Original scientific paper
ECOLOGY OF MODERNISM AND POSTMODERNISM OR: WHY SHOULD (NOT) MAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO A LEMMING
Tomislav Markus
; Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Abstract
The author analyzes the ecology of the contemporary civil society concluding that it for the most part represents an example of particularistic or reductionist criticism. An attempt is made to explain the dissolution of the environmental system by negative consequences of a basically “good” system. Attention is paid to attempts to solve this issue within the framework of the same civilisational paradigm, by which it has been actually generated and constantly increased. In accordance with the spirit of the age in terms of the increasing centralisation, the impact of technology and bureaucratization of a high–entropic society, the solution is being looked for in measures taken by states, in technological innovations, sparing, alternative sources of energy, etc. In doing this time is being lost as well as the possibility to solve the environmental issues and prevent the civilization and human race in general from destruction.
As opposed to this, a (spiritual) ecology of modernism and postmodernism should be interested in creating a new society with no nation–state, megalopolis, megamachine, ochlocracy, technological expansion, consumerism, dominance of man over non–human entities, high circulation of energy and matter through society, etc. A new ecology and a new state would be based on spiritual values, nonspecialist education, small communities, ecocentrism, low entropy, a drastic decreasment of population, the basic technology which serves no destructive needs, etc. The realization of these principles would cause the imperium humanum to disappear and mans cooperation with non–human entities to be realized.
Keywords
ecology of modernism and postmodernism; entropy; environmental movements; radical and holistic criticism; spiritual values; technology
Hrčak ID:
141702
URI
Publication date:
15.9.1999.
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