About PostCulture

Who the Hell Do I Think I Am?

Dave is a writer and editor who thinks far too much about things that don't usually matter.

He currently lives outside of New York City and enjoys cooking, cats, (not cooking cats), Star Wars, and the the Oxford comma.

 

Primarily, though, he enjoys taking a highly analytical look at popular culture and dissecting it well past the point where normal people would stop having fun.

This leads to some rather interesting places.

 

Content is primarily humorous in nature and should not be considered to be reflective of any employer or affiliate, and possibly not even my own.

What is PostCulture?

PostCulture is the terminology Dave developed to describe the fluid, evolving nature of globalized, socially networked society in the time following Postmodernism.

Whereas Postmodernism was based out of reaction against Modernism, and characterized by self-awareness, pathos, irony, and subtext, Post-Postmodernism is a reaction to that. When irony and subtle meaning is expected, but simplicity and directness (be it genuine or duplicitous) is delivered, that is Post-Postmodern. It's kind of the cultural equivalent to anti-comedy, like a lot of Gen-Z humor.

In coming to expect a hidden meaning in everything, Culture turns into PostCulture. It is no longer enough to appear impressive, or smart, or sexy; one must now appear to be those things in such a way that when others deconstruct one's airs and behaviors, they appear natural and earnest, rather than artificial, petty, or — sin of sins — not only disingenuous but obviously disingenuous.

We are a nation of Hannibal Lechters and Patrick Batemans, but we are also all Clarice Starlings. We build our own naratives while we see through others'. We devote inordinate amounts of time to strategizing and playing out our opponents' moves far in advance, to the point that it becomes second nature. We expect this of others and it becomes normal. (God help us.)

This has consequently affected every aspect of popular culture, from the upswing in "gritty" reboots and a sudden resurgence of fairytale and fantasy media, to the hip obsession with "authenticity."

Basically, it's the singularity of irony.