What defines the transition from postmodernism to metamodernism?

It shifts from detached cynicism and endless deconstruction toward hopeful action and pragmatic sincerity.

How does metamodernism approach historical business frameworks?

It views traditional twentieth-century frameworks as outdated paradigms needing total reconstruction from scratch.

How is metamodernism introduced in Issue 0?

Issue 0 welcomes readers to metamodernism, arguing that post-COVID economic turmoil invalidated old marketing formulas.

Concept

Metamodernism

What is metamodernism?

Metamodernism is a cultural and philosophical framework that oscillates between modernist sincerity and postmodern irony. It emerges as a response to crises, seeking constructive meaning and hope while remaining fully aware of systemic limitations.

In short

Metamodernism synthesizes emotional sincerity with critical irony to navigate contemporary societal disruptions. Moving beyond cynical deconstruction, it encourages proactive experimentation and value creation. The framework helps communicators rebuild cultural and commercial models for a post-pandemic landscape.

Key facts

What defines the transition from postmodernism to metamodernism?: It shifts from detached cynicism and endless deconstruction toward hopeful action and pragmatic sincerity.
How does metamodernism approach historical business frameworks?: It views traditional twentieth-century frameworks as outdated paradigms needing total reconstruction from scratch.
How is metamodernism introduced in Issue 0?: Issue 0 welcomes readers to metamodernism, arguing that post-COVID economic turmoil invalidated old marketing formulas.

Overview

Metamodernism describes an evolving cultural paradigm that seeks to reconcile the earnest optimism of modernism with the skeptical reflexivity of postmodernism. Rather than remaining paralyzed by irony or succumbing to dogmatic certainties, metamodern thought oscillates between enthusiasm and doubt. Thinkers in arts, architecture, and social sciences use the term to explain how contemporary creators pursue authentic meaning amid planetary crises. In market strategy, this perspective calls for rebuilding institutional assumptions from first principles.

In the Agency editorial

In Issue 0, Thiago Patriota announces the arrival of metamodernism to signal a clean break from pre-pandemic marketing orthodoxies. The author contends that foundational concepts popularized by figures like Philip Kotler, Seth Godin, and Eric Ries belong to a bygone postmodern era. Patriota urges readers to start marketing from zero, crafting novel methods adapted to the economic and digital turbulence of the post-COVID reality.

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Also from these editions: concepts

Also from these editions: terms

Related terms

Recessionnoun: A significant and widespread decline in economic activity lasting across several months, typically marked by falling GDP, reduced industrial production, and rising unemployment.
Transhumanismnoun: A philosophical and intellectual movement advocating the transformation and enhancement of human capabilities through advanced technologies like biotechnology and cybernetics.

Sources

issue.0 - Row Your Boat, Sailor. (opens in a new tab), Agency Brasil
Issue.3 - Design in Crisis (opens in a new tab), Agency Brasil
Issue.10 - Numbers (opens in a new tab), Agency Brasil
Issue.27 - The Roman Empire (opens in a new tab), Agency Brasil
MetaMarketing.1 - Time to ESG (opens in a new tab), Agency Brasil