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Dominic Basulto, following Nicolàs Bourriaud, has termed the
new era “alter-modernism”. ‘Alter’, because it is characterised by
altered perspectives. It is an alternative modernism. In it, the meta-
analysis of postmodernism gives way to a collective trans-critical
imagination. In the new reality, the usual constructions are broken
down, and thought, with its accompanying behaviours and norms,
moves beyond established conventions. The imagination replaces
empirical evidence, viewed through the lens of experience, and is
seen to have no limitations. In place of evidence is the notion of
fantasy, created by internet experiences. Indeed, imagination is not
constrained by facts or knowledge, but tests possibilities and even
embraces that which has no possibility. Indeed, the internet has
enabled one to cross boundaries to create ethics, morality, belief
and values that are fluid. In this, there are no facts, but experiences
formed through “surface dipping” into the world of a multitudinous
array of anonymous sites and posts.
It spells the end of a natural inclination for critical analysis, as
in modernism, or even of a subjective and relativised view of
reality, as in postmodernism. In this emerging reality, a neo-
romanticism oscillates between modernism’s enthusiasm and
postmodernism’s irony; between projection and perception,
form and unformable, determinism and apathy, and coherence
and chaos. In this new paradigm, one can discern large
proportions of a generation motivated by a regular stream of
images, without commentary, and devoid of any particular
cause, other than to empower a culture headed to no particular
destination. Consequently, the tendency is to experience the
cultural moment, in contradistinction to seeking advancement
for the long term through the usual conventions of enterprise,
creating boundaries and being self-disciplined for the purpose of
pursuing excellence.
However, as we delve deeper into the reaches of creative
thinking, the implications become quite alarming. Ultimately, what
is championed in the neo-romanticism of alter-modernism is the
delirium of untruth and the allure of connectedness, without the
depth required for perceptive and insightful understandings or
worthwhile and enriching relationships. Indeed, the cyber lifestyle
stores very little to rely on for future emotional maturity or creative
thinking. This is accompanied by the demise of the private life,
now shared openly and frequently, but more significantly the
secret life, which is now a shared commodity. The demise of the
secret life spells the diminution of introspective reflection, where
creative and independent thinking takes place. It is a disappearing
safe place to create dreams, energise hope and investigate
possibilities. Consequently, the kind of critical thinking that is
required to demonstrate higher-order thinking has only limited
experiences to rely upon. Therefore, those students who are
consciously resisting this trend are the ones who succeed. To be
sure, capital, whether it be intellectual, psychological or emotional,
only emerges after effective investments have been made to
ensure its emergence, or sufficient intervention has been enacted
to pave the way for its establishment.
Sigmund Freud’s concept of the unconscious mind provides
an interpretative framework that aids in discovering a reasoning
behind these trends and accompanying behaviours. Freud
described the unconscious mind as being like the unseen part
of an iceberg. Traditionally, as Freud understood it, the superego
(comprising of learned values one gains from family, religion and
society) seeks to persuade the ego (or decision-making part of
workforce
the brain) to turn to moral values instead of pleasure-seeking.
It enables one to differentiate between right and wrong, the
needs of the present and the needs of the future, and one’s
role in society in relation to others. However, if the traditional
feeders of the superego are replaced by superficial encounters
and a plethora of posted values, then its ability to inform the ego
rapidly breaks down and becomes dysfunctional, as the ability to
differentiate, through discernment, diminishes or is obliterated.
What is left, in Freud’s analysis, is a robust Id. That is, the part of the
brain that responds immediately to wants and desires.
Since the submerged part of the iceberg has been radically
altered in alter-modernism, the tip of the iceberg behaves quite
differently. The internet, with its propensity for pleasure, without a
deep emotional or analytical investment, is the ideal place for the
Id to flourish. This is manifested in flicking between screens for
instant gratification and dopamine rushes, instead of differentiating
by following learned conventions, including instructions regarding
the virtues of appropriate boundaries, self-discipline and the norms
of civil society.
There is enough research to provide evidence of a correlation
between the undisciplined allure of the internet and poor
performance. This is primarily manifested in multitasking. That is,
flicking between sites in the “fear of missing out” (FOMO), rather
than focusing on the task at hand. Indeed, when multitasking is
attempted, performance slows or there are more mistakes.
A study by Karpinski et al in 2013 compared multitasking
behaviours among students in Europe with those in the US. They
found that students in the US who were distracted by multitasking
suffered with a lower GPA. However, their European counterparts
who multitasked were not adversely affected. They discovered two
reasons for this. Firstly, US students multitasked more. Secondly,
European students were more strategic in their multitasking. Fo r
example, they would delay reading a message and responding
when working on a task.
The allure of the internet is that it facilitates the imagination,
creates experiences and allows for surface interactions without
discernment. Further, the internet, following the ways of Freud’s Id,
provides a false feeling of control, autonomy and empowerment,
as the viewer feels free to make choices regarding the interactions
they are desiring. There are not a few among this group who
gaze, open-eyed and transfixed, into the cyber world of fanciful
possibilities, enchanted by its mesmerising glow. Therefore, in
the new order of things, the internet is not simply a vehicle for
gaining information and communicating effectively, but a means
of illusionary autonomy and control, that facilitates a life devoid of
the usual differentiation that enables one to form boundaries and
follow appropriate conventions.
Therefore, there are two significant areas for reflection. Firstly,
a consideration of the importance of nurturing independent and
critical thinking, so as to form the superego into a robust, creative,
discerning and constructive mechanism that will facilitate higher-
order thinking. Secondly, and subsequently, the importance
of an intentional approach to using the internet in a managed,
scheduled and thoughtful manner. Indeed, students appear to
flourish when the internet fails to dominate, but is of assistance to
the disciplined, independent and creative thinker. ■
Dr John Lewis is the academic coordinator at Prescott College
in Adelaide and has a PhD from the University of New England.
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