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Conscientious Objections: Stirring Up Trouble About Language, Technology and Education
In a series of feisty and ultimately hopeful essays, one of America's sharpest social critics casts a shrewd eye over contemporary culture to reveal the worst -- and the best -- of our habits of discourse, tendencies in education, and obsessions with technological novelty. Readers will find themselves rethinking many of their bedrock Should education transmit culture or defend us against it? Is technological innovation progress or a peculiarly American addiction? When everyone watches the same television programs -- and television producers don't discriminate between the audiences for Sesame Street and Dynasty -- is childhood anything more than a sentimental concept? Writing in the traditions of Orwell and H.L. Mencken, Neil Postman sends shock waves of wit and critical intelligence through the cultural wasteland.
201 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Neil Postman
56 books858 followersNeil Postman, an important American educator, media theorist and cultural critic was probably best known for his popular 1985 book, Amusing Ourselves to Death. For more than four decades he was associated with New York University, where he created and led the Media Ecology program.
He is the author of more than thirty significant books on education, media criticism, and cultural change including Teaching as a Subversive Activity, The Disappearance of Childhood, Technopoly, and Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century.
Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985), a historical narrative which warns of a decline in the ability of our mass communications media to share serious ideas. Since television images replace the written word, Postman argues that television confounds serious issues by demeaning and undermining political discourse and by turning real, complex issues into superficial images, less about ideas and thoughts and more about entertainment. He also argues that television is not an effective way of providing education, as it provides only top-down information transfer, rather than the interaction that he believes is necessary to maximize learning. He refers to the relationship between information and human response as the Information-action ratio.
He is the author of more than thirty significant books on education, media criticism, and cultural change including Teaching as a Subversive Activity, The Disappearance of Childhood, Technopoly, and Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century.
Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985), a historical narrative which warns of a decline in the ability of our mass communications media to share serious ideas. Since television images replace the written word, Postman argues that television confounds serious issues by demeaning and undermining political discourse and by turning real, complex issues into superficial images, less about ideas and thoughts and more about entertainment. He also argues that television is not an effective way of providing education, as it provides only top-down information transfer, rather than the interaction that he believes is necessary to maximize learning. He refers to the relationship between information and human response as the Information-action ratio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 15, 2016
If I had not already read Amusing Ourselves to Death, I would rate this collection of essays a 4 star. Postman's major lifelong arguments and philosophies are clearly outlined here and the writing is quite good. However, because I had already had a proper introduction, his hallmark critiques on culture and technology lacked the shock that a first reading does.
Still, I'm glad I read it and would not dissuade anyone from doing likewise. If you already know Postman and only have five minutes to dedicate to this book, the short satire entitled "Megatons for Anthromegs" would be my suggestion.
Still, I'm glad I read it and would not dissuade anyone from doing likewise. If you already know Postman and only have five minutes to dedicate to this book, the short satire entitled "Megatons for Anthromegs" would be my suggestion.
May 7, 2020
Postman, seperti yang lazim, akan terus menghunuskan belati runcingnya mengenai media, bahasa dan pendidikan.
Dalam koleksi syarahan dan esei ini, pada awalnya, Postman menyatakan bahawa penulis yang bernafas dalam negara yang mempunyai kuasa imperial dinamik seperti Amerika Syarikat dan Rusia akan lebih dikenang berbanding penulis yang bernafas dalam negara yang kurang ujian seperti Switzerland.
Melalui iklim negara yang membebankan inilah lahir penulis tersohor semisal Orwell, H.L. Mencken dan Russell Baker. Buah-buah karangan persis The Scarlet Letter, The Myth of the Machine, Understanding Media, The Technological Society, Computer Power and Human Reason, Stigma, Anger dan Public Opinion pula akan terhasil kerana penulis ini menulis demi meneguhkan mutu kehidupan sosial dan bukannya semata-mata atas dasar kesarjanaan. Lantaran itu, tujuan utama sesuatu kajian sosial dilakukan adalah untuk menyingkap hakikat kehidupan sosial dengan mengkritik tabiat moral manusia, meletakkan metafora, imej dan idea yang membantu manusia hidup dengan sebuah takah kefahaman dan hidup penuh maruah.
Menurut Postman, tiga konflik yang paling membekas traumanya dalam pendidikan di Barat ialah i) perubahan dari budaya lisan kepada budaya menulis suku kata di Athens pada kurun kelima B.C., ii) transformasi radikal dengan kemunculan mesin cetak pada abad ke-16 di Eropah dan iii) revolusi elektronik khususnya penciptaan televisyen pada hujung abad ke-20.
