Bauman’s Perspective on Today’s World: Liquid Modernity

Zygmunt Bauman was a world-renowned sociologist, born in Poland in 1925 and passed away in the United Kingdom in 2017. He is best known for his work on modernity, identity, consumer culture, and postmodern society. Among his most significant contributions is undoubtedly the concept of “liquid modernity.”

In his book Liquid Modernity, Bauman discusses the transition from the “solid” form of modernity of the 20th century to the current “liquid” and uncertain structure. According to Bauman, individuals, social structures, and institutions are no longer stable; they have become constantly changing, flexible, and ambiguous. While this fluidity liberates individuals, it also isolates them and leads to insecurity.

During the era of solid modernity, people expected their social class, profession, or identity to be long-lasting and fixed. However, liquid modernity refers to a system in which everything is continuously reshaped. In this new form, relationships are temporary, identities are mutable, and career paths are uncertain. This fluidity forces individuals to constantly adapt, remain flexible, and embrace change.

Bauman emphasizes that globalization accelerates this process. In line with the demands of the capitalist system, people are now defined primarily by their roles as “consumers”; consumption habits replace identity and social bonds. Even human relationships become “disposable.” Commitment-averse, easily broken relationships are now common. Feelings of solidarity and belonging have weakened, and the individual has become a lonely wanderer.
Although freedom seems to have increased in liquid modernity compared to previous periods, this freedom also leaves individuals under constant pressure to make choices. Insecurity and continual change lead to a state of existential uncertainty.

Bauman’s analyses help us deeply understand this new form of modernity—where the individual is both “free” and “fragile”—and, in doing so, provide profound insight into today’s world.