I recently left a comment on another blog that I tend not to read blogs written by younger women. There are exceptions, to be sure, but most of my blog reading is comprised of women who are closer to my own age, give or take several years.

A lot of it has to do with the writing style and focus. You know. Everything is messy. If there is one word that has become overused, I think it is messy. Everything is messy. The Christian life is messy. Messiness abounds. I think it is also related to the wallowing in sin that I wrote about before, but that’s a post for another day.

Jen Hatmaker and Postmodern Thinking

I came across an interesting post entitled Letting Go (archived link) based on a talk given at a MOPS convention. In the talk, Jen Hatmaker outlines the differences between modern and postmodern thinking. I don’t feel comfortable copying the lists and posting them here since they are lengthy, so you’ll have to click over and read them in the post. If you don’t read the lists and the premise of her talk, the rest of this probably won’t make sense.

I think the majority of the people who read this blog are in their thirties, forties, and fifties. I think the vast majority would lean more toward the modern list than the postmodern list. Not entirely, but to a great degree. Even though I clearly identify more with the modern list than the postmodern, it isn’t 100%. The twentysomethings who read here, I suspect, are not as postmodern as their peers. I just don’t think postmodern young adults would relate to how I write and that’s fine.

Modern or Postmodern?

Which leads me to my questions.

Where do you see yourself fitting?

Those of you who have children still at home… Do you see what Hatmaker is talking about in your own children?

I’m wondering how much the pull of the postmodern for youth today is peer driven and if homeschooling has an impact on that. How much of it is media driven?

It isn’t like children wake up and realize they want to be postmodern. That thinking is coming from somewhere. The thoughts are being planted. Where is it coming from? Where is it impacting your family? Are you driving it? Or are you fighting it yourself? Have you reluctantly capitulated?

The Fake Authenticity and Falseness Of Postmodernism

It is interesting that the postmodern is supposed to be all about the authentic (another word I’ve wearied of) and yet I find so much of the postmodern trappings to come across as anything but authentic. I find them really unappealing in so many ways. So Hatmaker’s belief that we as adults with a foot in both the modern and postmodern worlds need to more fully embrace the postmodern for the sake of our children… I don’t know. I guess I’m just not there.

I think it is because there is so much about the postmodern that seems unbiblical to me and so I have no interest in embracing it. But maybe it is because I am so thoroughly modern that I choose not to move past my own views.

It’s interesting being an older parent. I’m 45 with a 5 year old. I cannot even imagine the world that Caroline will have to live in. I can’t even say I’m really excited for her. Truth be told, I actually feel sorry for her at times. I don’t look at her future world with anticipation. Maybe I’m completely wrong, but the future doesn’t look rosy to me as an American, as a Christian, or as a member of the world community.

Is God at work? Absolutely! Is God at work in her life? Yes. But I’m not really excited about the future for her (or me, for that matter). I honestly don’t see postmodernism leading to good things. I know there are people who do, but I’m not one of them.

How are you preparing your children to live in this postmodern world? How are you preparing them to live for Christ in a postmodern world? Do you feel excited for them? Apprehensive? Do you find yourself embracing postmodernism for the sake of your children?

I’d seriously like to hear what people think about this topic.

UPDATE: Don’t miss the excellent conversations in the comments below.