Postculture / Mediaculture / Cyberculture / Transculture / Protoculture: Terminological Aspects of Semantics

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine some of the problematic issues associated with the terminological polyphony of postmodern culture.Research Methodology. In the modern scientific discourse the interest in the phenomenon of postmodern culture has considerably strengthened: philosophy, cultural studies, literature give their own models of the new cultural concepts, which largely determine the general condition of spirituality in the late 20 — early 21st century. Speaking about the contemporary culture, the researchers do not give their own single definition: for the most — it is «post-culture» or «postmodern culture», for others — it is «information culture» or «media culture», «culture is transgressive revolution» or «transculture», «cyberculture», «proto culture» etc. Consequently, such terminological polyphony speaks for itself; to identify the specific features of the contemporary cultural space it is necessary to refine the value of these scientific definitions.Results. It is proved that postmodern culture is actively functioning today, and thus continues to be the focus of domestic and foreign scientists, causing lively discussions and getting a mixed assessment. In general, the condition of the modern post-culture (and its modifications) can be characterized as a «transient», «transgressive», «media», «informatization», «virtualized» and finally — as a «crisis» that is associated with substantial shifts, transformations in the cultural sector, in particular, the destruction of the valuable contemporary cultural paradigm. The author also argues that the process of destabilization of the previously accepted values and the emergence of new technological (informational) achievements of humanity cannot be called a negative factor in transforming culture. Cultural destruction is a new stage of the development of culture, the beginning of which causes «revaluation of values» and then creates new models of cultural traditions; new ideological and esthetical systems are born that are aimed at understanding a new lifestyle and a new worldview.Novelty. An attempt is made at determining a number of complex dominant traits of post-culture and its varieties. Despite the substantial similarity of the analyzed concepts, the appreciable difference between them was found out.The practical significance. Research results can be used to further development of some of the problematic issues associated with the terminological apparatus of postmodern culture.