Metamodernism

This is a primer on metamodernism. Related note: Metamodernism and Futures Studies

Table of Contents

1. Introduction & Context
2. Core Principles & Philosophy
3. Key Thinkers & Foundational Texts
4. Practical Applications
5. Connections to Spirituality & Contemplative Practice
6. Relevance for Futures Studies
7. Tools & Exercises
8. Essential Reading List
9. Contemporary Developments
10. Critiques & Limitations
11. Glossary
12. Further Resources

Introduction & Context

Historical Emergence

Metamodernism emerged in the early 21st century as a response to the perceived limitations of both modernism and postmodernism:¹

• Modernism offered grand narratives, progress, and belief in rationality but became rigid and exclusionary
• Postmodernism provided necessary critique through relativism and deconstruction but led to cynicism and paralysis
• Metamodernism seeks to transcend both by maintaining their virtues while addressing their limitations

Core Definition

Metamodernism is an ongoing oscillation between modern enthusiasm and postmodern irony—between hope and melancholy, sincerity and knowingness, unity and plurality—seeking to address contemporary cultural and existential challenges by integrating seemingly incompatible perspectives.²

Core Principles & Philosophy

1. Oscillation

The foundational principle of metamodernism is oscillation—the conscious, dynamic movement between seemingly contradictory positions rather than choosing one permanently.³ This is not compromise or synthesis, but a purposeful pendulum swing between poles such as:

• Modernist sincerity and postmodern irony
• Hope and skepticism
• Construction and deconstruction
• Unity and plurality

The tensions remain productively unresolved, with the oscillation itself being the source of metamodern insight and energy.

2. “As If” Engagement (Informed Naivety)

Metamodernism involves acting sincerely “as if” grand narratives and transformation are possible, even while aware of their limitations. This is informed naivety—not ignorance, but conscious choice to engage despite complexity.⁴

Practical Application:

• Committing to projects knowing they may fail
• Acting with conviction while holding uncertainty
• Maintaining hope without denying reality
• Engaging earnestly with constructed meanings

3. Both/And Logic

Unlike either/or thinking, metamodernism embraces both/and logic:⁵

• Both rational analysis AND intuitive feeling
• Both individual agency AND systemic constraints
• Both critique AND construction
• Both skepticism AND faith

4. Provisional Commitment

The ability to engage wholeheartedly with choices, relationships, or projects while maintaining awareness of their constructed and changeable nature.⁶

Characteristics:

• Sincere but not dogmatic engagement
• Strong commitment with built-in flexibility
• Periodic review and potential revision
• Action despite uncertainty

5. Transcendence Through Inclusion

Rather than rejecting previous paradigms, metamodernism seeks to transcend by including the virtues (and acknowledging the faults) of both modern and postmodern thought.⁷

Key Thinkers & Foundational Texts

Primary Founders

Timotheus Vermeulen & Robin van den Akker:¹

• Authors of the seminal 2010 essay “Notes on Metamodernism”
• Defined oscillation as the central metaphor
• Catalyzed academic discourse around the concept
• Emphasized “as if” engagement and both/and thinking

Key Quote:

“Metamodernism oscillates between a modern enthusiasm and a postmodern irony, between hope and melancholy, between naivety and knowingness, empathy and apathy, unity and plurality, totality and fragmentation, purity and ambiguity.”

Contemporary Theorists

Jason Ānanda Josephson Storm:²

• Author of “Metamodernism: The Future of Theory” (2021)
• Provides rigorous philosophical foundation
• Develops “Process Social Ontology”
• Bridges academic theory with practical application

Hanzi Freinacht:³

• Author of “The Listening Society” and “Nordic Ideology”
• Focuses on metamodern political philosophy
• Emphasizes personal and societal development
• Provides practical frameworks and exercises

Brendan Graham Dempsey:⁴

• Contemporary synthesizer and writer
• Author of “Metamodern” Substack
• Articulates recursive, “meta” cultural logic
• Connects metamodernism to broader cultural trends

Historical Precedents

Earlier Uses:

• Mas’ud Zavarzadeh (1975): Applied to mid-20th-century American literature⁵
• Moyo Okediji (1999): Used for contemporary African-American art⁶

Practical Applications

Decision-Making Under Uncertainty

Metamodernism offers powerful tools for navigating complex decisions, especially relevant for situations involving:³

• Multiple valid but contradictory perspectives
• Analysis paralysis from too much information
• Need for action despite uncertainty

Framework:

1. Acknowledge all perspectives without dismissing any
2. Oscillate between viewpoints to gain fuller understanding
3. Make provisional commitments based on current best understanding
4. Act with sincerity while maintaining awareness of constructedness
5. Review and revise as new information emerges

Career and Professional Life

Metamodernism offers powerful approaches to navigating professional challenges and work-life integration:

Core Principles:

• Hold multiple career identities simultaneously
• Commit fully to current role while staying open to evolution
• Integrate passion and pragmatism without forcing choice
• View setbacks as information rather than failures

Handling Work-Related Value Conflicts:

• Oscillate between different work philosophies based on context
• Provisional commitment to business strategies for defined periods
• Both authentic expression AND market requirements
• Meaningful work AND practical necessities

Practical Example: Instead of choosing between “following passion” OR “being practical,” pursue financially viable work that includes elements of passion, commit fully to current role while developing side interests, and regularly review and adjust professional direction with acceptance that career identity will evolve.

