Post Modernism An artistic and philosophical movement that started after WWII.

Caused by the reaction to the events of WWII and WWI (trench warfare, gas attacks, mass destruction of cities from bombing, atomic weapons etc.) According to Frederic Jameson, the postmodernist movement began in earnest after the atomic blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 A rejection of metanarratives. Which were attempts to give history meaning or a coherent story: postmodernists were interested in replacing the idea that history had a story or that there was any overarching theme (like the struggle for liberal democracy/freedom, or the Marxist philosophy of a class struggle between rich and poor_ in the development of human civilization Postmodernism was a continuation of Andre Bretons Surrealist and Dadaist movement of the 1920s Albert Camus: the most powerful element is the absurd, which is neither negative or positive, carries with it no inherent meaning but which determines that we can to an extent control our destinies while still being bound to uncontrollable events and circumstances. Detail to know: the article The Myth of Sisyphus, and the book The Stranger Samuel Beckett: playwright who pioneered the theater of the absurd. Which deconstructed the familiar theatrical motifs (characters, plot, set, dialogue_ and redefined theater with his plays Waiting for Godot and Endgame. In art, postmodernism overcame impressionism: the focus was more on abstract conceptions of ideas in physical forms rather than on representations of humanity. In a postmodern world, anything became art. Detail: Salvador Dali Environmental Issues CFCs- short for Chlorofluorocarbon (also known as Freon, a name invented by the DuPont chemical company_ Used in air conditioners, refrigerators, and aerosol sprays Introduced as a refrigerant by Thomas Midgely Jr. in 1920s (Midgely received a Perkin Medal from the Society of Chemical Industry for this highly destructive achievementhe also invented acid-rain and asthma-causing leaded gasoline) Reacts with Ozone (O3) in the Lower Stratosphere to create Chlorinated gas Results in Ozone reduction, first recognized in 1975 and Ozone holes over Antarctica, first noticed in 1985 With less Ozone, there is much more likelihood of UV (Ultraviolet) rays penetrating to the ground level which can contribute to a small degree to Global Warming More importantly, however, is our vulnerability to UV radiation and its effects on other life forms:

Increased UV causes Basal and Squamous-cell carcinoma This is hard to detect and can lead to metastasized cancer Also, whales have been reported to have increased cases of epidermal damage, reputedly from UV rays Crops, such as rice, can be devastated since they depend on cyanobacteria for root development (most people in the world depend upon rice production) The WHO (World Health Organization estimates that 48000 people year die from melanoma (skin cancer) each year. Political effect: in 1983 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its study on the connection between CFCs and the Ozone layer depletion The Vienna Convention in 1985: 20 nations signed a treaty to regulate CFCs The Montreal Protocol in 1987: 43 countries signed a treaty to limit CFC production and eventually end use by 2000 (later changed to 1996) NASA estimates: One molecule of CFCs can take out 100,000 Ozone molecules If there were no CFC ban, then there would be no Ozone layer over the United States by 2060 Brave New World Aldous Huxley 1932 Homogeneous society: cloning facilities (Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, Epsilon) Propaganda, hypnopedia Hedonistic pleasures, no freedom of true emotion and creative thoughts Feelies: erotic films Somma: a narcotic drug that suppresses and inhibits deep emotion and replaces with a constant state of euphoria Bernard Marx is frustrated with the hedonistic ideals of society, especially because his love, Lenina, also conforms to the society and refuses to express emotion John Savage is brought, a man who lived in a secluded reservation all his life and thus express true emotion and free from the fetters of a conformed, expressionless society His ideas of expression and creativity (based on his reading of the Bible and the works of Shakespeare) fail to impress the society, and he is rather treated like a zoo animal, with people lionizing him and laughing at his disparities. Bernard is arrested and exiled to a distant land for trying to preach Savages ideology, and John Savage is driven to self-imposed exile to a lighthouse John Savage hangs himself after reluctantly participating in an orgy Galileo 1564 physicist, mathematician, astronomer, philosopher