Ketiga-tiga konflik ini sedikit demi sedikit telah melabrak makna hakiki ilmu serta keupayaan individu untuk merenung, berfikir, bereksperimen dan bertanya menjadi semata-mata untuk mengaut wang dan kuasa. Tragedi ini kemudiannya menyingkirkan bahasa-bahasa serius dengan kemunculan politik di media yang bertindak sebagai arena seni wayang bisnes yang mencabut nilai ritual, sakral dan tradisi di kaca televisyen selain memadam garis pembeda antara kanak-kanak dan dewasa apabila tiadanya pembimbing-pemandu dan pemisahan penonton serta pendedahan terhadap rahsia-rahsia orang dewasa semisal hal-hal sosial, fizikal dan seksual sehinggalah akhirnya televisyen bertindak sebagai mesin kejahilan-kekeliruan yang pada penghujungnya membenihkan sifat anarki – dunia nihil tadbir – dengan kemaruk penonton yang berminda sehala, bukannya yang mempunyai ideologi.
Postman akhirnya meluncurkan tujuh idea dan prinsip dominan bagi kecerdasan kritikal yang perlu diladeni secara halus oleh setiap guru di setiap lapisan pendidikan iaitu:
1. Mengetahui proses memahami sesebuah 'definisi' yang bukannya 'manifestasi' sesuatu perkara, bahkan merupakan 'instrumen' untuk menggapai sesebuah tujuan individu. Setiap definisi sesebuah perkataan, masalah mahupun situasi perlu dilakukan refleksi mendalam kerana definisi ialah hipotesis yang tertanam di dalamnya perspektif falsafah, politik dan epistemologi tertentu.
2. Peri penting bertanya kerana semua ilmu yang kita peroleh, adalah hasil pertanyaan. Cara kita bertanya akan menentukan jawapan yang kita peroleh dan seperti yang disebut Werner Heisenberg, alam tidak akan bertutur dengan sendiri melainkan setelah kita meletakkan persoalan-persoalan tentangnya.
3. Rangka kurikulum yang menguji kefahaman pelajar terhadap istilah-istilah ruwet yang tampak mudah seperti "benar", "salah", "fakta", "hukum", "baik" dan "buruk" kerana perkataan ini digunakan pada hampir setiap semesta wacana seperti "Hukum bekalan dan permintaan" yang berbeza dengan "Hukum Grimm" dalam linguistik dan "Hukum Newton" dalam fizik. Istilah yang tampak rumit dan susah dieja sehingga perlu membuka kamus seperti "mutasi", "proletariat" dan "aparteid" sebenarnya jarang menimbulkan masalah serius untuk difahami berbanding istilah ruwet yang lebih umum di atas.
4. Rangka kurikulum yang berteraskan inkuiri terhadap penggunaan metafora kerana ia akan memandu-urus cara fikir. Metafora merupakan salah satu organ deria (seperti bertanya) bagi mencerap apa-apa ilmu baik ilmu sejarah, ekonomi, fizik, biologi mahupun linguistik. Ia membentuk argumen, mengurus persepsi dan mengawal emosi lalu menatijahkan pemahaman yang lebih mendalam terhadap sesuatu disiplin.
5. Jernih-tegas semula (reification) makna dan penggunaan sesebuah istilah baharu dengan makna dan mesej yang sebenar kepada pelajar kerana istilah dalam media tidak boleh difahami selapis.
6. Beri perhatian kepada gaya dan nada sesuatu bahasa disampaikan kerana setiap wacana dan disiplin ilmu, mempunyai kaedah istimewa yang tersendiri untuk disampaikan kepada khalayak baik melalui retorik, penghujahan, pembuktian, spekulasi, eksperimen, polemik mahupun humor.
7. Menyedari akan ketidakneutralan media seperti yang diungkapkan Wittgenstein, medium komunikasi boleh bertindak sebagai kenderaan kepada idea, tetapi jangan lupa, ia boleh bertindak sebagai pemandunya juga! Setiap bentuk informasi yang dikodkan, adalah bias yang tidak dapat dielakkan.
