Alterity
Alterity is a philosophical principle of exchanging one's own perspective for that of the "other".
State of being on the periphery or fringes due to race, gender, or ethnicity
Dissimilarity from cultural norms
A lack of personal identity.
Bricolage
Bricolage is a process by which traditional objects or language are given a new, often subversive, meaning and context.
Art technique where works are constructed from various available materials ("found items" or mass-produced "junk").
A mashup or creation from a diverse range of existing items or ideas
Catharsis
A form of emotional cleansing, first described by Aristotle, which occurs simply from the passive act of viewing a tragedy.
The process of freeing oneself from damaging or repressed emotions.
A postmodern analogy is that the media's focus on violence is the method by which society cleanses its collective psyche.
Commodification
Term used in Marxist economics when economic value is assigned to something not traditionally considered a commodity.
Examples of commodification include: ideas, culture, identity, and even the human body.
Appropriating of cultural phenomenon for the physical creation of cheap mass marketed goods.
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is a process by which a biological organism enhances its abilities by the integration of technology.
So called "cyborgs" are a common feature of science fiction (Popular examples include: Robocop and the Borg).
In postmodernism, much philosophical weight is given to this merging (and interdependence) of man and technology.
Many consider there to be similar impact due to reliance on everyday items like glasses or hearing aids.
Dystopia
Dystopias are societies usually characterized by societal decay and/or oppressive governments.
Relevant authors include Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Flattening of Affect
Flattening of affect is a scientific term describing a person's detachment and lack of emotional reactivity.
Used in the postmodern literature to describe technology's dehumanizing impact.
Hyperreality
Hyperreality is a symptom of postmodern culture where a person loses their ability to distinguish reality from fantasy.
The hyperreal world is often thought of as an idealized enhancement of reality, much preferable to the real life equivalent.
Present day examples could include reality television, pornography, or multi-player online games.
Kitsch
Kitsch was originally a German term used to categorize art that is considered an inferior copy of an existing style.
Art (often commercially mass-produced) that is done in bad taste or tries to be overly campy or sentimental.
From Baudrillard: "one of that great army of 'trashy' objects, made of plaster of Paris or some such imitation material".
Meta
Meta is associated with a text referring to itself or to the conventions of its genre; self-referential.
Modernism
Mordenism is associated with the period of the mid 20th century.
It is associated with constant change in the pursuit of progress, achievable through rationality and logic.
In contrast, Postmodernism takes a less optimistic view where constant change becomes the status quo and progress obsolete.
Panopticon
Panopticon is derived from the Greek opticon (see) and pan (all).
A type of prison designed to allow the guards to observe all prisoners without their knowledge.
The goal is to convey a feeling of "invisible omniscience" over the minds of the prisoners.
The panopticon is a symbol in many dystopian novels, most notably George Orwell's 1984
Pastiche
Pastiche is a tongue-in-cheek imitation or tribute used in literature, art, music, movies, etc.
Performed with respect to, or in homage to, other works (as opposed to parody which is done in ridicule or sarcasm).
A popular example is the cartoon The Simpsons, known for its pop culture references and recycled plots.
Simulacra
A simulacra is a copy of a copy, so far removed from its original, that it can stand on its own and even replace the original.
Term defined by Jean Baudrillard in "The Precession of Simulacra" from Simulacra and Simulation
"It is the generation by models of a real without origin or reality: a hyperreal.... substituting the signs of the real for the real".
Examples included Disneyland, psychosomatic illness, and the Watergate scandal.
Another example is the cartoon Betty Boop, who has now become an icon for the long-forgotten actresses she was based on.
Semiotics
Semiotics is the study of signs, symbols, and how meaning is constructed and understood.
Linguist Ferdinand de Saussure proposed the deferentiation between the spoken word (signifier) and mental concept (signified).
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality is a simulation technology providing an immersive computer-generated environment. The environment may be real (medical applications) or imagined (the Matrix).
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