MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

In this paper I shall argue that it is in fact postmodernism, rather than antimodernism or primitivism that has had a larger influence on the current development of contemporary Paganisms in America. This counters the often argued claim that contemporary Paganisms are predominantly characterized by ideologies, theologies and aesthetics that critique the narrative of progress and modernity. Though this may have been the case at the turn of the twentieth century, with the Neo-Pagan movement challenging the norms of Protestantism, Cartesian philosophy, and industrial modern thinking, it is not an accurate reflection of what chiefly influences current contemporary Paganisms.

Instead, it is the central tenets of postmodernism - plurality, diversity, and hybridity - that is influencing contemporary Paganisms of today. All discriminatory normative stereotypes are challenged, deconstructed, and reconstructed to promote a “hyperglossia” of interpretations, practices, and beliefs. Thusly, the eclectic practices within contemporary Paganisms is a reflection of this growing appreciation of polythetic diversity over the propagation of a monothetic male-dominated, classist, racist, sexist, and speciesist normative. A polythetic diversity that recognizes that all forms of oppression are based upon an assumption of superiority, whereby differences are used to separate and excuse violent suppression and exploitation. Instead, differences and diversity are embraced, with an emphasis upon reclaiming rather than disclaiming different traditions within contemporary Paganisms.

In my paper I will also use examples from both recent movies, music, and literature to reflect this growing trend - and also refer to several Neo-Pagan groups that have been significantly influenced by the rise in postmodern thought.