Modernity or Post-Modernity

What is what and the how can we tell the difference between modernity and post-modernity. Modernity is all about meanings and how those meanings are interpreted. Post-Modernity is not worried about the idea of the meaning, but rather where those meanings originated. In Postmodernisn and Periphery by Nelly Richard, he describes Latin America's existence as, "...models to be imitated and consumed (industrial and economic organization, political structures, social behaviour, artistic values) were based on European prototypes" (352). He believes everything that Latin America has always known to be false due to the fact that it was Europe's way first. I believe this particular view to be post-modern, although we are always borrowing ideas from others. We have always done this and will continue to do this method.

The post-modern view is a way to deconstruct a meaning, or to get to the root of the word, saying, etc. Richard's implies the meaning of post-modern by stating that "it postulates the destabilization of meaning" (355). Meaning is always changing person to person due to the system of language. One word may mean something completely different from person to person. Latin America based their ideas and values off Europe by what they thought industrial, economics, politics, social skills, etc. meant. In a way it is borrowing ideas, but results in a completely different outlook due to always changing language. This idea proposes modernity. It is hard for me to keep these separated and completely see the difference between the two. Is it possible to have post-modernity without modernity and vica versa?

Kocur, Zoya, and Simon Leung. Theory in Contemporary Art since 1985. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2005. 352 & 355. Print.