Tiga jenis pembacaan menurut George Steiner ialah i) membaca bersahaja/untuk mengusutkan fikiran – seperti bahan bacaan yang terdapat di lapangan terbang, ii) membaca untuk informasi – apabila kita bertemu dengan istilah seperti "teleteks" dan "litar mikro" serta iii) pembacaan celik yang hakiki – yang memerlukan ketenangan, kesabaran, kapasiti persediaan untuk melakukan refleksi, latihan untuk dicabar dengan kompleksiti dan termustahak sekali, iaitu untuk bertahan dengan gangguan jungkir balik dunia sehingga pembaca dan teks membentuk kesatuan masa, ruang dan imaginasi.
Dalam koleksi syarahan dan esei ini, pada awalnya, Postman menyatakan bahawa penulis yang bernafas dalam negara yang mempunyai kuasa imperial dinamik seperti Amerika Syarikat dan Rusia akan lebih dikenang berbanding penulis yang bernafas dalam negara yang kurang ujian seperti Switzerland.
Melalui iklim negara yang membebankan inilah lahir penulis tersohor semisal Orwell, H.L. Mencken dan Russell Baker. Buah-buah karangan persis The Scarlet Letter, The Myth of the Machine, Understanding Media, The Technological Society, Computer Power and Human Reason, Stigma, Anger dan Public Opinion pula akan terhasil kerana penulis ini menulis demi meneguhkan mutu kehidupan sosial dan bukannya semata-mata atas dasar kesarjanaan. Lantaran itu, tujuan utama sesuatu kajian sosial dilakukan adalah untuk menyingkap hakikat kehidupan sosial dengan mengkritik tabiat moral manusia, meletakkan metafora, imej dan idea yang membantu manusia hidup dengan sebuah takah kefahaman dan hidup penuh maruah.
Menurut Postman, tiga konflik yang paling membekas traumanya dalam pendidikan di Barat ialah i) perubahan dari budaya lisan kepada budaya menulis suku kata di Athens pada kurun kelima B.C., ii) transformasi radikal dengan kemunculan mesin cetak pada abad ke-16 di Eropah dan iii) revolusi elektronik khususnya penciptaan televisyen pada hujung abad ke-20.
Ketiga-tiga konflik ini sedikit demi sedikit telah melabrak makna hakiki ilmu serta keupayaan individu untuk merenung, berfikir, bereksperimen dan bertanya menjadi semata-mata untuk mengaut wang dan kuasa. Tragedi ini kemudiannya menyingkirkan bahasa-bahasa serius dengan kemunculan politik di media yang bertindak sebagai arena seni wayang bisnes yang mencabut nilai ritual, sakral dan tradisi di kaca televisyen selain memadam garis pembeda antara kanak-kanak dan dewasa apabila tiadanya pembimbing-pemandu dan pemisahan penonton serta pendedahan terhadap rahsia-rahsia orang dewasa semisal hal-hal sosial, fizikal dan seksual sehinggalah akhirnya televisyen bertindak sebagai mesin kejahilan-kekeliruan yang pada penghujungnya membenihkan sifat anarki – dunia nihil tadbir – dengan kemaruk penonton yang berminda sehala, bukannya yang mempunyai ideologi.
Postman akhirnya meluncurkan tujuh idea dan prinsip dominan bagi kecerdasan kritikal yang perlu diladeni secara halus oleh setiap guru di setiap lapisan pendidikan iaitu:
1. Mengetahui proses memahami sesebuah 'definisi' yang bukannya 'manifestasi' sesuatu perkara, bahkan merupakan 'instrumen' untuk menggapai sesebuah tujuan individu. Setiap definisi sesebuah perkataan, masalah mahupun situasi perlu dilakukan refleksi mendalam kerana definisi ialah hipotesis yang tertanam di dalamnya perspektif falsafah, politik dan epistemologi tertentu.
2. Peri penting bertanya kerana semua ilmu yang kita peroleh, adalah hasil pertanyaan. Cara kita bertanya akan menentukan jawapan yang kita peroleh dan seperti yang disebut Werner Heisenberg, alam tidak akan bertutur dengan sendiri melainkan setelah kita meletakkan persoalan-persoalan tentangnya.
