New Sincerity
New Sincerity is a cultural trend that emerged in response to the irony and cynicism prevalent in postmodernism, encouraging a focus on genuineness, earnestness, and authenticity across various artistic expressions, including music, film, poetry, and literature. The term's origins are somewhat ambiguous, with possible roots traceable to Russian artist Dmitri Prigov in the 1980s, and later popularized by American cultural figures like Jesse Sublett and Jim Collins. Key works by authors such as David Foster Wallace and Jonathan Franzen exemplify this movement, which gained traction in the 1990s and early 2000s, emphasizing themes of empathy and emotional connection rather than personal cynicism.
Following events like the September 11 attacks, New Sincerity gained further relevance as many sought a more compassionate and honest approach to storytelling. This trend notably shifted portrayals in media, where characters previously ridiculed for their quirks became sympathetic figures that audiences could root for. Additionally, the movement is contrasted with the "hipster" attitude, which often feigns indifference to trends while actively engaging with them. While New Sincerity prioritizes heartfelt expression, it also raises questions about moral consensus; authenticity requires a shared understanding of sincerity among the audience. Overall, New Sincerity presents a cultural shift towards valuing sincerity and vulnerability in artistic and social expressions.
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Subject Terms
New Sincerity
New Sincerity is a trend in art, music, films, poetry, philosophy, and other aspects of culture that avoids all forms of irony and cynicism. The areas of culture associated with New Sincerity emphasize genuineness, earnestness, and authenticity. It is sometimes considered a subculture, or a group within a larger culture, that holds beliefs that are in opposition to those of the larger group.
Background
The origin of the term New Sincerity is somewhat uncertain. Some sources attribute its origin to Russian dissident, artist, and writer Dmitri Prigov, who is quoted using the term in 1984. Other sources say the term came into widespread use around that same time, after American punk rocker and writer Jesse Sublett supposedly called a number of punk rock bands "new sincerity bands." Some of the bands that fit into the New Sincerity category included True Believers, Zeitgeist (later called The Reivers), Glass Eye, and Doctors' Mob. The term was picked up and used in print by writers quoting Sublett, leading others to credit him with the origin of the concept.
Others give credit for the term to film critic Jim Collins, who used it in a 1993 essay titled "Genericity in the 90s: Eclectic Irony and the New Sincerity." In the essay, Collins used the term in reference to movies such as Field of Dreams (1989), Hook (1991), and Dances with Wolves(1990). Collins's use of the term addressed the idea that the movies were nostalgic and attempted to generate a feeling of sincerity, seriousness, and honesty.
New Sincerity spread from music and film to other aspects of culture throughout the 1990s and into the early part of the twenty-first century. The concept of New Sincerity was also popularized by American writer David Foster Wallace, whose works exemplified the trend. Other authors associated with New Sincerity included Jonathan Franzen, Dave Eggers, and Michael Chabon.
Overview
New Sincerity appears to have arisen as a response to the irony and sarcasm that were a key part of the postmodern movement. This movement was prevalent in the last half of the twentieth century, especially in the last three decades, and was characterized by a rejection of modernism and included a skeptical attitude toward any explanation or line of reasoning that claimed to be applicable for everyone at all times. Postmodernism included the idea that reality could be different for each person, based on the individual's experiences and perceptions.
In contrast, New Sincerity emphasizes some form of passion for the topic under consideration and compassion for the other people involved. Instead of individuals focusing on their own conception of reality, New Sincerity encourages people to empathize with the reality of others. The New Sincerity movement was behind the increased number of television shows and feature films that featured "geeks" and "nerds" as appealing and endearing characters. Instead of shows about the popular kids in school, there were shows about the students devoted to the school choir, such as in Glee, and a host of movies that featured unlikely heroes. Unlike television series and movies in the later part of the twentieth century, in which these characters prompted laughter and comic relief, in New Sincerity shows they are sympathetic characters that prompt people to root for them and get angry when someone hurts or upsets them.
Some experts say this trend began after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States that took around three thousand lives. The surge of patriotism and the support and compassion for those affected made cynicism—the feeling that people only care about themselves and are only motivated by self-interests—less appealing.
However, the rise of New Sincerity did not mean that people suddenly developed an overwhelming sensitivity to the views and opinions of others. Instead, the writers, artists, and others involved in the movement emphasized honesty, vulnerability, and sincerity in expressing their own viewpoints. There was an increased focus on showing people making earnest efforts to do good things with their lives. Topics that were of specific interest were family, friends and neighbors, the environment, patriotism, and spirituality. This last topic represents a change from the focus on monetary gain that was part of the postmodern era, especially for Generation X, which encompasses the generation born between the mid-1960s and early 1980s.
This was a change from the attitude of a group known as "hipsters." The term refers to individuals who are focused on following trends while acting as if they are disinterested in those same trends and the opinions of others. For example, hipsters wear countercultural fashion trends that are outside of what the majority of people wear to make it appear that they do not care what people think of them, while they are in actuality devotedly following the trends set by other hipsters.
Some analysts noted that the 2016 rise of Donald Trump to the American presidency reflects elements of New Sincerity. While his approach to a number of topics was criticized by some as being too brash and unbefitting of a politician, his straightforward, unadorned viewpoints reflected the authenticity that is a hallmark of the New Sincerity movement. New Sincerity emphasizes the avoidance of saying the right thing in favor of speaking honest and heartfelt sentiments. Others note that New Sincerity does not mean simply saying what is honest and authentic, but it also requires some moral consensus as to what is authentic; in other words, New Sincerity has to reflect what the majority of people accept as a moral stance before it is considered sincere.
Bibliography
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