Global cultural revolution and paradigm shifts
Postmodern existentialism prevailed in western culture after the defeat of Marxism Leninism, at the time when a new global ethic was being built: the new paradigms embody the long journey of the West towards postmodernity; they are postmodern. Transformed into norms and values during the UN conference process of the early 1990s, they have been surfing on the powerful and dramatically accelerating wave of globalization. They already imbibe the fabric of societies all over the world.
The cultural revolution did not leave intact any of the components of western civilization. It can in fact be subdivided into a series of revolutions: semantic; ideological; geopolitical and political; juridical; security; health; education; socioeconomic; anthropological; sexual; feminist; cultural and societal; ethic; scientific; agriculture; industry…
The lists hereafter are obviously far from comprehensive. Their purpose is to provide a glimpse of the depth and scope of the global cultural revolution.
None of the paradigm shifts is self evident. A serious study is in order for each single one of them, to allow each person, human community and nation to discern and determine themselves freely. Discernment is more needed than ever in the era of globalization.
Neither modernity nor postmodernity are the panacea. Analytical efforts must therefore proscribe from the start a simplistic, rapid and superficial approach.
| Modern or judeo-christian paradigms | Postmodern paradigms |
|---|---|
| Semantic revolution | |
| Reality | Text to be interpreted |
| Definition | Description, ambivalence, choice of interpretation |
| Single meaning | Plural, diverse meanings |
| Meaning | Space of interpretation |
| Philosophical/ideological revolution | |
| Modernity | Postmodernity |
| What | How and why |
| Content | Method |
| In itself | For oneself |
| Reality - truth | Deconstruction, destabilization |
| Answers | Questions |
| Religions | Spiritualities, systems of religious belief |
| Dogma | Tolerance, free choice |
| Reality | Dream, virtuality, potentiality |
| Matter/body/concrete | Immaterial, ethereal, abstract |
| Law of nature | Meta-ethic of the freedom to choose |
| Eternal | Sustainable |
| Generalization | Acknowledgment of « differences » |
| Ignorance, « obscurantism » | « Knowledge » |
| Objectivity | Interpretation |
| Abstract reasoning, meta theories | « Human realities », experience |
| Capacity of the reason to access reality | Reasoning of negation, denial |
| Power - reason coalition | Power for social change |
| Binarism | Complexity |
| Common good | Collective interests |
| Stability | Change |
| Sacredness of human life | Equality of all life forms |
| Truth | Right to error |
| Certitudes | Uncertainty |
| Deism | Atheistic existentialism |
| Geopolitical and political revolution | |
| International | Global |
| Nation-state, national sovereignty | Global governance |
| Colonialism | Cultural sensitivity |
| National interest | Global priorities |
| Bipolar world | Apolar world |
| Equal sovereign states | Equal global governance partners |
| Intergovernmental | Multistakeholder |
| National citizenship | Global citizenship |
| Western world | Global world |
| Cold war | Global culture of peace |
| Inter-state wars | Internal conflicts |
| Population control | Sexual and reproductive rights |
| Government | Governance |
| Representative democracy | Participatory democracy |
| State as sovereign | State as facilitator |
| Decide-announce-defend | Consensus-building |
| Institutional power | Power of individuals, individual rights |
| Hierarchies | Equal partners |
| Authority | Individual autonomy |
| National construction | Building transnational networks |
| Homogeneous states | Multiculturalism |
| Power over | Power with |
| Top-down | Bottom-up |
| Imposition | Facilitation, negotiation, mediation |
| Confrontation | Dialogue |
| Govern | Manage |
| Contract of society | Diversity of choices |
| State | Non-state actors |
| Majority – Minority | Consensus |
| Confrontation of ideas | Negotiations |
| Majority vote | Elimination of differences |
| Clear identities | Changing identities |
| Win-lose | Win-win |
| Hierarchical leadership | Horizontal leadership |
| Representation | Participation |
| Pluralism | Single thought |
| Service | Sum of particular interests |
| Centralization | Decentralization |
| Critical discussion | Opportunistic compromise |
| Interests of citizens | Interests of political parties |
| Extremism on the fringes | Extremism in the middle |
| Political culture | Mass of interest groups |
| Pluralism | Political correctness |
| Political debate | Political technology |
| Left and right | Fragments of identity |
| Juridical revolution | |
| Hard | Soft |
| Formal | Informal |
| Hard law | Customary law |
| Binding | Consensual |
