Metamodernism and the Return of Transcendence

Book excerpt: The period known as Postmodernism is over. With it goes the pervasive cynicism, apathy, and nihilism that defined so much of American culture during the latter 20th century. Now, a new sensibility--called "Metamodernism" by an emerging consensus--has occasioned the return of various ideas long denigrated under Postmodernism, but also transformed by it. This Metamodern sensibility is characterized by a thorough reimagination of transcendence, and the exploration of new modes of depth and dimensionality for meeting the challenge of the contemporary meaning crisis. Such is the argument presented in this short but incisive text, as it tracks the development of this new period from the decline of Postmodernism to today. In addition, this analysis is supplemented by two accompanying essays that explore the Metamodern reconstruction of meaning through artistic mythmaking, with examples from contemporary art and literature.