Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

pointed out that science, far from being
unbiased, was built on the cultural and
imperialist assumptions of the West, that it
was, in particular, a tool of exploitation and
should be investigated in relation to the praxis
out of which it comes (Bosch, 2000:359).
This raises another important issue, one that postmoderns enjoy criticizing: the
modernist notion of ‘inevitable progress.’ This highly esteemed and well-guarded
premise has been foundational to modernist thinking for years. It has culturally
conditioned people in the West -- and far beyond -- that a [content] state of ‘being’ is not
enough. According to this premise, our lives must constantly push toward ‘becoming,’
which only enhances and promotes restlessness. This pressure is simply too much for
many people, who find all manner of ways to ‘medicate’ themselves against modernist
cultural pressures to ‘succeed,’ to ‘become,’ and to ‘progress.’ This notion of inevitable
progress long ago became the [Enlightenment] humanist eschatology -- their hope for the
future of humanity and all that exists. This is precisely why highly industrialized
societies have such a high rate of alcohol and drug abuse, be it legal, or illegal. In their
frustration with life, these ‘progressive’ and ‘industrialised’ peoples do not turn to God.
Instead, to ‘medicate’ themselves they turn to sex, violence, sporting activities, gambling,
etc. What do the postmoderns say of the modernist notion of progress
How then in the postmodern vision will the
project of civilization survive or progress
The answer is more than startling. All projects
are illegitimate because they undermine
competing projects and because it is power,
not any intrinsic worth, that determines which
project becomes the civilizational project.
Progress is a myth. Without God, without
reason, without a worldview, how do we live
The postmodern answer is let life itself find
the way. So just live, “just do it” and life will
lead you to life (Khan, 2000).
Some, like Middleton and Walsh, say the “progress myth is losing its power”
(Middleton, 1995:20) -- but I disagree. One has only to consider the ongoing
industrialization, or modernization of China, India and many other nations, which bears
witness to modernity’s ongoing global vitality. The postmodern cultural wave has
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University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa