What is Postmodernism?

Will Rogers famously said, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat."

Elizabeth asked me, in Ari's journal, for my definition of postmodernism, and I've been mulling over it ever since. It's not that I think, as some do, that postmodernism is particularly resistant to defining in a way that some other intellectual movements is not. Instead, any intellectual movement is given to a number of definitions, some descriptive and some prescriptive, and with postmodernism no less than any other movement these definitions sometimes work against each other.

( Postmodernism is a movement of people in history )

( Postmodernism is an abstract mode of analysis )

( Postmodernism is a mode of expression )

My Yuletide Nominations and Plans for Requests

1. Orson Scott Card -- Ender's Game series. This is the fandom in which the story written for me last year was written, so I'm not sure if I want to request it again. But then I loved that fic so much, and I love Peter and Val so much. But probably not (in which I'd probably go with #6?)

2. The Parent Trap (1998). So I can request Annie/Hallie, of course. Will-to-powery twincest for the win! I nominated and requested this last year as well.

3. Robert A. Heinlein -- World-as-Myth multiverse. With an eye to request Laz/Lor. Also a repeat from last year.

4. Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? Yet another repeat, this time hoping to request Carmen/Player, which was the only non-'cesty request I made last year--and depending on whether I decide to request Ender's Game again, it may be again. But, really! Carmen/Player!

5. I already forget what this one was. I think I nominated George Bernard Shaw -- Pygmalion again, maybe? Last year I nominated it thinking that I might request Eliza/Clara, but then I didn't.

6. Unable to think of anything else, I made a sixth nomination, a fandom none of you would ever be able to guess, and certainly not Ari. (Last year I think I nominated My Summer of Love in this slot?)