Amusing Ourselves to Death talks about, in certain parts of the book, how as media and technology progresses, we all decay intellectually. We decay intellectually in a sense that even though we become more technologically advanced, that technology is making us so simple minded. In the end, we'd rather be on our phone than actually have a conversation with the person next to us.
Postman uses and example in the book that stood out a lot. He compared Abraham Lincoln's debate against Douglas to modern debates. Postman says that citizens stood for hours listening to Lincoln and Douglas with so much interest, and now people can barely stand for an hour listening to two people debate. I think it makes sense that people of today can't bare to be in a room for hours just listening to people debating. Technology has become too advanced to the point where the world moves too fast and they only live for entertainment and pleasure. I think a book that's a good example of the world we live in today is Fahrenheit 451. The world in that story is not too different from ours. We live to pleasure ourselves, to entertain ourselves, and we hate being bored. Fahrenheit 451 is too accurate in predicting what our world has become (Aside from those firemen).
Postman offers solutions to the problems of which he calls the "Age of Show Business" times. However, even he says that his solutions are not ideal. I think, even if society has gotten lazier and simple minded, we should leave things as it is. As technology grows, we grow as a race. We have come so far because of the technology we developed and if our technology didn't grow and develop then we probably would be dead. Although, maybe the world would be a better place without us humans.
I agree with your view on how us as people can barely stand to listen to debates. The presidential debates are now televised and are rather than be intellectual they seem to be more for entertainment. Postman was right when he said that the news seems serious but then we're hit with "Now...this", an argument that he had a whole chapter on. Trump, Hillary,Bernie and the other presidential candidates seem more like entertainers because of how the media runs its fees through the nation.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your views, but I think you're wrong on some points. What is the point of technology, besides making our lives easier? Humans naturally crave pleasure and entertainment, and no one enjoys boredom. We do not decline intellectually as media and technology progresses unless we allow ourselves to. We created the concepts of media and technology, so there shouldn't be any reason for us to decline as intellectuals. Media has also allowed for the rapid spread of information, although some of it is useless. Take Zoboomafu for example, which believe is an example of good media because it has taught children well and allowed for a good showcase of information. Only through advancements in media and technology can you witness a talking sloth. I agree with your final statements. Even if society has become more lazy, it's because we made it that way through our technology. We wanted things to be easier. However, I do not think we have become more simple minded. Technology is the reason we have progressed so far and allowed us to grow as a race. So yes, like you said, we shouldn't change anything. Although, this world would probably be better off without humans like you said.
ReplyDeleteWhat Postman lacks is faith in capitalism. Of course there is no longer an audience who wants to travel to watch a debate for multiple hours; that's just inefficient. Postman believes that television has taken over and led to the eradication of these debates but I do not believe he anticipated the rise of YouTube. Television has strict time limits, "now this" segments, and many commercial breaks, but there is still a need for something that is not limited by time, erratic in its thought process, and plagued by commercials, and because there is an audience for that, capitalism has brought us YouTube. Of course on YouTube there are plenty of silly videos simply for entertainment but there are also hour long discussions and debates concerning politics, the economy, capitalism, socialism, libertarian-ism, civil rights, education, and so much more. It is now possible to sit down on your computer and watch a discussion for three hours without commercial breaks, without unnatural change of subjects, and without time limits. YouTube is the perfect place to get a dose of intellectualism that happens to come from technology as a medium.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the attentions span of someone today, in a debate, to someone in the Lincoln-Douglas error, there would be a great margin. Of course people, then, were able to listen to debates for longer periods of time because they were more adept to debates and didn't have television at the time. When it comes to technology, I do agree that it is making us less social with the people around us, however, it is also letting us grow as a race like you said.
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