Doubtlessly, he is successful in pointing out some early examples of modernist thought and expression, and that such points-of-view culminated in social changes -- the French Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution -- but specifically what the boundaries are between his three different stages of modernity remains exceedingly vague. This may seem like an arbitrary objection to Berman's argument, but it is meaningful because his attempt to place modernism into a historical context demands that the abstract aspects of his dialectical system be grounded in physical events. If the reader is to believe that the individual social actor behaves in a way that balances the overarching power of society, then there should be some concrete guidelines for how, precisely, this was done in the past; and additionally, how such processes were different than how they will be occur in the future.
The events of history have certainly changed and progressed in certain directions. If one is prepared to define specific ages for how history has run its course, then it is necessary that the distinctions between ages be clearly illustrated. Berman asserts that this progression should be mirrored by modernist thought and social interpretation; therefore, his three stages of modernity must also be evident in world history. Yet, he defines his ages in a highly questionable manner:
In the first phase, which goes roughly from the start of the sixteenth century to the end of the eighteenth, people are just beginning to experience modern life; they hardly know what has hit them.... Our second phase begins with the great revolutionary wave of the 1790's.... In the twentieth century, our third and final phase, the process of modernization expands to take in virtually the whole world, and the developing world culture of modernism achieves spectacular triumphs in art and thought." (Berman, 16-17).
The aspect of these distinctions that is perhaps the most troubling is the overly Eurocentric line of attack that Berman takes. It would be ridiculous to suggest that the reverberations of the social and political theory that went into the French Revolution were strongly felt across the globe -- only across western society. Many cultures to this day are aligned such that even the ideas of liberty and social justice as the early modernists...
Air Pollution and Acid Rain Acid rain is now commonly perceived as a major environmental threat but the term is still relatively new and many are confused about its causes. While there are some other commonly cited reasons including natural sources, the main cause of acidity in rain is air pollution, which increases the composition of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides and thus lowering the pH level to less than 7.
Nobodies In the conclusion to his book Nobodies, John Bowe argues that the vast inequalities of wealth and power in the globalized world make the common arguments for "free markets" and "free trade" highly suspect. In fact, he sees labor coercion as well as environmental degradation as the likely result if global regulations are not placed over the global marketplace. Bowe has the stronger argument here. As he states, "People like Friedman
RICK HOUSER'S BOOK COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH Rick Houser's book "Counseling and Educational Research" Rick Houser's book "Counseling and Educational Research" Why is it important to acquire necessary skills in research for a counselor? Clinical counselors are doctoral-level providers of health services skilled in counseling clients while evaluating and treating emotional and mental disorders utilizing scientific theories and methods. Adequate interpersonal correspondence skills are imperative. A clinical counselor must have the ability to listen
Tail Economics Book Analysis: The long tail. How endless choice is creating unlimited demand In the past, economics' was dominated by vendors that sold a large quantity of only one or two items. The Internet has changed the shape of product offerings. The new economic model, first made popular by Chris Anderson in an article published in Wired magazine, examines the new economic model. This model is based on each vendor
More than 90% of California's population which is estimated to be 33 million residing in areas having bad air quality? The CARB in concert with the local air pollution control districts are in the process of regulating fresh and existing sources of pollution with the aim to control emissions. The Enforcement Division -- ED of the Board has included more and more serious responsibilities in every area of the
television show onto the air in America is a difficult task. It requires a great investment of time and effort, and is often discouraging and disheartening. To get an idea to air, the an idea must be carefully nurtured through the complex processes of creating a script, getting the script read by someone in Hollywood, getting the script to pilot, and finally getting the pilot to air. There are many
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now