What I've learnt from Mark Rowlands' TV philosophy so far:

Modernity is an ideology based on 4 elements:
a) Individualism
our moral obligation to ourselves to live the best life we can

b) Relativism
different life choices are equally viable, ie. you do what you have to, and let everyone else do what they have to

c) Voluntarism
it's the ability to choose, rather than what is chosen, that makes any choice valuable

d) Instrumentalism
Everything boils down to what you're putting into them and what you're getting out of them.

Buffy is pre-modern because she has a moral obligation to save the world, which precedes her own self-interest to be a cheerleader.

I think I'm seeing Buffy in a new light now. lol.