| Authority of law | Conviction power of the new ethic |
| Universal rights | Global right to choose |
| International law | Cosmopolitan law |
| Parental rights | Children rights |
| Human rights | Women’s rights |
| Right to family planning | Reproductive and sexual rights |
| Security revolution | |
| International security | Human security: economic security, social security, food security, health security, environmental security… |
| Education revolution | |
| Teacher/professor/director | Facilitator |
| Objective knowledge | Competence |
| Education | Sensitization |
| Education | Formation, training |
| Teacher’s instructions | Student participation |
| Orders | Advice |
| Leadership of subordination | Leadership of integration |
| Top-down imposition | Bottom-up responsibility |
| Imposition | Internalization, ownership |
| Passive | Proactive, participatory |
| Docile | Criticizing |
| Health revolution | |
| Absence of disease or infirmity | Holistic health |
| Health | Well-being, quality of life |
| Socioeconomic revolution | |
| Development as growth | Sustainable development |
| Growth | Equilibrium, zero growth |
| Progress | Stabilization |
| Power of the market | Authority of the global ethic |
| Profit | Profit – Environmental protection – Social equity |
| Linear economic approach | « Creative » approaches |
| Competition | Convergence |
| GNP | Freedom of access to choice |
| Development in the South | Global sustainable development |
| Objective needs | Right to choose |
| Charity | Rights |
| Anthropological revolution | |
| Happiness | Quality of life |
| Person, personality | Individual |
| Personal growth | Zero growth, regression |
| Spiritual growth | Nirvana |
| Moral/normal | Perverse/normal |
| Reason | Negation |
| Conscience | Analysis of motives, unconscious, imagination, sensuality |
| Heart | Emotions, feelings, affectivity |
| Disinterested love | Narcissism |
| Parental authority | Children’s autonomy |
| Interiority | Internalization |
| Traditional family | Family under all its forms |
| Human life | Life under all its forms |
| Personal development | Realization of one’s potential |
| Life | Vitality |
| Touch | Massage |
| Sexual revolution | |
| Spouse | Partner |
| Parents | Couples and individuals |
| Parents | Reproducers |
| Marriage | Free love |
| Heterosexual relations | Right to sexual orientation |
| Maternity/paternity | Contraceptive mentality |
| Sacredness of life | Right to choose/abortion |
| Communion | Fusion |
| Reality | Sensual gratification |
| Culture of silence, taboos | From private spaces to public spaces |
| Feminist revolution | |
| Patriarcal structures | Gender equality order |
| Housewives | Women activists, development agents |
| Servile | Self-determining |
| Women in development | Gender and development |
| Complementarity of the sexes | Gender equality |
| Cultural and societal revolution | |
| Modernity | Postmodernity |
| Universalism | Multiculturalism |
| Civilizations | (Global) “non-repressive civilization ” |
| Traditions, customs | Cultural liberty |
| Cultural identity | Cultural diversity |
| Formal | Informal, non-formal |
| Separate cultures | Connected cultures |
| THE culture | Tensions and divergences |
| Western feeling of superiority | “Humility” of western development agents |
| From without | From within |
| Homogeneity | Heterogeneity, cracks in the system |
| Uniformity | Diversification, variation |
| Singular identity | Plural identities |
| Unchanging, fixed, stable | Innovating, changing, evolving |
| Static | Dynamic |
| Rigid | Flexible |
| Inferior/superior | Equal |
| Us and them | All different |
| Monolithic | Mosaic |
| Changing « the others » | Changing conventions |
| Elitism | For all, equality |
| Ready-made formulas | Contextual knowledge |
| Western cultural imperialism | Culturally sensitive approaches, multiculturalism |
| Norms | Openness to the unexpected |
| Foreseeable | Unforeseeable |
| Predetermined solutions | Knowledge relative programmation |
| Assumptions and ready-made ideas | Constructive dialogue |
| Exclusion | Inclusion |
| Assimilation without choice | Choice |
| Societal constraints | Individual choices |
| Ethical revolution | |
| Universal values | Universally shared values |
| Universal values | Global ethic |
| Morality | Ethic |
| Obligation | Informed choice, informed consent |
| Justice | Equity |
| Human life | All forms of life |
| Meaning of suffering | Right to die |
| Good and evil | Right to choose |
| Scientific revolution | |
| Facts | Consensus |
| Certitudes | Uncertainty, fuzziness |
| Objectivity | Individual or collective interpretation |
| Sectoral approach | Holistic integration |
| Fragmentation | Integration |
| Simplism | Complexity |
| Agriculture revolution | |
| Intensive agriculture | Bio |
© 2009 Marguerite A. Peeters
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