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West's particular universality, its praxis, has pushed for hegemony, it
seems to have exhausted the origin of its uniqueness; one can join any
cult or tribe, but without any commitment; one may become a universal
nomad, citizen of the world, gracious but ridiculous, like the meetings of
the United Nations—completely ineffective and nondescript?^ Indeed,
Fujimora drew no overly surprising conclusion by pronouncing the the
end of history, although those who inhabit this end will, according to him,
live bland lives.
Various fundamentalisms, notably the Islamic, Judaic, Christian, and of
late, the Hindu, are not yet willing to put secularization and thus
humanity first. They cannot accept themselves as parts of the world; they
deem their mythologies to be self-sufficient in the sense that their specific
texts are universal and constitute the very imminence of the world. Yet
the very tensions between the fundamentalisms and secular modernity
reveal that in the age of praxis globalization, self sufficiency is impossible.
An effort to establish a particular mythology as the sole universal culture
diminishes its ability even to attain its own local ends. This is equally
well demonstrated by Marxian eschotology and its exclusive purpose of
the constantly postponed universality.

rv. Modernization—^Archaization—Postmodemity

In the contemporary setting, nationalisms must be regarded in relation
to the globalization of modernity that compels cultural encounters." The
modernizing impetus, with the above articulated trends toward individua-
tion, etc., institute a mode of thinking and behavior that, compared with
the archaic mode, appears to be fragmented, abstract, and even artificial.
This is affirmed by the Taoist wholeness in contrast to Confucian moves
toward moraUzings and poUtical and social constructs. At the archaic level
of a tradition that is subject to modernization, the all-encompassing, local,
undifferentiated hierarchies of mythical rituals, and even medico-magical
practices, comprise an eternal presence. At this level nationalisms, with
their wholeness and unity, arise with their overemphasis on power rituals,
mythical pronouncements, and even blood-race mysticisms. It is an identity

^^ Anne Roiphe, Generation Without Memory: A Jewish Journey in Christian America
(New York: Linden Press, 1981), 214.
" Anthony D.S. Smith, Nationalism in the Twentieth Century (New York: New York
University Press, 1979).