3. Rangka kurikulum yang menguji kefahaman pelajar terhadap istilah-istilah ruwet yang tampak mudah seperti "benar", "salah", "fakta", "hukum", "baik" dan "buruk" kerana perkataan ini digunakan pada hampir setiap semesta wacana seperti "Hukum bekalan dan permintaan" yang berbeza dengan "Hukum Grimm" dalam linguistik dan "Hukum Newton" dalam fizik. Istilah yang tampak rumit dan susah dieja sehingga perlu membuka kamus seperti "mutasi", "proletariat" dan "aparteid" sebenarnya jarang menimbulkan masalah serius untuk difahami berbanding istilah ruwet yang lebih umum di atas.
4. Rangka kurikulum yang berteraskan inkuiri terhadap penggunaan metafora kerana ia akan memandu-urus cara fikir. Metafora merupakan salah satu organ deria (seperti bertanya) bagi mencerap apa-apa ilmu baik ilmu sejarah, ekonomi, fizik, biologi mahupun linguistik. Ia membentuk argumen, mengurus persepsi dan mengawal emosi lalu menatijahkan pemahaman yang lebih mendalam terhadap sesuatu disiplin.
5. Jernih-tegas semula (reification) makna dan penggunaan sesebuah istilah baharu dengan makna dan mesej yang sebenar kepada pelajar kerana istilah dalam media tidak boleh difahami selapis.
6. Beri perhatian kepada gaya dan nada sesuatu bahasa disampaikan kerana setiap wacana dan disiplin ilmu, mempunyai kaedah istimewa yang tersendiri untuk disampaikan kepada khalayak baik melalui retorik, penghujahan, pembuktian, spekulasi, eksperimen, polemik mahupun humor.
7. Menyedari akan ketidakneutralan media seperti yang diungkapkan Wittgenstein, medium komunikasi boleh bertindak sebagai kenderaan kepada idea, tetapi jangan lupa, ia boleh bertindak sebagai pemandunya juga! Setiap bentuk informasi yang dikodkan, adalah bias yang tidak dapat dielakkan.
Tiga jenis pembacaan menurut George Steiner ialah i) membaca bersahaja/untuk mengusutkan fikiran – seperti bahan bacaan yang terdapat di lapangan terbang, ii) membaca untuk informasi – apabila kita bertemu dengan istilah seperti "teleteks" dan "litar mikro" serta iii) pembacaan celik yang hakiki – yang memerlukan ketenangan, kesabaran, kapasiti persediaan untuk melakukan refleksi, latihan untuk dicabar dengan kompleksiti dan termustahak sekali, iaitu untuk bertahan dengan gangguan jungkir balik dunia sehingga pembaca dan teks membentuk kesatuan masa, ruang dan imaginasi.
December 10, 2015
This collection of essays and articles provides an excellent survey of Neil Postman's work, and it's the perfect introduction for new readers. Most of the ideas here are further explored in his single topic books, such as his flagship book on television AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH and his excellent critique of scientism and tech-culture, TECHNOPOLY. The material here will be familiar terrain for Postman veterans, but unique selections like "Alfred Korzybski" and "My German Question" make it worthwhile.
"The Naming of the Missiles" and "Megatons for Anthromegs" managed to be both poignant and funny. "My Graduation Speech" is classic Postman. "Social Science as Moral Theology" is as timely today as ever. In a society that reveres science the way it once revered religion, there are obvious rewards for those who would be known as scientists. As Postman says somewhere, we've gone from deferring to men in long white robes to deferring to men in long white coats.
Postman's rhetoric is patient and disarming, but his observations are sharp. He may be a bit of a conservative crank where technology and pop culture are concerned, but I have found no analogue for him among today's culture critics. Certainly no one else has documented the transition from a literate to an electric society with a better balance of insight and accessibility. No one will agree with everything argument made here. I certainly don't; but I benefit from each return to his work. Despite having written his books exclusively on a legal pad with a regular old ink pen, Postman's arguments have a lean and natural flow to them that today's writers seem incapable of replicating for all the word processing software in the world.
These essays repeatedly demonstrate that clarity can often be excavated with little more than context and patience. These are, of course, exactly the conditions our social media discourage, even more so than the age of broadcasting that we're departing.
We all, even the political right, have quite a bit invested in the progressive vision. Even if we're often uncomfortable with it, we've become deeply attached to the entertainment and convenience available through technology. We may doubt, but often all we have left to pass for "truth" are the rare bits of understanding handed down from the experts on high. Even among prominent technology critics, there are few truly interested in the hard work and probable suffering it would take to halt the momentum of techno-science. Reformulating its role in our lives may not even be in the cards for us, but then again, are we just helpless little automatons? Postman says not.
