An Incomplete Project

Modernity- An Incomplete Project, Jurgen Habermas

In the reading, Habermas seems to feel opposition towards Modernity but believes in the importance of it, just “Modernism is dominant, but died” and “instead of giving up modernity and its project as a lost cause, we should learn from the mistakes of those extravagant programs which have tried to negate modernity”(106).

Habermas seem to favor Enlightment, which is related to the lifting of the vial, coming out of the dark ages historically. “The Enlightenment philosophers wanted to utilize this accumulation of specialized culture for the enrichment of everyday life - that is to say, for the rational organization of everyday social life” (103). Modernity as being incomplete, through this reading I come to believe that culture and society as a whole has lacked education in terms of history and substance and what that exactly is. This aesthetic modernity, an altered consciousness off time, is the mislead interpretation of art, life and what culture has become. How can post modernity occur without modernity as a whole being rightly communicated on all levels of the cultural spheres?

Habermas seems to desire a more thorough understanding and rational, scientific understanding of the “life-world”. Modernization’s rationalization in society is something Habermas feels is one sided and in need of the correct communicative action to better the systems. Although confusing at times, I think the emphasis lies in the necessity of an informed society so that history holds revealing for a structure strong enough in the future.

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