you learn

let's hear it for alanis.

this is a post that's mostly for me, so doubtful that anyone else will really care.

i've been reading for exams (shocker) and i just read a chapter on postmodernism. if you haven't studied the humanities in depth, this term probably means absolutely nothing to you. and you probably don't care.

simply, shortly, and semi-accurately: postmodernism is an ideology that attempts to dissolve the lines between high and low culture and throw out the metanarrative, in order to reject cultural elitism. basically, forget the cannon and the "classics" because they were chosen by men, yes men, in power, a long, long time ago. and arbitrarily at that.

essentially, what i've learned and can apply to my dissertation/exams: everything is based on power and capitalism; there is *nothing* that is new; a class system will always be in place, regardless of the group; the world is based on a binary, and there must always be an "Other"; lots of things that we are supposed to hold sacred were chosen because some rich white dude liked them.

oh, and authenticity is really important, but subjective.

see, told you you wouldn't care. can i have my phd now?