Absolute Postmodernity

As you know if you've read many of my posts on the subject of postmodernity, I maintain that when discussing postmodernity we must distinguish between "cultural postmodernity" and what I tend to call "ivory tower postmodernity".

Culturally, most younger Americans are postmodern. Yet the vast majority of them continue to believe in a set of absolute truthes. What gives?

The truth (as I see it) is that those of us who identify with postmodern cultural values still tend to understand that there are some absolutes in this world. We have a much smaller list of them, no doubt - but a list nonetheless.

The troubling part is that most cultural postmoderns (at least those that don't know Christ) tend to have trouble acknowledging this fact. They say they don't believe in universal moral truth, but when pressed they generally do have at least a limited list.

Which brings me to the motivation behind this post. Like me, you probably get a copy of Parade Magazine in the Sunday paper. It's mostly Holywood stuff - celebrity gossip, new movie releases, interviews with actors, etc... Recently they interviewed Christian Bale, in light of the new Batman film and his connection to the late Heath Ledger.

I don't know a thing about Christian Bale the man. But in this article he says he's one who has "always enjoyed the gray in life" - a pretty classic way of expressing culturally postmodern sensitivities. Yet when asked about being a father, he says:

"There’s a very hard line you find in yourself when you become a parent, an absolute belief that cannot be questioned. It’s something that you will kill and die for in a way that you never experienced before. I’ve always enjoyed the gray in life. This is an area of total black and white. This is something that is unquestionable."

That's what I'm talking about! If Christian Bale embodies cultural postmodernity as much as I suspect he does, he's (anecdotally) proving my point. Here's something he's found that is absolutely true - a father would die for his child.

There's one other absolute truth I hope he finds - a Son died for His children.

Hatushili