The adjective has a lot of meanings, nothing I'd call a void. > More common, especially in the West, are those who see it as a socially progressive trend of th

The adjective has a lot of meanings, nothing I'd call a void. > More common, especially in the West, are those who see it as a socially progressive trend of thought that affirms the power of human beings to create, improve and reshape their environment with the aid of practical experimentation, scientific knowledge, or technology. From this perspective, modernism encouraged the re-examination of every aspect of existence, from commerce to philosophy, with the goal of finding that which was 'holding back' progress, and replacing it with new ways of reaching the same end. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernism Seems applicable to "modern, readable syntax". It means not afraid to buck what people are used to if there's a better way to do it.