CultureSeptember 1, 2026

supermodernity

SOO-per-mah-DER-ni-tee

Definition

A condition characterized by a sense of excess, where the acceleration of technology, global mobility, and information leads to a fragmented and disorienting lived experience.

Etymology

The term is derived from the French 'surmodernité,' coined by anthropologist Marc Augé in the 1990s to describe the proliferation of 'non-places' (like airports and transit hubs) and the saturation of signs in our hyper-accelerated world.

In the news

The author uses 'supermodernity' to describe the contemporary era's condition of pervasive loneliness and the confusing intersection of virtual fantasies with the real world.

New Drone Gods: Cao Fei Follows the Tech to the Provinces

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Artforum

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