this post was submitted on 07 Dec 2025
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Antique Memes Roadshow

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[–] Manjushri@piefed.social 76 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Yep. Pretty much exactly the origin of the Latin word that it comes from.

preposterous(adj.)

1540s, "contrary to nature, reason, or common sense," from Latin praeposterus "absurd, contrary to nature, inverted, perverted, in reverse order," literally "before-behind" (compare topsy-turvy, cart before the horse), from prae "before" (see pre-) + posterus "subsequent, coming after," from post "after" (see post-).

[–] gustofwind@lemmy.world 27 points 3 months ago

Rediscovered from first principles

[–] HotDog7@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago

Ass backwards

[–] ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

One of my favorite bands was once called "post-modern." I was like wtf does that mean? Is that supposed to mean futuristic? Their music doesn't sound futuristic. They're just dorks who like science and found a way to make a livelihood making music.

[–] sik0fewl@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism

Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artisticcultural, and philosophical movements. It emerged in the mid-20th century as a skeptical response to modernism, emphasizing the instability of meaning, rejection of universal truths, and critique of grand narratives. While its definition varies across disciplines, it commonly involves skepticism toward established norms, blending of styles, and attention to the socially constructed nature of knowledge and reality.

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

We have now probably moved past that, however. We're either in post-postmodernism or "pseudo-modernism" as described by some:

Kirby associates pseudo-modernism with the triteness and shallowness resulting from the instantaneous, direct, and superficial participation in culture made possible by the internet, mobile phones, interactive television and similar means: "In pseudo-modernism one phones, clicks, presses, surfs, chooses, moves, downloads."

Pseudo-modernism's "typical intellectual states" are furthermore described as being "ignorance, fanaticism and anxiety" and it is said to produce a "trance-like state" in those participating in it. The net result of this media-induced shallowness and instantaneous participation in trivial events is a "silent autism" superseding "the neurosis of modernism and the narcissism of postmodernism."

[–] lessthanluigi 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I wonder what "silent autism" means, opposed to the normal one. Like mute Autism?

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 2 points 3 months ago

I think it's possible Kirby meant the "silent" part as an opposition to the more "loud" nature of both modernism and postmodernism.

Otherwise I don't know. I am autistic myself but it comes in all sorts of flavours from my experience.

[–] TomMasz@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Don't they cancel out leaving "erous"?

[–] rockerface@lemmy.cafe 8 points 3 months ago

So it really just means "ass-backwards"

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 months ago

Cake or death?