"The Naming of the Missiles" and "Megatons for Anthromegs" managed to be both poignant and funny. "My Graduation Speech" is classic Postman. "Social Science as Moral Theology" is as timely today as ever. In a society that reveres science the way it once revered religion, there are obvious rewards for those who would be known as scientists. As Postman says somewhere, we've gone from deferring to men in long white robes to deferring to men in long white coats.
Postman's rhetoric is patient and disarming, but his observations are sharp. He may be a bit of a conservative crank where technology and pop culture are concerned, but I have found no analogue for him among today's culture critics. Certainly no one else has documented the transition from a literate to an electric society with a better balance of insight and accessibility. No one will agree with everything argument made here. I certainly don't; but I benefit from each return to his work. Despite having written his books exclusively on a legal pad with a regular old ink pen, Postman's arguments have a lean and natural flow to them that today's writers seem incapable of replicating for all the word processing software in the world.
These essays repeatedly demonstrate that clarity can often be excavated with little more than context and patience. These are, of course, exactly the conditions our social media discourage, even more so than the age of broadcasting that we're departing.
We all, even the political right, have quite a bit invested in the progressive vision. Even if we're often uncomfortable with it, we've become deeply attached to the entertainment and convenience available through technology. We may doubt, but often all we have left to pass for "truth" are the rare bits of understanding handed down from the experts on high. Even among prominent technology critics, there are few truly interested in the hard work and probable suffering it would take to halt the momentum of techno-science. Reformulating its role in our lives may not even be in the cards for us, but then again, are we just helpless little automatons? Postman says not.
December 17, 2008
A wonderful witty read. This is a collection of essays.In the chapter Defending Against the Indefensible he outlines these 7 great principles for critical intelligence:
1. Definitions are hypotheses and embedded in each is a particular philosophical or political or epistemological point of view.
2. The form in which we ask our questions will determine the answers we get.
3. Troublesome words are those that appear simple: true, false, fact, law, good, and bad.
4. All subjects are based upon powerful metaphors that direct and organize the way that we will do our thinking.
5. Avoid reification in which words are confused for things; thus, alluring names can be affixed to what is not there.
6. Study style and tone since each universe of discourse has its own special way of addressing its subject matter and audience.
7. As language itself creates culture in its own image, each new medium of communication re-creates or modifies culture in its image.
1. Definitions are hypotheses and embedded in each is a particular philosophical or political or epistemological point of view.
2. The form in which we ask our questions will determine the answers we get.
3. Troublesome words are those that appear simple: true, false, fact, law, good, and bad.
4. All subjects are based upon powerful metaphors that direct and organize the way that we will do our thinking.
5. Avoid reification in which words are confused for things; thus, alluring names can be affixed to what is not there.
6. Study style and tone since each universe of discourse has its own special way of addressing its subject matter and audience.
7. As language itself creates culture in its own image, each new medium of communication re-creates or modifies culture in its image.
April 6, 2019
This book is absolutely phenomenal. Neil Postman’s predictions about the future have been eerily accurate. I wish he had lived to see Trump’s presidency and the current state of world news during the internet era. I would definitely consider this to be one of my all time favourite books.
July 4, 2023
Summary: A collection of essays of social criticism, considering our communications media and rhetoric, education and its purpose, and technology and how it shapes society.
It has been some time since I’ve read Neil Postman. Twenty years ago, I appreciated his trenchant critique of television and how it was making us dumb, long before critiques of the internet, and of his concerns about how technology was shaping modern society. This collection of essays, which I’ve finally gotten around to reading, revisits some of the same themes, but what I found different (or perhaps didn’t remember) is the biting wit of these essays–these feels like Neil Postman unfiltered–or at least less filtered. Many were originally spoken presentations, which perhaps accounts for some of the difference.
He opens with a critique of the idea of “social science” and would place himself in the camp of those who deny that this is a science at all, calling it “moral theology.” He includes himself in his critique and argues that “social scientists” are story tellers, reminding us in fresh ways of the nature of the human condition and the character of human society. He then considers the purpose of education. Is it to inculcate our culture or to defend us against it? He would argue for the latter and particularly the importance of teaching an awareness of the nature, uses, and power of language.
At times, he can be tongue-in-cheek, as in his essays “The Naming of Missiles” and “The Parable of the Ring Around the Collar” (some of us remember this and other commercials, to which he alludes). He treats these as modern redemption tales. “Megatons for Anthromegs,” “Future Schlock,” “Safe-Fail,” and “My Graduation Speech” are additional examples.