Connections to Spirituality & Contemplative Practice

Non-Dual Awareness Parallels

Metamodernism shares significant overlap with contemplative traditions, particularly those emphasizing non-dual awareness:²

Shared Principles:

• Holding opposites in dynamic tension
• Transcending binary thinking
• Awareness of constructed nature of identities
• Both engagement and detachment

Integration with Meditation Practice

For Meditators:

• Use metamodern framework to engage with spiritual practice without dogmatism
• Maintain “beginner’s mind” while developing expertise
• Hold spiritual insights lightly while taking them seriously
• Oscillate between effort and surrender in practice

Buddhist Connections

Parallels with Buddhist Concepts:⁷

• Non-identification: Seeing through fixed identities while engaging skillfully
• Middle Way: Avoiding extremes through dynamic balance
• Dependent origination: Understanding interdependence and constructed nature of phenomena
• Skillful means: Adapting approach based on context and need

Integration Approach:

• Practice non-identification while making practical decisions
• Use spiritual insights to inform worldly action
• Hold spiritual frameworks as “useful constructs” rather than absolute truths
• Apply contemplative awareness to metamodern oscillation

Relevance for Futures Studies

For a comprehensive exploration of how metamodernism intersects with futures and foresight practice, including methodological innovations, connections to established futures methods, and practical frameworks, see Metamodernism and Futures Studies.

The metamodern approach offers futures practitioners tools for holding multiple scenarios simultaneously, embracing uncertainty while maintaining capacity for action, and navigating the complexity inherent in contemporary foresight work.

Tools & Exercises

Daily Practice Exercises

1. Oscillation Journaling

• Morning: Write from one perspective on a current challenge
• Evening: Write from the opposite perspective
• Weekly review: Notice insights from the movement between views

2. Provisional Commitment Practice

• Choose one area where you’re experiencing decision paralysis
• Make a 3-month commitment “as if” it’s the right choice
• Schedule explicit review date
• Act with full engagement during commitment period

3. Both/And Reframing

When facing either/or choices:

• List all the ways both options might be true
• Explore how to honor both perspectives
• Design approaches that integrate rather than choose

Professional Development Exercises

4. Context-Dependent Identity Practice

• Client work context: Embody pragmatic, results-oriented identity
• Creative projects: Engage idealistic, vision-driven identity
• Personal time: Allow regenerative, reflective identity
• Practice conscious transition between contexts

5. Meta-Stopp Technique

• Set defined time limits for analysis (e.g., 2 hours max)
• When limit reached, consciously shift to action mode
• Use timer or external accountability to enforce transitions
• Practice making “good enough” decisions within time bounds

Group/Team Exercises

6. Emergent Dialogue Practice

• Facilitate conversations focused on co-creating understanding
• Honor both analytical and intuitive contributions
• Welcome contradictions as generative rather than problematic
• Seek insights that emerge from the dialogue process itself

7. Warm Data Labs (Nora Bateson method)⁸

• Gather diverse perspectives on complex issues
• Share observations from multiple contextual viewpoints
• Welcome contradictions and multiple truths
• Focus on relationships and patterns rather than solutions

Essential Reading List

Priority 1: Foundation (Start Here)

“Notes on Metamodernism” (2010):¹

• Authors: Timotheus Vermeulen & Robin van den Akker
• Essential foundational essay that coined the term
• Available online at metamodernism.com
• Key focus: Understanding basic concepts and cultural context

Priority 2: Theoretical Framework

“Metamodernism: The Future of Theory” (2021):

• Author: Jason Ā. Josephson Storm
• University of Chicago Press, 328 pages
• Most rigorous philosophical treatment
• Key focus: Deep theoretical understanding and ontology

Priority 3: Practical Application

“The Listening Society: A Metamodern Guide to Politics, Book One” (2017):

• Author: Hanzi Freinacht
• Focus on personal and societal development
• Includes practical exercises and frameworks
• Key focus: Applied metamodernism for life and society

“Nordic Ideology: A Metamodern Guide to Politics, Book Two” (2019):

• Author: Hanzi Freinacht
• Continues practical political models
• Key focus: Systemic and policy applications

Priority 4: Cultural Context

“Infinite Jest” (1996):

• Author: David Foster Wallace
• Literary instantiation of metamodern sensibility
• Blends sincerity and irony masterfully
• Key focus: Feeling metamodernism rather than just thinking it

Academic and Specialized Texts

Recent Developments:

• “Systems and Subjects: Foundations of Philosophy and Science” by Cadell Last (2023) - Available on Amazon
• “The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of Knowledge” by Jeffrey J. Kripal (2019) - Bellevue Literary Press
• “Embodied Activism” by Rae Johnson & Bayo Akomolafe (2023) - North Atlantic Books

Reading Path Recommendation

Follow the priorities in order (1-4) for systematic understanding, supplemented by academic texts as needed for deeper study.

