So attempting a definition is tricky, but broadly, a postmodern text can characterised by wilfully breaking the rules and conventions of media texts.
More specifically, here are five aspects that could make a text postmodern:
Criticism of metanarratives – postmodern texts usually try to distance themselves from traditional ways of making meaning, and will break the rules of existing metanarratives such as religion or science (if you want to brush up on what metanarratives are, then check out this post)
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| The video to Judas by Lady Gaga controversially depicts a Latino biker as Jesus, and Gaga herself as Mary Magdalene. This is typical of the scorn that postmodern texts treat metanarratives such as religion |
Rejection of high culture – postmodern texts will often use a deliberately ‘trashy’ aesthetic
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| Here Lady Gaga arbitrarily combines neon yellow hair, a nun's wimple, a glove made out of rubbish, a see-thu plastic dress, a yellow bikini and nipple tape. This deliberately 'thrown together' look, combining many different aspects is again typical of postmodernism |
Breaking rules – postmodern texts often break fundamental rules of making media, for example by ‘breaking the fourth wall’
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| Pulp Fiction (1994) is a dialogue heavy gangster film that deliberately breaks the classical rules of narrative. Jumping backwards and forwards in time with little signposting, viewers may be confused by a character who dies halfway through the film still being alive in the final scene |
Intertextuality – postmodern texts often routinely make reference to other texts, cultures and times
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| Stronger by Kanye West includes many intertextual references in both the video and the song itself. The video uses extensive Japanese iconography, and has many references to 80's fashion and technology. Finally, the song itself extensively samples Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by French house artists Daft Punk. These references are certainly not typical of the rap and hip-hop genres |
Style over substance – surface meanings are seen as more important in a postmodern text than any deeper meaning
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| Who knows why Lady Gaga is a black swan with a human head in the video to Applause, but frankly, since it looks cool, who cares? |
If in doubt, Moe Szyslak from The Simpsons gives a short but sweet attempt at defining postmodernism.
Why postmodernism?
Using postmodernism is a great way to make reference to a variety of different texts and styles in a media text. It allows the author complete freedom to use a variety of styles from different times and places. It can arguably challenge audience's perception of the ways in which we use media... or it could simply be an opportunity to look cool without considering deeper meanings too much. For these reasons, adopting a postmodern perspective works especially well for music videos, which are obsessed with intertextuality and providing endless style over substance.
When discussing postmodernism, it is best to make sure you tick the following boxes:
- Identify what aspects of the text are actually postmodern
- Consider why the producer has used these stylistic choices, and what effect they may have on the audience
- Consider the purpose of music videos, and exactly what they have to do to get the attention of the audience
- Explain the ideology of the producer, and question the use of postmodern aspects