Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

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  I found Postman's description of the gradual rotting effect that media has had (and continues to have) on our culture to be eerily accurate especially living in a time when Internet technologies such as Facebook, blogs and Internet news are part of everyday life for many Americans. These technologies and patterns of use simply show Postman's observations to be true, possibly with greater detriment to culture in this global Internet age. For example, consider what Postman calls the "grea... (show more)

  I found Postman's description of the gradual rotting effect that media has had (and continues to have) on our culture to be eerily accurate especially living in a time when Internet technologies such as Facebook, blogs and Internet news are part of everyday life for many Americans. These technologies and patterns of use simply show Postman's observations to be true, possibly with greater detriment to culture in this global Internet age. For example, consider what Postman calls the "great loop of impotence: The news elicits from you a variety of opinions about which you can do nothing except offer them as more news about which you can do nothing." Does this not describe the overwhelming majority of Internet "news", scores, opinions, blogs, Facebook status updates and tweets? Why are we so hypnotized by the trivial? And yes, I still have email, a blog, Facebook and satellite TV service, but I do not think that means I should never take a step back and consider ideas like those put forward in this book. I think this book serves as a reality check even 25 years after it was written for the reader to examine how they use their time in the short lives that we are given and even question why humor saturates so many parts of the American life, while much of the rest of the world is suffering.
  Postman says it well here:
  "There is no more disturbing consequence of the electronic and graphic revolution than this: that the world as given to us through television seems natural, not bizarre." (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Dec 06, 2009 at 04:52AM

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  In 1985, before the advent of a slate of reality television shows and before 24 hour cable news talking heads, Neil Postman wrote "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" as, what some hail to be, a prophetic work.

  Postman blasts our media culture, in particular television and how TV is making us all dumber. As a kind of clarifying point, he does not say that television is evil. He actually prefers mindless entertainment than television that co-o... (show more)

  In 1985, before the advent of a slate of reality television shows and before 24 hour cable news talking heads, Neil Postman wrote "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" as, what some hail to be, a prophetic work.

  Postman blasts our media culture, in particular television and how TV is making us all dumber. As a kind of clarifying point, he does not say that television is evil. He actually prefers mindless entertainment than television that co-opts serious modes of discourse such as: news, politics, science, education, commerce and religion.

  He compares George Orwell's metaphor of culture with Aldous Huxley's. Orwell's culture seems totalitarian- the government attempts to control thought. "What Huxley teaches is that in the age of advanced technology, spiritual devastation is more likely to come from an enemy with a smiling face than from one whose countenance exudes suspicion and hate. In the Huxleyan prophecy, Big Brother does not watch us, by his choice. We watch him, by ours." (Pg. 155) Thus, Postman argues that our society is resembling the Brave New World that Huxley dreamt up decades ago.

  This is an intelligent and provocative read. Postman talks about how religious personalities on television develop cult-like followings that down play the reverence for religion itself. He also speaks of politics and how complicated ideas and not shared with the public any longer. Instead we get soundbites. Think of Abraham Lincoln's debate with Douglas. Very complex political ideas were discussed. Now, there are soundbites or clips that sound good.

  He blasts the news for making a mockery out of reality. Sharing some horrific story right before a commercial break and then coming back with a story about a cat up a tree. Does media mold us to be thoughtful, engaging about our world? Does it allow us to take in tragic events and let them stir in our souls?

  This book is highly recommended. (show less)

   

   

  by Dave Lester on Dec 06, 2009 at 12:55AM

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