Trans-Modernism

[Michelle420]

Are we in the era of a Trans-Modern World? I have been reading about post-modernism and social theories and came across this blog about Trans-Modern theory for our current times. I thought it was interesting so I am sharing it.


1. The emerging Transmodern or Integral Culture is summarized by Paul H. Ray as follows:

[1] Ecological sustainability, beyond environmentalism

[2] Globalism: Two of the top values for Cultural Creatives are xenophilism (love of travel to foreign places, of foreigners and the exotic)

[3] Feminism, women's issues, relationships, family

[4] Altruism, self-actualization, alternative health care, spirituality and spiritual psychology

[5] Well-developed social conscience and social optimism

Transnational organizations, ranging from the World Bank to multinational corporations, from NGOs to the Mafia…

- Transnational problems, including the monetary crisis, climate change, drugs, AIDS, ethnic conflicts, etc.

- Transnational occurrences, among them wars, sports contests, mass culture events, solidarity marches, etc.

- Transnational communities based on religion, generation-specific lifestyles, environmental action, racial identities, etc.

- Transnational structures as they relate to work, culture, finance, etc.

National- Postnational -Transnational
Imperialism- Postcolonialism Transethnic- Cosmopolitanism
Hierarchy -Anarchy -Integrated Chaos
Culture- Multiculture- Transculture
Territory- Extraterritoriality -Transborder Ubiquity
City- Suburbia -Megalopolis
Race/Class Individual ChatMasculine -Feminine- Transsexual
High Culture -Mass Culture -Customized Mass Culture
Vanguard -Postvanguard -Transvanguard
Activity -Exhaustion- Static Connectivity
Public- Private -Obscenity of Intimacy
Effort- Hedonism -Joint Individualism
Spirit- Body- Cyborg

Transmodernity

 

[Treeshepherd]

Globally, markets are tapped. There's a glut of oil and gas out there, an economic slowdown in Japan, underwhelming numbers coming out of China, deflation in Europe, etc..
I think transnational problems are going to lead to counteraction against globalism.

Small signs have been the Swiss Franc decoupling from the Euro; tension between Germany and debt-strapped nations like Greece; Ukrainian split; American energy independence; etc..

"This is the first time in recent memory that we are seeing quite a lot of protectionism in China targeting commodities imports," said Simon Evenett, professor of international trade at Switzerland's University of St Gallen.

 

[Michelle420]

Importance of Neotraditional Approaches in the Reconstructive Transmodern Era - P2P Foundation

 

[Treeshepherd]

"Through such an alliance, which combines the traditional injunction for a steady-state economy in harmony with natural possibilities, a differentiated post-industrial future can be created, which can bypass the destructive practices of industrial-era modernism, and can create an ‘appropriate technology’ future, whereby more traditional communities can more freely decide what to adapt and what to reject." -your article

Sometimes traveling to and fro I stop at a place called the Solar Living Center. They're a highway rest area with water-conserving toilets, a 132Kw solar array, EV charging stations, edible landscaping and vegetable gardens, aquaculture and a store that sells alternative energy gear. They sell their extra electricity to the power company. They have interns living on site doing the work and learning about solar and sustainable agriculture. They teach classes to the public and give tours. It's a model for a future possible way of communal life.

I call the movement 'hippy-tech'. Local power generation, local food production, sustainable living practices, etc.. These things are disruptive. Rooftop solar/wind disrupts the utility model. Local food disrupts agribusiness. Sustainable living disrupts an economy dependent on waste and excess. When you reach a tipping point, old systems come crashing down. Chaos ensues. At that point, people grab the pieces that float. From that, they build a neo-tradition. But the transition is usually not a smooth one.

 

[Treeshepherd]

National- Postnational -Transnational
Imperialism- Postcolonialism Transethnic- Cosmopolitanism
Hierarchy -Anarchy -Integrated Chaos
Culture- Multiculture- Transculture
Territory- Extraterritoriality -Transborder Ubiquity
City- Suburbia -Megalopolis
Race/Class Individual ChatMasculine -Feminine- Transsexual
High Culture -Mass Culture -Customized Mass Culture
Vanguard -Postvanguard -Transvanguard
Activity -Exhaustion- Static Connectivity
Public- Private -Obscenity of Intimacy
Effort- Hedonism -Joint Individualism
Spirit- Body- Cyborg

I'm not excited about some of those outcomes. I'd prefer the rich and unique culture of bio-regionalism to transnationalism and transculture. Megalopolis I don't like. I don't want to be a cyborg.

I do like integrated chaos. That seems like natural law. Nature is chaos integrated into a situational balance.

 

[Michelle420]

National- Postnational -Transnational
Imperialism- Postcolonialism Transethnic- Cosmopolitanism
Hierarchy -Anarchy -Integrated Chaos
Culture- Multiculture- Transculture
Territory- Extraterritoriality -Transborder Ubiquity
City- Suburbia -Megalopolis
Race/Class Individual ChatMasculine -Feminine- Transsexual
High Culture -Mass Culture -Customized Mass Culture
Vanguard -Postvanguard -Transvanguard
Activity -Exhaustion- Static Connectivity
Public- Private -Obscenity of Intimacy
Effort- Hedonism -Joint Individualism
Spirit- Body- Cyborg

I'm not excited about some of those outcomes. I'd prefer the rich and unique culture of bio-regionalism to transnationalism and transculture. Megalopolis I don't like. I don't want to be a cyborg.

I do like integrated chaos. That seems like natural law. Nature is chaos integrated into a situational balance.

It's just a Theory anyway. This theory has not caught with contemporary social science, we are still studying post modernism. I was researching and stumbled across the idea of trans-modernism.

I also read this book called Generations that has a Theory of History repeats itself cycles, and has come up with a Theory about 4 Generational prototypes and how each type will shape a time frame. Social scientists don't give it merit but I found it interesting. The same Authors wrote a book called the 4th Turning, I bought a copy but just have not had time to read because I have too much other required reading.

The Fourth Turning

 

[Michelle420]

"Through such an alliance, which combines the traditional injunction for a steady-state economy in harmony with natural possibilities, a differentiated post-industrial future can be created, which can bypass the destructive practices of industrial-era modernism, and can create an ‘appropriate technology’ future, whereby more traditional communities can more freely decide what to adapt and what to reject." -your article

Sometimes traveling to and fro I stop at a place called the Solar Living Center. They're a highway rest area with water-conserving toilets, a 132Kw solar array, EV charging stations, edible landscaping and vegetable gardens, aquaculture and a store that sells alternative energy gear. They sell their extra electricity to the power company. They have interns living on site doing the work and learning about solar and sustainable agriculture. They teach classes to the public and give tours. It's a model for a future possible way of communal life.

I call the movement 'hippy-tech'. Local power generation, local food production, sustainable living practices, etc.. These things are disruptive. Rooftop solar/wind disrupts the utility model. Local food disrupts agribusiness. Sustainable living disrupts an economy dependent on waste and excess. When you reach a tipping point, old systems come crashing down. Chaos ensues. At that point, people grab the pieces that float. From that, they build a neo-tradition. But the transition is usually not a smooth one.

Sounds pretty neat.