Introduction
Welcome to the metamodern era. A time where we find ourselves caught in the flux of digital revolution, cultural shifts, and a rekindling of grand narratives, all while still
As an artist, I find myself standing at the crossroads of these cultural and technological shifts, with Metamodernism serving as my compass. I'd like to share my thoughts, experiences, and observations on what Metamodernism is, and how I believe it will shape our future.
This journey began as an exploration into the potential future of graphic design, taking cues from an evolving cultural paradigm. I quickly realized that Metamodernism was not just about creating compelling visual narratives, but it had potential to influence every aspect of our lives, from politics and technology to our individual experiences and collective narratives.
Metamodernism, in essence, is about balancing the best of what came before – the grand narratives and optimism of modernism, and the skepticism and relativism of postmodernism – while forging ahead to create a new, coherent cultural reality.
So let's embark on this journey together to understand the metamodern era and its impact on our culture, our technology, and our art. Let's delve into Metamodernism.
Understanding Postmodernism and Metamodernism
To appreciate the metamodern, we must first unpack the concept of postmodernism. Rooted in skepticism, postmodernism came into being as a reaction to modernism’s perceived failures. Where modernism sought universality, believing in grand narratives and objective truths, postmodernism reveled in fragmentation and the subjective nature of reality. It questioned our institutions, our ideologies, and our grand narratives, challenging the very structure upon which our society was built.
However, as we moved deeper into the postmodern era, a palpable sense of fatigue began to set in. The endless questioning, the constant fragmentation, and the cynical deconstruction of everything began to take a toll. While postmodernism provided valuable insights into the limitations of modernist thinking, it also left us feeling disconnected and adrift in a sea of relativism and irony.
This is where Metamodernism steps in. As the cultural pendulum swings back from the fragmentation of postmodernism, it does not return us to the naive grand narratives of modernism. Instead, Metamodernism synthesizes these seemingly contradictory ideologies, embracing both the skepticism of the postmodern and the optimism of the modern.
In essence, Metamodernism is a search for meaning and unity that still acknowledges and respects the complexity of individual experience. It recognizes the value in both grand narratives and personal stories, aspiring to create a more cohesive cultural discourse.
The metamodern era is a new dawn that challenges us to be both skeptical and hopeful, to engage in dialogue and debate, and to harness the opportunities that lie ahead. It's not about choosing between the grand narrative and the individual, but rather finding a way to harmoniously integrate both.
Metamodernism in Politics
In recent years, we've seen political movements around the world that embody the elements of Metamodernism. On one hand, there's a call for a return to grand narratives and nostalgia for perceived better times, while on the other, there's a desire to dissolve hierarchical structures and traditional norms in favor of individual freedom and recognition.
A case in point is the political era marked by the rise of Donald Trump in the United States. Trump's slogan, "Make America Great Again," was a nod to the modernist ideal of a grand narrative - a return to American exceptionalism. It was an appeal to a past time when things were, as perceived by some, better.
Meanwhile, reactions on the left have taken a different trajectory. Movements to decentralize power, break down traditional norms, and encourage more individual subjectivity echoing postmodern sentiments.
Metamodernism enables us to interpret these political movements from a fresh perspective. It does not discard the grand narrative nor does it plunge into fragmentation. Instead, it presents a narrative of balance and synthesis, oscillating between the modernist and postmodernist perspectives, and offering a way forward that is nuanced, respectful of individual experiences, and yet oriented toward a shared goal for the culture and people.
In the realm of politics, the metamodern era isn't about swinging to one extreme or another. Instead, it suggests a way to reconcile the polarity and move forward, synthesizing the best of both perspectives into a more nuanced, inclusive future. This is the metamodern political landscape, complex and dynamic, where grand narratives and individual stories coexist and inform one another.
The Metamodernist Canvas in Graphic Design
Now, let's look at the impact of Metamodernism on graphic design, a realm where I live and breathe every day. Here, Metamodernism offers a fresh perspective, providing a way to express the complexity of the world we live in and creating a narrative that is both universal and individual.
Traditional graphic design was about simplicity and clarity. It was built on the modernist principles of functionalism and minimalism, where form follows function. Postmodern design, however, sought to question these principles, embracing complexity, contradiction, and the power of the image.
As a graphic designer in the metamodern era, I find myself torn between these two extremes. On one hand, I appreciate the clarity and simplicity of modernist design. On the other, I am captivated by the dynamism and complexity of postmodern aesthetics.
The solution, I believe, lies in the synthesis offered by Metamodernism. Metamodernist design does not reject the past, but rather builds on it. It blends the simplicity of modern design with the vibrancy of postmodern aesthetics, creating something that is both familiar and fresh.
