Exitus et reditus, so the Church Fathers reminded us. We come from God and spend our lives journeying toward His Face. This is the Christian narrative, that there is purpose to our lives, that there is intelligibility to the world, and that our existence is intentional and grounded in Love.
The post-modern view of the journey
Our post-modern culture rejects this. Not only is there no grand narrative, but there is nothing reasonable about the world or human life. We are left with kitsch only, celebrating baubles for their novelty and glorifying only this present moment. Deep down, this post-modernism is rooted in despair, despair that anything matters, that anyone is truly good and that anywhere is where we are headed.
As I write this, my sweet baby is napping, and I laugh that such weighty thoughts absorb my attention. They came to mind yesterday afternoon, actually, when our son and I walked to the nearby elementary school so that he could practice his (mountain) climbing skills on the playscape; he’s only two, but, you know, we start them early in our agrarian family.
So, why did I think about post-modern despair as I watched him traverse the 
playscape? Because the shiny new red and green structure was architected from just such a philosophy. It looked like a madman’s invention. It was crazy. There were no simply monkey bars, slide, and swings. Rather, the structure was composed of many disparate parts that were a little dizzying when viewed together and various of the elements, while impressive in their form, were senseless.
For example, there was a feature that had three towers lined up, each twisted like a double-helix, and there were various holes for climbing up each tower. But, the towers themselves were useless. “Mama, what do we do?” he asked, as we surveyed the double-helix mess. “I’m not sure”, I had to say, “I think you climb it.” This was not climbing to somewhere. It was just climbing–up and then back down. It was as if the playscape was designed to provide children with exercise in order to get their wiggles out, so that they could sit still during the rest of the long school day. It was not maneuvers to help strengthen core muscles or practice balancing. It was exercise like hamsters do on their nifty wheels, running just to tire them out.
Maria Montessori, who was a Catholic and deeply formed in the exitus et reditus narrative, gave to education the vision of the child who works, who even from their earliest moments is deliberate about practicing and perfecting skills in order to be an indispensable part of the family economy. Imagine what other incredible contributions well-formed Catholics could make, in medicine and law, in city planning and clothing design, if we would just apply to whatever we do the certainty that life has purpose, that we are made for love and from Love. Oh, what a lovely and orderly and truly free place would be our world!
What are other ways you see post-modern despair lived out, dear reader? And, how might we Catholics offer the Gospel in an innovative and fresh way?
This post modern catholic looks for ways to remind people that their lives and the life of this world are not progressing. But are, in facet, being brought to an end.
And then we can mention something about the One who loves them, and who will judge them on that last day.
But not to worry, the One who will judge them is the same One who died for them.
“Not only is there a grand narrative”…
should be “no” grand narative instead of “a” grand narative I think?
Ok, I will read the rest now.
Thanks, updated that.
A good example of post modern despair lived out would be video gaming. Instead of living life, people pretend to live life. I once played a MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game) called Ultima Online where my character in the game went in to the forest and chopped wood to gain experience and money. A few years later that same character was “rich and powerful” (in the game of course) and was building castles and dominating hordes of “newbies”. As I surveyed my prowess one day from the comfort of my computer chair in my air conditioned apartment, and was happy I had just built a house, my wife wondered aloud if perhaps I might go out in the real world and get us a real house.
She was right of course. And I was an idiot. A grown man playing games like a spoiled child. I was/am ashamed. And I now make a point of shaming others who play these games. What a waste of time to play these games! They suck our time, talent, energy and creativity into a black hole and give us literally nothing in return.
When our lives are so worthless that we need to live a life in a game to feel fulfilled, then that is true postmodern despair.
David, very true. I *longed* to play Ultimate Online, reading every post about it before it came out, though ultimately deciding I had better not. But the MMO bug got me years later and I played the Star Wars Galaxies one. As you said, I spent hours upon hours playing that gave and in the end had nothing real to show for it. Eventually I stopped and have resisted ever playing another one again.
Hi,
You mention Maria Montessori. Would you recommend any of her books on bringing up children? Our first child is due in three months (praise God), and I’m on a hunt for good Catholic material to give me a little guidance.
Thanks!
Katie may reply as well, but I’d recommend the books Montessori from the Start, and also Sophia Cavalettie’s The Religious Potential of the Child. The first is just pure montessori without any faith aspect and the second is montessori applied to the Catholic Faith.
Edward,
Whatever books/methods you go with, here is a free bit of advice from a father of 5 (+1 in the oven):
Don’t get dogmatic about childrearing methods. Particularly things like bottle/breastfeeding, corporal/non-corporal punishment, and attachment or non-attachment parenting etc. The fact that you want to read parenting books means you will be a great dad! Just always be positive with other parents about your and their methods, never tearing down other methods unless they truly cross the line. I learned this lesson the hard way!
Homeschooling.
I have always liked post-modern design, but I do get the criticism of it here (I mean, children’s playgrounds? Really?) I don’t know much about architecture, but I think what speaks to me about postmodern art and architecture is that it embraces beauty for its own sake – I see it as a response to the kind of bare-bones functionality and utilitarianism you see in, for example, modern post offices (I always get a touch depressed when I walk into ours to mail a package).
I don’t think this world would be good if all art was a bunch of paint splatters or if every tower was simply good for walking up or walking down (again, not an art scholar of any kind, but I do appreciate art from a wide variety of genres and periods), but…sometimes, if only incredibly rarely, this kind of thing may be good for simply the aesthetic experience.
Just felt like adding my 2 cents on that point only.