AI ATTRIBUTION & DISCLOSURE: Text written by author (Aaron Force) except where noted and except for pulled quotations, curated by author. Images generated by Midjourney by author’s prompts.
Since ancient times, philosophy has guided humanity in better understanding itself and the universe in which it is situated. Philosophy intersects many aspects of society and has many functions, granting those who employ its conceptual frameworks an objective basis for thought and communication. By its utilization, we are able to move forward by way of reason and logic and therefore find our way lighted, so that we may best position ourselves for success and well-being.
Philosophy is meant to help us navigate society but is also shaped by it. In general, both philosophy and society move in tandem; as the ripples of change begin to be felt in our social experience, we adjust our view of the world correspondingly. Of course, as things get moving and a certain momentum is achieved, we can begin to recognize deficiencies and proactively plan revised mental or conceptual views of them as well, thereby shaping society to move in what is deemed as more beneficial ways.
What becomes obvious as we track the coordinated advancements in both society and philosophy, is that as time has marched on, things have become indubitably more complex. Philosophy itself needs to take a readied and visionary stance toward the chaotic present and rapidly approaching future, becoming both adaptive and influential in its views. There is presently so much change, with so many perspectives, and with such rapid transformations at play, that pitfalls and fault lines pervade our social functioning, barely visible but fracturing under the surface.
The Briefest History of Philosophy
The Classical philosophers generally believed in rationality (and therefore linearity), formal, symmetrical order (think Parthenon), and enduring beauty. Although the world of ideas may have seemed at the time to them fast-paced and rapidly evolving, they were comparatively static given the slow nature of change at that time. There was no globalism or exponential technological advance and society probably seemed nearly as stable as nature itself.
The Medieval Age certainly consisted of more varied influences including the building upon of reason but also an integration with theology. This marriage was not always favorable and the relationship was often tenuous at best. Conflict frequently raged as the dichotomy between faith (and multiple views of faith pitted against each other) and science, now strongly seeking to come into its own, struggled for superiority. This was the violent and bloody time of heretical execution and the Crusades.
As scientific understanding grew and religion become more strongly contested, a rift appeared within a state of society that was not adaptive and resilient enough to gracefully navigate the growing complexity. Society moved forward but became increasingly divided and treacherous.
By the time the Industrial Age was beginning to make its mark on the world, society was rapidly transitioning in many ways. Classical and Medieval philosophies were too crude and limited in vision to accommodate the upheavals occurring in technology, economics, and in social classes. Modernism sought to make sense of the world in light of all its chaotic influences. The meta-narratives of religion, politics, and even philosophy itself, were being challenged in favor of perspectives that better recognized the fractured, multi-perspective nature of society.
"Modernism is characterized by a belief in progress, a strong sense of individualism, and a focus on rationality and scientific knowledge." - Peter Childs and Mike Storry, "Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture"
Modernist philosophy was born out of the unsettling and alienating effects of rapid industrialization and urbanization, massive gains in scientific understanding, and the disillusionment left in the wake of two world wars and a global depression. All of life was suddenly transforming in nearly every aspect and our former ways of understanding it were incapable of keeping up or stretching to cover all its bases. Traditional perspectives were falling under suspicion and new ways of finding certainty and existential meaning were sought.
As society began to become more technologically connected and therefore far more globalized, all the world’s cultures came quickly into view. Although Modernism already began leaning into this condition, a truly pluralistic means of explaining society’s growing complexity was required. Postmodernism supplanted Modernism towards this effort, rejecting notions of absolute or universal truth and rather seeing it as subjective and dependent upon context. It embraced paradox and ambiguity, qualities inherent in contemporary society, and diversity in every sense.
"Postmodernism questions the grand narratives and metanarratives of modernism, emphasizing the relativity of truth and the diversity of perspectives." - Jean-François Lyotard, "The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge"
Modernism was still too rational and linear in its thinking, drawing on reason, science, and technology, and in this deficiency, Postmodernism took to the helm. Particularly in Deconstructivism, it targeted and even celebrated the discovery of inherent flaws, weaknesses, and ironies within society, exposing them and revealing inconsistencies so that a truer and more appropriate nature could be found. Society was becoming more complicated and so the frameworks used to understand and navigate them were becoming more sophisticated as well.