Father of modern observational astronomy, modern physics, science, modern science Propagated heliocentricism, highly controversial at that time Questioned by the Roman Inquisition in 1633 House arrest for the rest of his life Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems Attacked Aristotelian geocentricism and promoted Copernican heliocentricism The authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Gandhi 1869 lawyer -> international peace keaper satyagraha: passive political resistance ahimsa: nonviolence Independence of India from Britain Dandi Salt March: March 12, 1930: 400 km march against tax for salt 1922: 6 years of imprisonment reunited/alleviate Muslim and Hindus and their conflicts August 15, 1947: Independence of India A No uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a Yes merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble Enron Scandal Dubbed the biggest audit failure ever October 2001, American energy company Kenneth Lay created Enron by merging Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, two large energy/gas companies Assembled a staff of executives that abused their position to hide billions in debt via accounting loopholes and poor financial reporting Stole approximately 63.4 billion dollars in assets from its many clients, making it the largest corporate bankruptcy of that time. Thousands of employees were unemployed as a result Churchill Born 1874 to aristocratic family Anonymous, until 1930s, when Hitler emerged Nevile Chamberlain, the prime minister of Britain at that time, met with Hitler in 1938 (Munich Agreement), giving the Sudetenland to Germany Churchill viewed with discontent, contempt You were given the choice between war and dishonor.. You chose dishonor, and you will have war. 1939, Britain is at war, 1940, Chamberlain resigns

Churchill comes to power, inspiring the then distraught nation to fight for their country during the Blitz and Battle of Britain (Blood, toil, sweat, and tears speech) Called himself a fellow-fighter with his countrymen Gave victory signs whenever possible to show courage and determination to fight the Germans 1984 Omnipresent, omnipotent leader Big Brother and ubiquitous surveillance cameras monitor the citizens lives Thought Police monitors for seditious thoughts, and seeks to eliminate potential opposition from the public Winston Smith, the protagonists, works to revise past historical documents to concord with contemporary beliefs and values of the party, and to delete records of unpersons, or people who have been killed by the state, so that their entire existence may be forgotten. Keeps a journal of negative, derogatory thoughts towards the Thought Police and the regime of Oceania, which, if discovered, would warrant his death. Begins love affair with Julia and develops that relationship, but little do they know, the Thought Police are aware of it. OBrien, thought to be one of the agents of the Brotherhood, an hidden organization that seeks to overthrow the regime, meets with Winston and gives him The Book, which details the Brotehrhoods values and how the government can be overthrown. They are captured, and after prolonged sessions of psychological and physical torture, OBrien proceeds to interrogate Winston, and how the Party can make people change their perception to believe that 2+2=5, and using this method, can obtain complete dominance and control over the people. Winston is then set into rehabilitation camp, where his former doctrines and values are undermined and relinquished, and the Partys values are instilled into him. Eventually, he is led to reject his love for Julia by using his greatest fear, rats, against him. He is then released back to the society, because he loved Big Brother. All you care about is yourself Doublethink (Newspeak): blackwhite: able to claim that black is white, or vice versa, whenever the Party demands such a thing; (able to alter ones perception and violate a basic part of logic and common sense for the Party.) The Crucible Play written in 1952 by Arthur Miller

allegory of McCarthyism: US government blacklisted accused communists Abigael Williams, along with other girls of the Salem community, are caught in accusation of witchcraft by Reverend Parris. The girls, In an effort to cover up their blatant sin, claim that they are the keys to eradicating witchery and the devil from Salem, and so abuse their power and position to unjustly accuse innocent civilians, whether it was for mere revenge, or to appropriate land or goods that they selfishly desired. Based on the real Salem witch trials of 1692 to reflect the hysteria prevalent during the McCarthyist period The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne: main character, committed adultery with Arthur Dimmesdale when she was married to a man named Roger Chillingworth, who arrived in Boston after being deemed lost at sea. Pearl was born from the adultery, and Hester carried the letter A on her chest to symbolize her shame Chillingworth becomes Dimmesdales doctor, who abuses his position to surreptitiously torture Dimmesdale and his mysterious anguish from some psychogicla disease. Dimmesdale dies after revealing the truth to the public after his most eloquent sermon delivered ever. Hester lives a normal life, and Pearl grows up to marry a European aristocrat. 1989 Tian an Men Massacre: Tank Man, Hu Yaobang Anna Politkovskaya: Russian journalist