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This site lets readers know that postmodernity is our current period of history and that it is hugely complex, partly because of the division of critics on what postmodern culture is. It then tells us that postmodernism consists of critics attempting to rethink concepts held in the Enlightenment or Modernist eras. The entire website is helpful but a bit long so in order to simply separate modernity and postmodernity readers can scroll down to the last two sections. Both sections list aspects of those time periods, though we are still currently in postmodernity. There is slight overlap among the two but the differences are brought out in the descriptions of the different aspects.

The above exert gives an interesting theory on how the postmodern era and economy are parallel to that of the Middle Ages. One of the points made is the lack of authority and control. "The Middle Ages lacked the singular relationship between authority and territory characteristic of the modern era; geographic location did not determine identity and loyalty (Hirst and Thompson, 1995; Spruyt, 1994) . Overlapping and competing political authorities were the norm rather than the exception (Kobrin 12)." This is similar to the current economy existing on the internet. It is possible to buy basically anything from dvds to drugs on the internet and the government has no way of controlling it. In modern times, the only way to buy something was from a store. Now with the world wide web, it is possible to buy everything on the internet, even weekly groceries or a couch from India. The exert also discusses the idea of how "the clear separation between the private and public realms and the very idea of distinct private and public property may be tied to a specific, perhaps exceptional, historical era. The distinction was not relevant in pre-modern times and it may not be relevant in the postmodern future (Kobrin 25)." I think this applies well to global digital postmodernism if you consider the pictures on the web and all the information available to the masses.

This video starts by beginning the modern movement in art. It shows images that are recognizable pieces of art such as works by Picasso. It moves on to discuss Marx and socialism, capitalism and Freud and psychoanalytic theory. The build up to postmodernism becomes obvious as the voice over becomes faster and louder. As the video discusses postmodernism, rather than flashing images and giving explanations, mouths say names of processes, concepts, images, etc. that are postmodern. The video is fragmented and difficult to define, much like most things in the postmodern era. This video not only discusses how things have become or are postmodern, but is a postmodern video within itself.

The art and popular culture encyclopedia's article on postmodern architecture is valuable when trying to gain insight into what defines postmodernity. "Postmodern Architecture" begins by defining postmodernity, and explaining that as with many cultural movements, it's "most visible ideas can be seen architecture". This article not only gives examples of postmodern architecture but explains the architecture's relevance to postmodernity. By explaining postmodernism architecture's relationship, or moreover, contrast to previous styles of architecture, the authors have also explained an implied contrast to previous aspects of culture, art, and philosophy. The article also focuses on the aims and characteristics of postmodernism as a whole and postmodernism as seen in architecture. Furthermore, the authors give background information as well as detailed information of Robert Venturi, a frontrunner of the postmodern architectural movement. The foremost campaigner of the rebellion against modern architecture, Venturi's architecture possesses almost each and every characteristic of postmodern architecture, making him a prime example.

R.E.M. (2009, July 24). R.E.M - Orange Crush (Official Music Video) [Video file]. Retrieved from YouTube.com database. In 1989 and 1990 MTV awarded an artist with a Video Music Award for Best Post-Modern Video. R.E.M. won the award in 1989 for its "Orange Crush" video. The video is a very striking example of postmodernity because it depicts fragmentation, conflicting identities and a decentered self. This is in sharp contrast to the modern ideas of a unified identity and unified, centered self. The video shows two characters, one is a young boy and the other a young adult. The faces of the two are not shown until nearly the end of the video. The video is black and white. The scenes flash from one character to the other and it is unclear if the two characters are the same person, brothers or not related at all. It is very indistinct what the message of the video is, if there is one. Again, this is a perfect example of the fragmentation often apparent in postmodern works of art and the lack of explanation that often follows suit.

Armstrong, E. G. , 2005-08-12 "The Postmodern Drive: The Case of NASCAR" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Marriott Hotel, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA Online . 2009-05-25 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p19150_index.html Edward Armstrong, a professor of sociology at Murray State University, presented a paper to the American Sociological Association that labeled NASCAR as a postmodern sport. In the paper he explains how the sport of NASCAR developed and how the conventional idea of simply having cars race around a track transformed into having these same cars become billboards on wheels. He also details a "postmodern remaking of the sacred" when he refers to how fans of the sport idolize drivers, turning them into gods, so to speak. The modern idea of having a specific social order does not include worshiping sports or athletes. In this vein, sports instead provide experience that is separate from the religious spheres. However, postmodern athletes have changed this relationship. Basically, in modernism athletes were seen as people playing games, but in postmodern culture, Armstrong believes that hero worship of NASCAR drivers, for example, as exceeded anything seen in modern sports. Armstrong presents an interesting case regarding something most would not take very seriously at face value. He connects the dots very well.

This website was created by students at the University of Alabama. It has basic definitions of the concept, examples, criticisms and comparisons with modernity. The chart that compares postmodernity and modernity is very lucid. Extensive bibliography.

The Group Improv Everywhere is postmodern because it takes theater out of the domain of a room with a stage and into the streets but that is not the only reason it is post modern, the performance itself (for the most part) is not staged but simply an idea. Another reason is that the people who participate in the missions find out about the event on the internet using a technology that is post modern because besides the internet there is no other way to find out about the missions or to see them unless someone captures it on a camera and then posts it on a website like Youtube. The main mission of the group was to bring performance art out of the theater and while that has always been around the general chaos (be it good or bad) and lack of plan that occurs in an event is what makes it post modern.

