Postmodern literally refers to the period after twentieth century modernism involving "complex understandings of language, philosophical thought, human subjectivity and political theory."" Modernism often carries the slogan "make it new- while postmodernism is marked by "when-it-all-changed."" Cogito ergo sum, or, "I think, therefore I am-, is the essence of postmodernism, as it deals with "scientific inquiries and reasoned verification."" Technology plays a large role in postmodernist theory and its works, as the information age is ever changing and always evolving. Reasoning rather than reflection is expressed in these works, and the use of semiotics ""the scholarly analysis of sign systems and practices of signification in everyday life- "expresses the impact of modern life. .
From a Marxist point of view, postmodernism deals with an underlying economic trend, and the effects of a postwar consumer society. Inspired by Karl Marx, the Marxist opinion examines how economic structure influences "global and state politics, popular culture, and everyday life."" Wholly, the postmodern message says that everything regarding one's life is defined due to moneymaking consumables. .
Writers such as Bob Perelman, Fanny Howe, and Charles Bernstein carried postmodernism and its message through their poetry. Perelman captures the message in his poem "Virtual Reality- as he concludes with, "the global information net had become/obsessed with our body's every move,/spasm, twitch, smashing at it with/videotaped sticks, validating it, urging instant/credit, free getaways, passionate replacement offers."" Brand names are also often used in postmodern poetry such as Perelman's reference to BMW. Advertising and its billboards and commercials are frequently found in these works, strengthening the point that consumer America is driven by products.
The "evils- of consumer America are brought to life through postmodernist works, as society seems to lay its downfall on the money driven corporate giants of the modern world.
