Post-Modernism was a reaction against Modernism. It came quite early to music and literature, and a little later to architecture. And I think it's still coming to computer science.

The quote "Post-Modernism was a reaction against Modernism. It came quite early to music and literature, and a little later to architecture. And I think it's still coming to computer science." by Larry Wall, the creator of the Perl programming language, draws an insightful connection between artistic movements and the evolution of technology. Wall identifies Post-Modernism as a cultural shift that emerged as a reaction against Modernism, favoring pluralism, irony, and eclecticism over the rigid ideals of rationality, functionality, and universality that defined the Modernist era.

In the arts, Post-Modernism challenged the strict forms and seriousness of Modernism, appearing first in literature and music with experimental structures, self-referential themes, and a blending of high and low culture. Later, this sensibility influenced architecture, where designers began to reject the stark, box-like efficiency of Modernist buildings in favor of ornamentation, symbolism, and historical references. Wall uses this timeline to point out that computer science, too, may be undergoing a similar philosophical shift.

By stating that Post-Modernism is still coming to computer science, Wall implies that the field is beginning to embrace diversity, creativity, and even humor—moving beyond rigid standards and hyper-rational systems. In this sense, programming languages like Perl, which Wall developed, embody a Post-Modern spirit: allowing for multiple ways to solve problems, valuing flexibility, and accepting ambiguity in coding style.

Ultimately, Wall’s quote is both an observation and a subtle critique. He urges us to consider how fields as seemingly objective as computer science are influenced by broader cultural movements. By tracing the path of Post-Modernism from the arts to architecture and into technology, he suggests that adaptability, expressiveness, and human context are just as vital in code as they are in design and literature.