Understanding Postmodernism

*Understanding Postmodernism: A Guide to Deleuze, Žižek, and the De-centering of Thought*

In this article, we'll delve into the world of postmodernism, exploring the ideas of Gilles Deleuze and Slavoj Žižek. We'll examine how their philosophies challenge traditional notions of thought, reality, and the human experience.

*What is Postmodernism?*

Postmodernism is a slippery concept, but in artistic expression, it's characterized by an eclectic return to the past, embracing diverse influences and historical moments. In philosophy, postmodernism doubts the relationship between parts and wholes, questioning our understanding of reality and knowledge.

*Deleuze and the De-centering of Thought*

Deleuze's thought experiment in "A Thousand Plateaus" introduces a rhizomatic mode of thinking, de-centering traditional notions of unity and wholeness. He envisions a world where entities interact, merge, and fly apart, challenging our understanding of reality and the human experience.

*Žižek and the Big Other*

Žižek, following Lacan, explores the relationship between the object of desire and the Big Other. He develops the concept of the "blot," an element in narrative form that resists concrete meaning. Žižek's ideas have political implications, warning against the dangers of fascination with a big idea or charismatic leader.

*The Inhuman and Dehumanization*

Postmodernism involves the dehumanization of the human, not in an anti-humanistic sense but as a new way of thinking about the human. Deleuze's "bodies without organs" concept suggests a machinic, interactive understanding of the body, dissolving the boundaries between subject and object.

*Permeability of Inside and Outside*

Deleuze and Guattari's ideas emphasize the continuousness between the inside feeling we have about ourselves and the exteriority with which we're constantly coming into contact. This permeability challenges our understanding of consciousness and its relationship to the surroundings.

*Conclusion*

Postmodernism, through the ideas of Deleuze and Žižek, offers a radical rethinking of thought, reality, and the human experience. By embracing the de-centering of thought and the permeability of inside and outside, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between entities and the world around us.