ANYTHING GOES? IS THAT POSTMODERN?

Much talk about postmodern title-tattle or anything-goes nihilistic banality. Shame that much of that talk, when from those trapped into a tradition of correct reason, is, to say the least rather misinformed. I try to defend, a little, this indefensible pomo turn. One might forgive me if I refer to "obscure" literature in my attempt but at least i shall not pretend to be a correctly read "Philosopher King".

First a contentious point needs putting aside. This is the "anything-goes" theme which is commonly misrepresented as being just postmodern. Any fairly disciplined reading of political economy and philosophy will, without unnecessary expert positioning, help us to see that Capitalism is by far the main driving force behind this anything-goes thing where "all value is equalised". To keep this more down to earth let us consider a text from the Business and Society Review :- " Suppose that, as a result of using up all the world's resources, human life did come to an end. So what? " This has been the anything goes position of capitalism for some time has it not. Postmodern tribes have rallied against this for a very long time now.

Now with that centralising habit called reason and/or ordering we find our own Anticant claiming that we mix, all too often and badly, an "important" thread or theme with things like the price of fish. How to reply to that? Perhaps we move to the good works of the American black writer Du Bois when he writes about the death of working folk thus :- " My journey was done and behind me lay hill and dale and Life and Death. How shall man measure Progress there where the dark faced Josie lies? How many heartfuls of sorrow shall balance a bushel of wheat? "

Then a quote from another :- " Postmodernism is, in fact, the phantasmagoria of a prior, freakish world. Those that fear the beasts are not wrong. Their nostalgia for a kinder home than they have wells from the same unthinking place of insensate feeling that authors principled dreams of a better world. The freaks and the beasts are signs of a bad dream..." ( Charles Lemert )

What i have tried to say here may not satisfy but without due consideration from those that misrepresent postmodern texts and sensitivities ( without some respectful work) I would find it very difficult to avoid saying "J'Accuse......