> > "Cinema and the Postmodern" -- okay, I'm going to ask the obvious, > because I fear we have all been taken to the Emporer's tailors. > The postmodern WHAT? Have we reached a point in intellectual discourse > where we no longer need nouns? Or is it implied that we will all fill > in our own? (your noun here). > The postmodern CONDITION? The postmodern SENSIBILITY? > The postmodern ETHOS? "THINGS Postmodern"? > As nebulous as these are, they are more precise -- and better English -- > than "the postmodern." The state of the English language is precisely > what is at issue. What passes for profound theoretical insight today > is all too often merely a cynical (or desperate) manipulation of language > to give the appearance of complex thought. > I see the problem as having originated in attempts to translate into > English the Althusserian "problematique." With little thought, it became > in English "the problematic," and soon it was simply chic to use > adjectives as nouns -- regardless of the fact that this type of discourse > has no substance. It was FUN! And no one had to be precise any longer. > The burden of thinking clearly and concretely was lifted! > What a relief! And we could sound 'French' too. > > A scant few have pointed to the smoke and mirrors: > Kevin Robins and Kevin McDonnell in their 1980 essay, "Marxist Cultural > Theory: the Althusserian Smokescreen"; > E.P. Thompson, of course, in his classic 1978 diatribe, > "The Poverty of Theory"; > Noel Carroll in his 1983 piece, "Address to the Heathen," and, more > recently, in his book MYSTIFYING MOVIES. If you're out there, Noel, > thank you. > > To talk of "cinema and the postmodern" is to use English words, > but NOT (and I daresay intentionally) to form an English sentence, > or a completed thought. Am I splitting hairs? It may seem that way, > but I think you all know that this tendency to evade meaning is > running rampant, and that it has even developed a kind rationalization: > i.e. that 'meaning' is unstable, that there is no 'meaning,' > that we should therefore enjoy the 'play' of language, the free play > of signifiers, and stop trying to mean -- STOP MAKING SENSE. > It is one of the most elaborate cop-outs ever concocted, > and its appeal is obvious. To strive for the kind of clarity which > Orwell exemplified is difficult indeed. Thank you Mr. Derrida for > relieving us of the necessity. > > All this over a noun? Perhaps if they'd called it "Cinema and > What would have been wrong with "Cinema and Postmodernism"? > > (answer: not pretentious enough) > > -- Derek Bouse > Derek - Prozac may be of help.[-----------------------------------------------------------] [ {{{{{ | Chris White ] [ ( @ @ ) | Research Information Systems ] [ | U | | (619) 944-0373 ] [ | ~ | | ] [ ~~~~~ | Dammit, Jim. I'm a writer, not a doctor! ] [-----------------------------------------------------------]