Born Dancer said:
basically, the quote refers to pomo's resistance to the mainstream. when you find yourself on the side of the majority, you arent being postmodern anymore.
a creative response to this question will use pomo techniques to demonstrate an understanding of pomo, therefore rather than an analysis of human thought and independence it has to be something which isnt contrived.
Contrived? that hurts. This isn't something I thought up in ten seconds, this is 5 years worth of self-reflection. There are no books pushing this, not that I've found. This is founded on wanting to find something more only to have it fall away the closer you get.
understanding of pomo-there is no idea on what it is, so what you write is irrealvent as long as you discuss topic that have element of the post modern construct.
I know what the quote said. I don't care. In this day and age it has different connatations. Media and its impact have far more impact then Twain could have guessed. Fuck, he isn't H.G Wells.
I would argue that being as there has being a rise in alt culture and alt cool which began to take hold with the inception of MTV. (Though it has been around sincee the 1950's) Now person resistance to the obvious mainstream (against the grain; post modern) ends up with them just subscribing to a different mainstrem point of view. (subculture) It would be foolish to believe that companies don't have every aspect of what I like to call "triple J" cool covered.(this includes any sub-culture which is large enough that the can sell products to) They know what people want. To fit in, if they don't fit in then they will find an area or subculture that they can.
So no-one is going against the grain (in the terms of pushing boundries). Unless your into stuff that is just way out. Cock and Ball torture, Costies (the only true rebel, noone want to do what he does)
For me there are 4 types of people. One, the mainstream, those who are stupid and don't know they are being played (Treadies or whatever people call them. Damn Sheep) These people are usually of value, Attractive, Good at Sports etc.
Two, Those who see that they are being played, (triple J cool, punks etc) these people are useless in a conventional sense, not funny, generally suck at life. As such they need there own culture not to feel like a loser. Give them something to talk about.
3, these people have seen through this whole thing and the marketing ploys. They end becoming resentful and alienating themselves because they can't compromise there views. This is the true post moderner in the against the grain. They tend to be into unlisterneble music, usually involved in the fetish community. Good people, werid headspace.
4) They know that everyone get played, mainstream and subcultures. They have delt with and moved on (usually with a great deal hardship) They are now free to do anything, they can like anything and are smart enough (or reflective enough) to evaluate what they want and why they want it. Very few people are like this.
Now group 4 is not subscribing to mainstream views. They are doing it on their own terms. Yes, they in the mainstream so to speak. But the differences is that instead of being adrift like group one they can choose to ignore what they want and take when they please. Here you have freedom, there is no grain because you don't need to prove that you are different. You don't care, you know your right.
And for me the grain is following a culture. Doing what you want, thinking how you want, even if it crosses culture is freedom. This freedom is against the grain.
Born Dancer said:
my degree? B Media and Communications / B Arts (eng + politics)
Fuck, I know that. Details, what does it cover?