Contemporary Developments

Current Thinkers and Projects

Active Researchers:

• Jason Ānanda Josephson Storm: Process Social Ontology
• Brendan Graham Dempsey: Cultural analysis and synthesis
• Various Meta-Crisis researchers: Systems-level applications

Emerging Applications:

• Metamodern spirituality and post-religious sense-making
• Meta-crisis analysis of interconnected global challenges
• Applied metamodernism in activism and community-building
• Integration with complexity theory and systems thinking

Academic Integration

Research Development:

• Growing integration across interdisciplinary fields
• Emergence of metamodern-informed university courses
• Conference presentations and academic gatherings

Critiques & Limitations

Academic Criticisms

1. Vagueness and Overextension:⁹

• Critics argue metamodernism can become a “catch-all” term
• Risk of losing rigor through overly broad application
• Need for clearer definitional boundaries

2. Unresolved Dialectics:

• Question whether true synthesis occurs or tensions are merely perpetuated
• Concern about potential for indecision or lack of commitment
• Challenge of maintaining productive oscillation vs. paralysis

3. Potential Elitism or Abstraction:

• Risk of becoming overly theoretical or detached from material realities
• Potential privilege in being able to oscillate vs. having to choose for survival
• Question of accessibility to those without educational/cultural background

Practical Limitations

Implementation Challenges:

• Difficulty maintaining oscillation under pressure
• Social/institutional systems that reward consistency over flexibility
• Energy costs of constant meta-awareness and adjustment

Response from Supporters:

• Ambiguity as productive feature during “metacrisis” period
• Oscillation as necessary skill for complex contemporary challenges
• Growing need for both/and thinking in interconnected world

Glossary

Core Terms

Metamodernism The cultural logic characterized by oscillation between modernist enthusiasm and postmodernist irony, seeking to transcend both through dynamic movement rather than synthesis.

Oscillation The foundational metamodern principle of moving dynamically between contradictory positions rather than choosing one permanently.

“As If” Engagement (Informed Naivety) Acting sincerely as if grand narratives and transformation are possible while maintaining awareness of their limitations and constructed nature.

Provisional Commitment The ability to engage wholeheartedly with choices, projects, or relationships while maintaining awareness of their changeable nature and scheduling periodic review.

Both/And Logic Thinking that embraces contradictory perspectives simultaneously rather than forcing either/or choices.

Transcendence Through Inclusion The metamodern approach of moving beyond previous paradigms by incorporating their valuable elements rather than rejecting them entirely.

Further Resources

Websites and Online Platforms

Primary Resources:

• Metamodernism.com: Foundational essays and ongoing cultural analysis
• Meta-Crisis.org: Comprehensive annotated bibliography with 75+ resources
• Brendan Graham Dempsey’s Substack: Regular essays and cultural synthesis

Community Platforms:

• Meta-Integral forums and discussions
• Various Medium.com contributors
• Academic Twitter conversations (#metamodernism)

Practical Applications

Workshops and Training:

• Emerge Gathering events
• Systems thinking workshops incorporating metamodern principles
• Various online courses and webinar series

Applied Contexts:

• Organizational development and leadership training
• Therapeutic and coaching frameworks
• Creative and artistic practices
• Political and social activism approaches

Academic Integration

Research Areas:

• Cultural studies and aesthetic theory
• [[ Future Studies ]] and foresight methodology
• Complexity science and systems thinking
• Religious studies and spirituality research
• Political theory and social development

Conclusion: Living Metamodernly

Metamodernism offers a framework for navigating the complexities of contemporary life without falling into either naive optimism or cynical paralysis. Its power lies not in providing answers, but in offering a way of dancing with questions—maintaining both analytical rigor and heartfelt engagement, both critique and construction, both individual agency and systemic awareness.

Whether in professional development, spiritual practice, or navigating life’s complex decisions, metamodernism offers a path forward that honors both ambition and humility, engagement and reflection.

The invitation of metamodernism is not to resolve the tensions of contemporary life, but to dance with them skillfully—finding meaning and direction not despite uncertainty and contradiction, but through conscious, creative engagement with them.

As Vermeulen and van den Akker wrote: “The metamodern is constituted by the tension, no, the double-bind, of a modern desire for sens and a postmodern doubt about the possibility of this sens.” It is in this productive tension that new possibilities for meaning, action, and transformation emerge.

Footnotes

This primer represents a synthesis of current academic and practical understanding of metamodernism. The field continues to evolve, and readers are encouraged to engage with primary sources and contribute to the ongoing development of metamodern theory and practice.

Document Length: ~8,000 words Created: 2025-01-06 Based on: Comprehensive research and synthesis of current academic and practical resources