The Advent of Metamodernism And Its Merits For Contemporary Society
More complicated times call for more sophisticated means of understanding and navigating them. We are a far cry from the relatively simple days of Socrates and Plato, now immersed in issues of globalism, burgeoning populations, rapidly advancing technologies, and deep uncertainties about our future as a species. One or two simple philosophical frameworks no longer suffice and certainly not in isolation. What’s needed is an adaptive and nuanced way to view our world so that we may, in turn, be informed of how to competently interact with it.
"Metamodernism proposes a renegotiation of the modernist desire for a universal truth and the postmodernist skepticism about its existence." - Hanzi Freinacht, "The Listening Society: A Metamodern Guide to Politics, Book One"
It’s not just that society itself is more complicated now than ever before, but that we are beginning to mature in our understanding of the interconnected nature of our universe as well. Everything is connected to everything else and therefore humanity is discovering that the influence of our actions extends far beyond our presumed intent, like ripples on a pond reaching from one shore to the opposite.
In nature’s order, there are no rigid hierarchies, fixed points, or isolated perspectives. Rather we find, as Ervin Laszlo describes it, a complex web of life. An influence upon one strand of the web impacts all others and as society itself seems to become more and more sensitive to perturbations, we need a philosophical posture that better emulates the qualities inherent in nature; that is, of how life really works. Such inefficiencies were once easily diffused or diluted but in today’s fast-paced, highly consequential world, they are now unsustainable.
Metamodernism is the closest framework that I have found that meets the criteria necessary for our time, abandoning the rigidity of a singular perspective for a combination of the best of our two most relevant contemporary philosophies: Modernism and Postmodernism. While both fall short in some areas in capturing the spirit and complexity of our time, they also each hold strong points. Metamodernism seeks to blend the merits of both and therefore becomes a more sophisticated means of understanding.
But it goes even further, recognizing a more general dialectical approach, displaying qualities of synthesis and integration wherever it may be found. Rather than defaulting to a one-size-fits-all of thinking, it is inherently adaptive and holistic. Thus, Metamodernism is not limited to contests between Modernism and Post-modernism but blends the best of multiple worlds, no matter their source, in order to find the most optimal solutions based on the context of the problem being faced.
"Metamodernism recognizes the legitimacy of multiple perspectives and the fluidity of truths, but it also seeks to engage with larger narratives and broader contexts." - Seth Abramson, "Metamodernism: A Brief Introduction"
We are yet in the Egoic Age, where our understanding of the world and our interaction with it is siloed and compartmentalized. Ego takes only one position which is whatever it believes suits its ongoing support and survival best. Ego is rather crude and brutish, finding simplistic means of perception and operation and its only means of adaptation might be to entirely swap to a new position if it believes that improves its position. In other words, there is no middle ground.
But I believe we are shifting into a more spiritual age, what I term the Post-Egoic Society. Undeniably, we have a considerable distance to travel until its transition is realized. But I believe humanity has begun its journey, if only by a few steps. Humanity’s Shift of consciousness into a more expanded, spiritual view is already being witnessed. Spirit represents the expanded state of consciousness outside of the narrow and constricted experience of ego. It is defined (like nature) by interconnection, functional complexity, high functionality, and holistic tendencies.
Nature itself, in its absolutely connected quality, is a reflection of the spiritual quality of the universe. The way nature works is that there is no ultimate foundation that some things build on and then others. Instead, the whole is held in place and supported in an equanimous way, with functions distributed and decentralized. Where ego wants to hoard and sit atop all things, nature and the spiritual state of consciousness seek expansion. In this, it releases a singular grip and finds interconnection with its context, that is, with everything.
"Metamodernism embraces a paradoxical approach, where sincerity and irony can coexist, allowing for both genuine emotional engagement and critical detachment." - Robin van den Akker and Alison Gibbons, "Metamodernism: Historicity, Affect, and Depth after Postmodernism"
Metamodernism is not perfect (nor will I ever claim that it is) but it establishes a less central, dominant viewpoint and by this condition becomes more relevant to contemporary society, especially given that it may well be underway in its transformation by way of a shifting state of human consciousness. Rather than being entrenched, the philosophy itself is pliable and flexible. It is this ability to remain fluid that is needed at this time. It is okay for someone to say that they find credence in one aspect of a framework and not another; it is even okay to pull from a “conflicting” view. What truly matters is our ability to move forward with the highest degree of discernment and wisdom.
This precisely reveals the fault of American politics in my opinion. The binary system is completely inflexible and each of the two dominant parties tends to hold each other in a state of high contempt. It is political sacrilege to reject parts of one’s own party’s platform and embrace others from the “opposing” party. And, yet, to do so would eliminate so many log jams and dysfunctionalities and ensure a more adaptive, resilient means forward.
