后现代不是一个确定的历史-时代概念，但它仍与时间，尤其是与现在相关。在利奥塔那里，有两种不同的后现代概念，它们对应着两种不同的现在。一种是作为现代性之完成状态的后现代，它体现为一种永恒化的当下，它导致了人的“非人化”压抑。另一种则是作为情绪性绽出的瞬时的后现代，它既是对前一种后现代的反思性诊断，也构成了一种独特的后现代的生存风格。

The postmodern is not a concept with definite historical times, but is still related to time, especially to the present. There are two different concepts of the postmodern in Lyotard's writings, which correspond to the present of two different kinds. One is the finished status of modernity, which embodies an eternal present that leads to the "inhuman" depressions on humans. The other is an instantaneous moment that has burst out emotionally, which not only reflects on the former kind of the postmodern, but also forms a particular style of postmodern existence.