| The post-modern condition is characterized by a breakdown of meta-narratives. Historically, religion has served as the founding meta-narrative of societies, and only with the extreme rationality of the Enlightenment did people begin to question its premises. Science then became the meta-narrative many people looked toward for structure and purpose, though religion has maintained a considerable following. The transition to post-modernity began with technological advancements that forced some people to recognize that science, too, is a meta-narrative capable of being broken down. Post-modern theorists claim that all of these meta-narratives are disintegrating, whether people choose to accept their breakdown or not. As a result, our society is entering a period that has no structure or foundation.
The second main aspect of post-modernity is the breakdown of originality. Theorists claim that because technology can replicate images and people, people become merely replications of one another. Mass reproduction and the proliferation of images leads to the breakdown of individuality and a rise in tolerance for others who were previously judged to be ‘differentÂ’ or 'Other.Â’ Furthermore, cyborg technology makes it difficult to distinguish between humans and machines, so that we are indeed mechanical reproductions. Boundaries become blurred and there are no strict hierarchies among people or groups – we are all simulations, we are copies of copies. |  |
