Postmodernism Is a Nebulous and Often Poorly

Postmodernism is a nebulous and often poorly defined term. There is nothing genuinely concrete that separates the cultural icons that are labeled as postmodern from those that are not. Satire, cynicism, sarcasm, and other common features of postmodern sensibility are nothing new. The best way to understand the essence of postmodernism is to distinguish it from modernism, which was particularly enamored with science. Postmodernism is "largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of scientific, or objective, efforts to explain reality," (PBS). Postmodernism embraces concepts such as social construction and other contructivist theories that suggest that there may be no absolute objective reality. Eastern philosophy has championed constructivism for thousands of years, making postmodernism seem derivative. Postmodernism has the potential to seem nihilistic, which is why Frederick Nietzsche is credited as being one of the forerunners of postmodern theory (Aylesworth). There is no absolute truth, religious path, or ethic, according to the postmodernist. The world is far too diverse and complex for there to be any absolutes.

When applied to the creative arts, postmodernism manifests in a variety of ways. One of the hallmarks of postmodernism is synthesis and pastiche (Keep, McLaughlin, and Parmar). Another is the impetus to defy convention (Salberg, Stewart, Wesley, and Weiss). Irony is also a ubiquitous quality in postmodern creative expression. The hit television show The Simpsons is emblematic of postmodern sensibility because it contains each of these three characteristics. The Simpsons is irreverent, poking fun of nearly everyone and everything. The Simpsons is a pastiche show that fuses lowbrow with highbrow humor. Irony, sarcasm, and poignant social criticism are also part and parcel of The Simpsons. The same can be said for other television shows that use animation as a medium, such as South Park and Family Guy. Each of these adult-oriented animated shows is postmodern in their bawdy but intelligent humor that at once respects and disrespects society. Kyle and Stan on South Park often engage in postmodern discourse when they debate about the role of reason vs. faith, or ponder ethical dilemmas.

Pastiche is a characteristic of postmodern creative expression; and few television shows achieve the pinnacle of pastiche as effectively as Family Guy. The Family Guy series defies the rules of good television writing by basing many episodes around flashback sequences and fantasy. The result is a strikingly effective work of pastiche storytelling that is wholly unique. The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park all use fantasy sequences to challenge notions of what is real and meaningful. While the use of fantasy is not unique to postmodern art, the role and function of fantasy is particular in the postmodern framework. The postmodern writer uses fantasy not because it might trick the viewer into believing in an alternative universe but to display the malleability of reality.