What are your thoughts on postmodernism and it's cultural influence?

I was first introduced to postmodernism in my art history class. I learned that it was a movement in which artists strayed away from the conventions of what art traditionally was. In my head, I had the idea that art should be beautiful, aesthetically pleasing, and visually striking; in the same vein of Baroque art and art from other periods. The postmodern movement was a departure from that, and I remember artists such as Marcel Duchamp and the Dadaists, who basically said that art was a joke and it was whatever you wanted it to be. Marcel Duchamp, for example, put a urinal in a gallery, literally. He took a urinal from a public restroom, threw some paint on it, and called it art. He thought it was a joke, but he was also sincere about it. <br><br>I don't believe in postmodernism. I think postmodernism rejects any constructs of truth or morality, and instead says that truth and morality is whatever you want it to be. I don't think this is a healthy way of thinking. <br><br>I want to talk about postmodernism in the context of contemporary society. I read an article on the Jerusalem Post that talked about how postmodernism influences contemporary culture. The article states that "Contemporary postmodernism, which is also called post-truth or “alternative facts” postmodernism, is the notion that there is no universal truth. Facts are not facts at all, but subjective and partisan in nature. Therefore, everything that is said is a lie. There is only truth that one discovers within oneself."<br><br>Here are a few things that I believe are influenced by postmodernism in contemporary culture: <br><br>-The degradation of language and the way we communicate. A lot of people on the internet don't communicate like people. They communicate like caricatures of themselves, or as if they were a cartoon character speaking in platitudes. I think that postmodernism and the nihilism that comes with it contributes to the breakdown of communication and language. There is no respect for the truth, and therefore people don't have respect for words or language. <br><br>-The way in which truth and objective reality is disregarded. This is a large part of the problem with modern society; the disregard for truth and objective reality. It seems to me that postmodernism has a large influence on this aspect of society. <br><br>-The cynicism and nihilism that seems to be prevalent and growing in modern society. I think this cynicism and nihilism can be attributed to the postmodern mindset. <br><br>-The decline of traditional values and traditional morality. I believe that postmodernism has a large influence on this decline. It seems to me that a postmodern mindset seeks to disrupt systems of values and constructs of morality. <br><br>These are just a few things, but I think that there are many more. Do you think that postmodernism has a large influence on contemporary society and culture? Do you think that postmodernism is a positive or negative influence?