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Bauman's Theory Of Postmodern Spatio-temporal Erlebenis

Posted on:2007-03-07Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:M S HuFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360248954238Subject:Literature and art
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Zygmunt Bauman's thoughts originate from various complex resources. His writing style and problematic consciousness are similar to those of Simmel. There have been disputes on his writing style characterized as"non-continuous"and"non-systematic."Bauman's aesthetics can be summarized as"theory of postmodern spatio-temporal erlebenis."The evolution of spatio-temporal erlebenis in postmodern society is a crucial clue to understand Baum's thoughts.The temporality of modernity is significantly characterized by a movement of linear elevation and progressing to the end. While conquering space, postmodern temporality is unburdened of its obligation to space, and no longer directs to eternity. With the fragmentation of space, temporality is near-instantaneity. The obsession with technology and speed comes into fashion. Productive time is substituted by consumptive time. Pleasure principle and reality principle reach an agreement. Peoples cognitions about body, love, art, and happiness are also changed.The space of modernity is idealized, and on the principle of purifying space, formulates a grid in which words and objects corresponds geometrically. Utopianism is embedded in Bauman's thoughts in every step of its development. The attributions of modern space-temporality find expression in the de-realization, locality, and ultimacy which characterize Bauman's thoughts. Starting from analyzing power, Bauman makes feather research on freedom. He sees the society as a pyramidal structure. The prison is a battlefield where space and temporality contest with each other. With the advent of postmodern society, modernity undergoes a transformation from solid to liquid. After the end of geography, temporality and speed function as signs of power, while space is depleted of its significance. Globalization intensifies localization. Politics loses its control of economic capital. Public sphere is open to a continuous encroachment of private sphere. As a result, the community is broken, and multiculturalism constructs more and more segregated spheres.Bauman's aesthetics can be summarized as"theory of postmodern spatio-temporal erlebenis."The evolution of spatio-temporal erlebenis in postmodern society is a crucial clue to understand Baum's thoughts. The object of aesthetic research is the sensible erlebenis of the subject. Space and temporality are two pure forms of human senses. The changes of space and temporality resulted from social transformation are due to influence human sensible erlebenis. Bauman's reflection on freedom, power, morality, and community, etc., with the evolution of spatio-temporal erlebenis as its backbone, evidently cherishes a critical sense of the society, which provides the possibility for the correspondence of social theories and aesthetic theories. The changes of postmodern space and temporality bring new challenges for aesthetic and artistic erlebenis, as well as problems concerned with the destiny and identity of intellectuals. Bauman's explanation and erlebenis style of literary works shows significant sociological features. The theory of Writing Sociology promoted by Bauman proves the efforts of a sociologist to intervene and reflect on the society.
Keywords/Search Tags:eternity, instantaneity, consumption, freedom, private sphere, community, aesthetics, intellectual, Writing Sociology
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