In metamodernism, oscillation refers to the conscious swinging back and forth between seemingly contradictory poles—e.g., between irony and seriousness, naivety and reflexivity, idealism and pragmatism. In metamodernism's self-understanding, this wavering is not a sign of insecurity, but rather the reflective anticipation of a form of consciousness that endures ambivalence and seeks to overcome the old binary logic of the West.
Metamodernism, however, does not postulate the undecided arbitrariness of “both/and”, but aims for a deliberative process of reflection from which an epistemic signature should emerge. It seeks to replace linear or dialectical models with rhythmic, evolving reflection.
