A Study On Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity Theory

This paper takes Zygmunt Bauman ’s theory of modernity as the research object,and strives to systematically interpret Bauman ’s theoretical exposition on the modernity of mobility,accurately grasp the uniqueness of Bauman ’s thought of modernity of mobility,analyze the representative cultural phenomena in the specific stage of modernity evolution,and use the theory of modernity of mobility to analyze the evolution of Chinese literary theory knowledge production since the 1980 s.The full text is divided into four chapters except the introduction.The first chapter defines and analyzes modernity.Firstly,the two representative concepts of modernity are summarized.After distinguishing the modernity of social level and aesthetic level,Bauman ’s judgment on modernity is clarified.Bauman believes that modernity is about the production of order,the resistance to chaos,and the pursuit of rationality and certainty.With the development of technology,the society has transited from the stage of modernity to the stage of post-modernity.The post-modern stage has abandoned the hegemonic position of rationality,and the recognition of uncertainty and contingency has brought more freedom and tolerance.However,because freedom and security cannot be achieved at the same time,it also brings fear and anxiety,which is the typical survival state suitable for social individuals in the post-modern stage.The second chapter is to explain the ideological connotation and basic situation of ’ fluid modernity ’.At the beginning of the 21 st century,Bauman developed his theory and replaced post-modernity with the concept of fluid modernity.Baumann believes that the flowing modern society is still in the stage of modernity and is another state of modernity,so the term ’ post-modernity ’ is inaccurate.Baumann proposed to refer to the different social stages of modernity with solid modernity and fluid modernity.The proposal of the new name shows that Bauman realizes that ’liquid ’ and ’ flow ’ are the heterogeneous characteristics of the new stage of modernity.Bauman divides the basic situation of the mobile modern society into three aspects.First,the relationship between consumption and individuals in modern society is presented as a consumer society.Second,power is no longer localized but globalized;third,freedom and security are difficult to balance.In the case of failure of guidance,social individuals can only be responsible for their own behavior and no longer bear responsibility for others,and society is gradually individualized.The third chapter is the cultural analysis of the modern stage of mobility.The flowing modern society is full of uncertainty and risk.In the stable stage of modernity,intellectuals,as legislators,have the core position of cultural production.However,with the arrival of the flowing stage of modernity,intellectuals ’ discourse power over social culture is transferred to the market,and their identity is transformed into interpreters.In the modern stage of mobility,the boundary between art and life tends to be blurred,and the loss of the status of intellectual legislators also makes them lose the authority to interpret cultural products.Every individual in society can interpret works based on personal experience,and works of art no longer have a deterministic meaning;multiculturalism has emerged and become the main method to solve uncertain problems.Its internal contradictions make it unable to really solve the problem.On the contrary,it can only bring more contradictions.The fourth chapter analyzes the representative phenomenon of Chinese literary theory since the 1980 s with the theory of fluid modernity.After experiencing a break,Chinese local literary theory returned to the field of world literary theory in the 1980 s.Chinese literary theory hopes to reconstruct the local theoretical framework by introducing Western literary theory resources,but because the process of modernity between China and the West is not synchronized,the application of Western theories is not smooth.In the 1990 s,with the development of commercial society and mass culture,China entered the stage of fluid modernity.The study of Bauman ’s ’ fluid modernity ’ theory can provide new ideas for solving the problems of Chinese literary theory.In the new era of China ’s social and cultural development,the influence of new " post-theory," " post-human " and other new " post-study " is deepening day by day.The ecology of literature and art has undergone profound changes in the era of information,media and artificial intelligence.The " mobility " of society has been further enhanced.In the contemporary social and cultural context where the value system of traditional humanism is facing a strong impact in the trend of "de-anthropocentrism," how to develop the literary theory belonging to Chinese society and construct the humanistic spirit is the mission that every intellectual should undertake.