The Metamodernist canvas is a space where contrasting ideas can coexist and inform each other. It is a space where the universal and the individual intersect, creating narratives that resonate on multiple levels. It is a space where design can play a role in building a more cohesive and well integrated society.
The challenge for designers in the metamodern era is to create designs that reflect this complexity and nuance, designs that speak to both the individual and the collective, designs that challenge, inspire, and unite. It's a tall order, but it's a challenge that, as designers, we are ready and excited to embrace.
Liminal Spaces and the Visual Language of Metamodernism
A pivotal concept within the Metamodernist philosophy is that of the "liminal space" - an in-between space, where transformation occurs. These spaces, often associated with uncertainty, dislocation, and transition, have become particularly poignant in recent times as we grappled with the global impact of COVID-19.
Within this context, we've all had a shared experience of liminality. Offices, parks, and public spaces - once bustling with activity - suddenly became eerily quiet and deserted. These images have since been ingrained in our collective memory, symbolizing a profound shift in our way of life.
From a visual perspective, these liminal spaces offer a unique canvas to create Metamodernist narratives. Picture a 3D render of an empty office space, serving as a backdrop for a fusion of past and future aesthetics, where classical works of art - subtly altered - coexist with modern elements. Consider the emotional impact of a low-resolution Mona Lisa or a melting clock a la Salvador Dalí set against the familiar concrete reality of the modern workspace.
This use of liminal space is not just a stylistic choice. It's a nod to our shared experiences, an acknowledgment of the transitions we are going through as a society. It's a way of showing that while we live in an era of immense change and uncertainty, we are also capable of creating new narratives, of finding beauty in the unfamiliar, and of moving forward together.
The challenge in Metamodernist design is to create a visual language that resonates with our collective experiences, that brings together the past and the future, the familiar and the strange, and that stimulates thought, dialogue, and connection. And that, I believe, is where the true power of Metamodernist design lies.
Metamodernism in Art, Music, and Memes
Just as in politics and graphic design, Metamodernism manifests itself in various facets of culture, from art and music to internet memes. This wide-ranging influence attests to the universality of Metamodernist thinking and its ability to encompass and unify diverse aspects of human experience.
In visual arts, consider Banksy's elusive street art, which often blends irony and sincerity, public space and private sentiment, modern graffiti techniques and traditional painting styles. In music, take the example of Kanye West's album "Jesus is King," which fuses gospel traditions with hip-hop sensibilities, blurring the line between secular and religious, the mainstream and the fringe.
Meanwhile, the internet meme culture, characterized by its oscillation between irony and sincerity, absurdity and poignancy, chaos and order, is perhaps one of the most profound expressions of Metamodernism. Memes like "This is fine," a dog calmly sitting in a burning room, epitomize the Metamodernist spirit by acknowledging the complexities and contradictions of modern life while also seeking to find humor and connection within them.
Even the trend of remixing adult rap with kids shows can be seen as Metamodernist. It juxtaposes the mature themes of rap music with the innocence of children's entertainment, resulting in a work that is both familiar and disorienting, humorous and thought-provoking.
In all these instances, Metamodernist works draw from the past and present, high culture and popular culture, the sacred and the profane, to create experiences that are multilayered, dynamic, and rich in meaning. They acknowledge the complexity and diversity of human experience, yet also aspire to forge connections, provoke thought, and inspire change.
The Rise of Bitcoin and Metamodernist Economics
The rise of Bitcoin - the world's first decentralized digital currency - is a prime example of Metamodernist influence in economics. Bitcoin incorporates elements from both modernist and postmodernist economic theories, yet transcends them by creating a novel economic system that has never been seen before.
On one hand, Bitcoin harks back to the modernist ideal of hard money. It revives the principles of scarcity and predictability that underpinned the gold standard, a system that many believe led to stable, prosperous economies. On the other hand, Bitcoin's design is rooted in postmodern principles of decentralization and disintermediation, disrupting traditional economic hierarchies and structures.
But Bitcoin isn't just a fusion of modern and postmodern economics. It goes a step further by incorporating elements of Metamodernist thinking. Bitcoin's design encourages a sincere, cooperative approach to economic interaction. Its transparent, tamper-proof ledger (blockchain) promotes trust and collaboration, discourages deceit, and enables all participants, no matter how big or small, to verify transactions independently.
Moreover, Bitcoin is a grand narrative in itself - a vision of a world where economic power is not concentrated in the hands of a few, but distributed among many. At the same time, it acknowledges the individuality and diversity of its participants. Each Bitcoin user has a unique address and can transact freely with anyone in the world, without the need for a middleman.
Bitcoin's rise offers a glimpse into what a Metamodernist economic system might look like - one that combines the best aspects of modern and postmodern economics, while also adding a new layer of trust, cooperation, and individual freedom.
