Capitalism has changed since there is now a global market not only for goods and services, but also, for global networks. Computer technologies have been applied to every economic stage. Automation is one such form of computer technologies. I am wondering if Automated is a correct example of automation; if it is, then yes computer technologies are applied to every economic stage. To me postmodernism is losing that personable contact each day since it is all automated answering services.
Postmodernism is more materialistic than the past as well. Society has changed and is all about materialism. By materialistic I mean it’s all about what a person has from the outside, a mink coat, an HDTV, and the latest cell phone are just some examples. It's shallow and about the surface. It's no longer about what a person believes or stands for that makes them a person to society but how much stuff a person has. I believe this is what Frederic Jameson was referring too when he talked about how postmodernism refer to the disappearance of depth or the irrelevance of anything outside of text. He also went on to say that in postmodern texts only surfaces matter, only images are real. So only your neighbor’s car is real. That is an image but what makes him a person, an individual, his beliefs, no longer are relevant. In other words Reality is measured materialistic wise.
Another aspect of postmodernism is nostalgia. Nostalgia refers to romanticizing for the past. When people refer to the 90s as being a highlight in the economy they would be practicing postmodernism in reference to nostalgia.