In this article, the author looks at a recent incident in which students of Duke's business school were caught cheating on a take home final exam. In doing so, the author brings morals and values into question. The school defends this take home test collaboration as a new system of wikilearning, working together as a collaborative force to come up with the best and most descriptive answers as they would do if they were making a Wikipedia page, hence the name of this type of learning. The author, however, views it quite differently, sees it as more of a moral issue than anything else. With that said, the author does make it a point to graze the idea of morals these days, and how lines can be blurred when discussing good and bad and right and wrong, which happens to be a fundamental component of post modernity.

The video "What is Postmodernism" begins by asking people on the street "what is postmodernism?" Many average people had no clue how to define it which is quite common. Later the video presents various scholars and their views on what postmodernism is which gives a great montage of definitions and perspectives. This video attempts to answer questions such as "how has postmodernism affected our culture?", "what is postmodernism?" And "how the turn of the century has affected our culture and in turn led to postmodernity?" The video also discusses the religious impacts of postmodernism, something that many articles fail to discuss although religion is always a pressing issue. Another interesting topic this video discusses is the topic of modern and postmodern medicine. All in all, despite being only 4 minutes and 7 seconds long, this video is very beneficial in gaining insight into what exactly postmodernity is by pointing out general characteristics and specific characteristics of the postmodern movement.

The webpage "The Postmodern Critique of Science" gives a helpful chart comparing the traditional scientific principle and the postmodern critique of that traditional scientific principle. The chart includes topics such as scientific progress, scientific objectivity, scientific rationality and many more. It explains and defines what each of these principles are and then proceeds to give a postmodern take on each of them. It takes such ideas as "Scientists are supposed to be objective observers" and battles it through a postmodern approach saying that "Observations do not interpret themselves. They are interpreted by a mind and the biases of any particular person or group conducting the experiment." The article continues in this manner, challenging ideas like the scientific method with postmodern views that contradict it. While giving specific rebuttals to each scientific principle, the article allows the reader to gain insight into how a postmodernist would think. It shows how postmodernists question what has always been thought of to be true and contradict old "modern" ideas with new insightful ways of thinking.

Engaging in a very interesting and often avoided topic of religion, "Exploring Christianity-Truth-Postmodernism", not only gives a religious definition of postmodernism but also explains the impact postmodernism has had on religion, especially Christianity. This article embraces postmodernism in reference to religion, explaining that "postmodernism does not rule out religion as did modernism." The article seems to almost congratulate postmodernism for its ideas, as many of these ideas are congruent to some religious ideas. The article discusses morality as being relative in both religion and in postmodernity, and also explains how tolerance (a key point in defining postmodernity according to the authors) also relates to religious views. The article also emphasizes individualism as it pertains to postmodernism. Furthermore, it discusses the relevance of the "rewriting of history" as seen in postmodernism to Christianity. Consequently, the article in beneficial in that it provides the reader with definitions, quotes from both scholars and priests, and links to other articles about religion, truth, postmodernism and new age thinking among others.

An article that examines the conceot of postmodernism as a time period that follows modernity and challenges its ideas, using argument and examples. Author is a professor at Emory University. Short Bibliograpphy.

BBC: Religion [Postmodernism]. (2009, October 27). Retrieved December 7, 2009,from BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/types/postmodernism.shtml An article on the BBC's Web site discusses how postmodernity "does away with many of the very things that religious people regard as essential." Although there is only a small portion of this article that really speaks to the connection between postmodernity and religion, the little that is said is quite thought provoking. This article is not something to use as a source for a project, but would be a great jumping off point when brainstorming where to go with the religion and postmodern connection. The article brings up the postmodern rejection of the "grand theory" of religion. It examines the idea that religion may become fragmented because the unity once inherent between social and cultural values during modernism is gradually being readjusted. The article goes on to explain that by reexamining religion in the postmodern era, people are beginning to question its validity more so than ever before. They are thus beginning to reject past beliefs and turning to "new age" religions.

The MP3 Experiment is a mission designed by the group Improv Everywhere where participants all started in one location and listened to an MP3 track designed by the group. The participants were then told to perform tasks such as following around a german tourist or having a battle in the field of bats versus hammers. The idea of this mission created by Charlie Todd a graduate of the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, the creator of Improv Everywhere was to allow participants to have a unique and enjoyable experience. This video has ties to post modernity because it uses technology as a method of organization and communication, because the entire mission was set up online and there was no face-to-face individual interaction. Another aspect of this video that was postmodern was that the mission's art was in the creating of art and not the art itself like in modern works where only the viewers experienced it, but the participants experienced it as well.

The evolution of technology affects all aspects of life. What some people fail to realize is how it has affected the sexual nature of society. What the advancement of the personal computer, and its prevalence in homes, the availability of porn began to change sex significantly. This article discusses not only Cyberporn, but how components of Post Modern society has been a significant component in its frequency. It also looks into new sexual trends such as male masochism, and delves into possible explanations for the cultural phenomenon. With a new sexual phenomenon known as "sexting," becoming more popular, it is important to look at other sexual trends that have been connected to technology and Post Modernity in the past.