The Impact of Urbit and Metamodernist Computing
Urbit symbolizes a compelling manifestation of Metamodernist ideology within the realm of technology. This unique operating system revolutionizes the individual's interaction with the digital world, intrinsically mirroring the principles of Metamodernism.
In contrast to the postmodern complexities that plague the current internet – a web characterized by surveillance capitalism, privacy invasion, and data centralization – Urbit leans towards a modernist vision. It champions the idea of the internet as a streamlined, intuitive tool, but concurrently it envisions something unprecedented: a digital landscape where each user not only owns but is also the infrastructure of their digital identity and data.
The design philosophy of Urbit embodies a characteristic Metamodernist oscillation, as it traverses between elements of the past and the future, the familiar and the uncharted. It embraces the modernist simplicity reminiscent of early computing while concurrently advancing a futuristic concept of a personal server for every individual, in which they possess full sovereignty over their digital existence.
Urbit’s operating system and its unique programming language, Nock and Hoon, employ a Kelvin versioning system. This system is designed to decrement towards zero instead of incrementing upwards, epitomizing the modernist pursuit of perfection and simplicity. Once the protocol reaches zero, it signifies that an ideal state has been achieved, and no further changes will be required. This, in essence, represents the modernist grand narrative embedded within Urbit's design.
In the wider narrative of Metamodernism, Urbit symbolizes a decentralized, user-centric digital future. It recognizes the individuality of each user and emphasizes their control over their digital persona and interactions.
The promise of a completely decentralized internet is a vision still in progress. Regardless, it offers crucial insights into how Metamodernist principles could potentially shape our digital future. It paints a picture of an equilibrium between grand narratives and individual nuances, encapsulating a collective digital aspiration, as well as personal digital realities.
Moving Towards a Metamodernist Future
The common thread running through the Metamodernist era is the simultaneous embrace of grand narratives and personal experiences, the oscillation between modernist and postmodernist ideals, and the sincere pursuit of a better future.
However, moving towards a Metamodernist future is not without challenges. The danger lies in taking Metamodernist principles to an extreme, where the balance between irony and sincerity, grand narratives and individual nuances, can be lost. It's vital to avoid the pitfalls of dogmatism and extremism that plagued previous cultural eras.
For instance, an overemphasis on grand narratives can lead to totalitarian tendencies, while an excessive focus on individual nuances can result in cultural fragmentation. Metamodernism's strength lies in its ability to reconcile these extremes, fostering a sense of shared purpose while acknowledging individual experiences and perspectives.
Similarly, the interplay of irony and sincerity, often seen in Metamodernist works, should not tip over into either pure cynicism or naive earnestness. The goal should be to create a dialectic, a conversation, a fusion that creates a new, more complex understanding.
As we move towards this future, we can use the tools at our disposal – from graphic design and art, to music, memes, Bitcoin, and Urbit – to explore and shape this Metamodernist narrative. By consciously adopting Metamodernist principles, we can construct a culture that is at once reflective of our individual experiences and representative of our collective aspirations. In doing so, we can pave the way for a future that truly encapsulates the complexity, diversity, and richness of the human experience.
A Future Infused with Metamodernism
Metamodernism offers a comprehensive cultural lens through which we can understand, critique, and navigate our world. It provides a potential pathway to a future where our grand collective narratives coexist harmoniously with our nuanced individual experiences.
In the creative world, artists and designers can become the torchbearers of this movement, integrating Metamodernist principles into their work. They can leverage the power of nostalgia, sincerity, irony, and innovation to create works that resonate with the complexities of the human condition, reflecting both shared experiences and personal journeys.
In the world of technology and economics, Metamodernist principles illuminate the path to a more decentralized, user-centric digital future, as embodied by Bitcoin and Urbit. These platforms highlight the value of individual autonomy within a collective system, creating a new narrative of economic and digital empowerment.
In the political realm, Metamodernism can help create a dialogue that is both encompassing and respectful of diverse perspectives. It advocates for a new kind of political discourse that eschews extreme polarization in favor of a nuanced conversation that acknowledges the complexities of our world.
In essence, the potential of Metamodernism lies in its capacity to weave a compelling tapestry of our collective human experience – one that is vibrant, complex, and teeming with diverse narratives. By understanding and embracing the principles of Metamodernism, we can co-create a future that truly reflects the dynamic interplay of our shared narratives and individual nuances.
In this promising future, we can all become active participants in the Metamodernist narrative, shaping a world that values both the grandeur of our collective dreams and the authenticity of our individual experiences. The future is not just something we move towards; it is something we actively create. And Metamodernism provides a powerful blueprint for this creation.
Adam Malin
You can find me on Twitter or on Nostr at
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