Just what does it mean to be P.O.S.T M.O.D.E.R.N ?

BY Mishael Makali

Quick question for you? Before the work of art that we now know as the Kenyatta University Post Modern Library came into being, had you heard that word before? Had you even seen anything related to it before? Did you even think that such a word existed? Post Modern, in layman’s terms means ‘after modern’ or ‘way before it’s time’. This is my view, though, because if you were to peruse a credible dictionary or encyclopedia like the acclaimed Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary you would come across something like ‘a style or movement in art, literature and architecture that 

started in the 20^th century that reacts against modern styles…blah blah blah’. So I ask again what does it mean to be P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N?  It may be best to answer by stating what it does not mean. It does not mean planning to, for instance, spend your time in the library ‘playing’ with the escalators like I heard some ‘educated’ KU ladies planning to do recently. Imagine that, trying to go up the down escalator and vice versa. Nkt! It does not mean placing a large 25 by 50 foot advertisement at your doorstep stating that the President paid you a visit despite the fact that the visit was close to a month ago. It does not mean dressing in a manner likely to suggest that you should be arrested for crimes against humanity that you are yet to commit all in the claim that you are P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N; ahead of your time! It definitely does not mean wearing some oversize T-shirt emblazoned in some fake reflective material ‘Look at me, I’m P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N

To be P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N means to think about how today will affect tomorrow; to use today to create a better tomorrow. Take as an example, our P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N Library. It makes use of glorious, free and readily available sunlight during the day. That’s why there are some generously large windows. That way, KU doesn’t have to accumulate unprintable figures in electricity costs which they would cover by introducing some unknown charge in my fees which would make me more distraught since I would need to use my transport money to pay that charge which would…well you know how the cycle goes. The end is not good. So the next time you go to read at night, don’t complain that you can’t understand why the elevators are not working. Think P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N! Being P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N means being able to concentrate in a 4^th year class despite being only 6 months old. Yes!6 Months. We  have a 6 month old 4^th year in our class who pay more attention than some twenty-something year old so-called adults! Isn’t that truly ahead of its time, truly P.O.S.T  M.O.D.E.R.N?