Of course, the political structure would never allow this methodology from either party—it would take an entirely new party that embraces such a philosophy as its basis. Neither a Republican or Democratic candidate could ever get to the White House in the first place if they did not hold fast to the expectations of their constituents. But if a distinct party could rise to office (many people would have to be convinced of its benefits), the possibility for functional government would be immense.
"Metamodernism is an attempt to bridge the gap between individual subjectivity and the broader cultural and societal context, recognizing the interplay between personal experience and collective narratives." - Peter Dosov, "Metamodernism and the Humanities: Theoretical, Critical, and Practical Perspectives"
Humanity’s greatest problem is its paradigm of separation, the belief that all things are distinct and only find their identity and highest purpose as such. We’ve seen the disadvantages of egoic thinking and all its dysfunctional results. Now is the time for a way of thinking that is critical, grounded in reason, and utilitarian based on the variable contexts so prevalent in our time. Metamodernism facilitates this flexibility and grants us the ability to “compromise” and thus leverage the nuanced nature of contemporary society for our benefit.
Metamodernism In Action
The best way to understand Metamodernism is to see it at work and run a few thought experiments with it. Here are some potential scenarios regarding major areas of social crisis and how a Metamodernist approach might be instated:
Many traditional social constructs have served society well for centuries. But it is equally valid that there are many systemic faults worthy of deconstruction or that the role or arrangement of some structures is simply outdated. We should examine ways of reformulating them into more ideal patterns supporting greater functionality and appropriateness for the times. On the other hand, there may be traditional elements that are worthy of retaining, having proven the test of time, or providing a grounding or foundation that supports greater social cohesion, for instance.
Postmodernism concerned itself with transcending long-established grand narratives including such traditional ideologies as religion. Metamodernism could continue with this trend but also recognize the need for a unifying, overarching identity or ontological foundation for humanity in order to provide individual meaning and social cohesion at the global scale. By the continued expansion of consciousness, I believe this function will be provided by spirituality, a recognition of a basis in a common Source of consciousness and absolute interconnection.
Especially with recent advancements in artificial intelligence, technology and its possibilities have placed many of us in a hypnotic state of adoration and wonder, myself included. It is easy to get caught up in technological passion but it may be wise to also reclaim a more romantic and human-centered notion as well. This is a more nuanced approach that doesn’t suggest we abandon technological advancement but rather apply wisdom and temperance so that we do not forget who we are or become dramatically alienated.
As already stated, our polarized political environment could benefit from a more adaptive, flexible, and nuanced approach. Rather than resistance to proposals and positions of an opposite party, Metamodernism can help us enter into productive dialogue based on the merits of ideas rather than their typical party affiliations. It is possible to objectively and critically consider a multitude of perspectives and find the combinations of views that advance society forward in the most optimal fashion.
Regarding the complex global nature of our times, we must obviously reduce our simplistic narratives of how societies should operate, trading them instead for contextual understanding and cultural sensitivity. The ability to understand each other with respect and empathy and to discover common ground takes precedence over preconceived notions of other cultures, their needs, and the differences between us. We must not be tempted to seek a singular, rigid perspective but instead diversify our viewpoints.
Our modern existence is filled with a plethora of ethical and moral dilemmas surrounding biological enhancements or technology. AI and transhumanist possibilities are radically challenging traditional notions of what is right and wrong. Metamodernism allows us to recognize the potential benefits of such new possibilities without condemning them while at the same time questioning how to respond to these inevitable advancements with objectivity and respect for more conservative opinions.
Wrapping Up
Complex times require more sophisticated and nuanced means of intellectual engagement and contextual means of navigation through their perilous waters. Now is finally the time for humanity, in the midst of the most rapid and dramatic transformation ever known, to adopt powerful forms of thinking that grant us the greatest opportunity for success, as measured by our optimization including sustainable advance but also emotional and spiritual well-being.
Metamodernism helps us to accomplish this with the greatest flexibility and adaptability while still finding meaningful traction toward real progress. It allows us to be more appropriately aligned with the natural order of the universe as a Post-Egoic Society would have us do. The measured and certain efforts of an egoic age are outmoded and becoming transcended to our betterment as a species. We must lose the foolish pride associated with clinging to absolute ideologies and allow our associative identity to dissolve into a more collective, spiritual state of awareness and being.