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Understanding Postmodernism

J.N. Manokaran

Introduction

The social historians like Alvin Toffler consider world has four eras: Primitive Era, Pre-modern Era, Modern Era and Post Modern era. Post modernism is the new emerging intellectual environment in the globalized world. This new philosophy is being embraced by young people with great enthusiasm and eagerness. Stanley Grenz writes, “Postmodernism refers to the intellectual mood and cultural expressions that are becoming increasingly dominant in contemporary society." There is a general consensus that postmodernism first appeared in the 1930s.* It apparently seems to be skepticism but embraces a wide range of faiths without critical analysis.

Dominic Crossan captures the postmodern predicament in the following lines:

There is no lighthouse keeper,

There is no lighthouse,

There is no dry land,

There is only people living on rafts made from their own imaginations.

And there is the sea.

Not just political Empowerment but holistic empowerment for women is needed

J.N. Manokaran

For so many years there has been debate in India about providing reservation for one-third of the parliamentary seats in Lok Sabha (Lower House) for women. The proposal in the form of bill was to be laid in the Lok Sabha for discussion but was opposed by few parties like Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal. Media is excited about this, but has not done an analytical study on this issue. Intellectuals who support the bill in the present form given space and time in media while others are marginalized. People with different views are mocked as ‘daibolic’, ‘casteist’, ‘living in stone age’…etc. But the fact is that only these so called ‘progressive’ live in ‘fantasy’ and do understand social reality of India.

Hypocrisy! External racism is anathema; Internal racism is tolerable?

J.N. Manokaran

Any violent attack on any group of people based on ‘otherness’ should be condemned by civil society. Such perpetuators should be punished. The attack of students in Australia on the basis of race should be condemned by the International community and the Australian Government should bring the perpetuators of such crime to book immediately. According to UN, definition for racism is: ‘prejudice based on caste, colour, gender or race along with a biased attitude or ridiculing a person based on his/her abilities or character.’ But it is high time for Indians to introspection of their own attitude towards fellow Indians.

TIN - June 2009

Topic – India Newsletter- June 2009

“I came like a caterpillar; I fly out like a butterfly, transformed.”: Summer School of Leadership, Chennai: A special training for emerging leaders in Chennai from 18-22 May 2009. This was organized by Glocal Leaders Network, Trainers of Pastors International Coalition (TOPIC)-India. It was heartening to see two delegates travel over 1500 plus kilometers (32 hours train journey) to attend this training from Ahmedabad. Some were mission leaders, pastors, college professor, seminary students and leaders of Non-Government organization. They were deputed from various ministries like: Union of Evangelical Students of India, Caruna Bal Vikas, Church of South India, Navajeevan Seva Mandal, The Transformation Movement, Independent churches, Assembly of God, Equip People, Chennai Transformation Network…etc. The delegates were young, one leader exclaimed, “I expected a bunch of grey haired people, and was surprised to see not even one.” “Pushed me to be more clear in vision/mission not to be satisfied with status quo,” shared a leader who works among students in campuses; while another leaders shared that it was ‘life-transforming one’.