As in Amusing Ourselves to Death, there are several essays on the influence of television on our habits of discourse. “A Muted Celebration,” on the two hundredth anniversary of The Columbian, discussing the decline of literary magazines with the rise of other media. “The News” explores the problems inherent in trying to cover the news of the day on television in 22 minutes or less (I wonder what he would have thought of 24/7 news outlets). “Remembering the Golden Age” considers the period of 52 minute plays written for television by the likes of Paddy Chayevsky, Rod Serling and Gore Vidal for series such as The Kraft Television Theatre.
Many of the tongue-in-cheek essays discuss the language games we play to deceive or cover despicable things in sanitary language. In one essay, he highlights a thinker, Alfred Korzybski, who he believes deserves more attention, because he “helped to heighten our awareness of the role of language in making us what we are and in preventing us from becoming what we ought to be but are not yet.”
Perhaps worth the price of admission is his essay on “The Disappearance of Childhood.” If you have not read Amusing Ourselves to Death, this essay argues how our new media are contributing to the destruction of the idea of childhood, treating children as little adults, or indiscriminately exposing them to the adult.
This collection is a good introduction to Postman’s longer works, covering in brief many of the themes he develops in greater length in them. Reading him thirty years down the road, I’m struck with how prescient he was in many respects, anticipating how media shapes us (even before social media) and how technology is not neutral but value-laden. He anticipates the decline of print media, and warns us of the dangers of the manipulation of language, so much the greater in our “post truth” generation. While the book is dated, it is a valuable piece of social history, indeed of “moral theology,” that indicates that we had been warned of what was coming.
It has been some time since I’ve read Neil Postman. Twenty years ago, I appreciated his trenchant critique of television and how it was making us dumb, long before critiques of the internet, and of his concerns about how technology was shaping modern society. This collection of essays, which I’ve finally gotten around to reading, revisits some of the same themes, but what I found different (or perhaps didn’t remember) is the biting wit of these essays–these feels like Neil Postman unfiltered–or at least less filtered. Many were originally spoken presentations, which perhaps accounts for some of the difference.
He opens with a critique of the idea of “social science” and would place himself in the camp of those who deny that this is a science at all, calling it “moral theology.” He includes himself in his critique and argues that “social scientists” are story tellers, reminding us in fresh ways of the nature of the human condition and the character of human society. He then considers the purpose of education. Is it to inculcate our culture or to defend us against it? He would argue for the latter and particularly the importance of teaching an awareness of the nature, uses, and power of language.
At times, he can be tongue-in-cheek, as in his essays “The Naming of Missiles” and “The Parable of the Ring Around the Collar” (some of us remember this and other commercials, to which he alludes). He treats these as modern redemption tales. “Megatons for Anthromegs,” “Future Schlock,” “Safe-Fail,” and “My Graduation Speech” are additional examples.
As in Amusing Ourselves to Death, there are several essays on the influence of television on our habits of discourse. “A Muted Celebration,” on the two hundredth anniversary of The Columbian, discussing the decline of literary magazines with the rise of other media. “The News” explores the problems inherent in trying to cover the news of the day on television in 22 minutes or less (I wonder what he would have thought of 24/7 news outlets). “Remembering the Golden Age” considers the period of 52 minute plays written for television by the likes of Paddy Chayevsky, Rod Serling and Gore Vidal for series such as The Kraft Television Theatre.
Many of the tongue-in-cheek essays discuss the language games we play to deceive or cover despicable things in sanitary language. In one essay, he highlights a thinker, Alfred Korzybski, who he believes deserves more attention, because he “helped to heighten our awareness of the role of language in making us what we are and in preventing us from becoming what we ought to be but are not yet.”
Perhaps worth the price of admission is his essay on “The Disappearance of Childhood.” If you have not read Amusing Ourselves to Death, this essay argues how our new media are contributing to the destruction of the idea of childhood, treating children as little adults, or indiscriminately exposing them to the adult.
This collection is a good introduction to Postman’s longer works, covering in brief many of the themes he develops in greater length in them. Reading him thirty years down the road, I’m struck with how prescient he was in many respects, anticipating how media shapes us (even before social media) and how technology is not neutral but value-laden. He anticipates the decline of print media, and warns us of the dangers of the manipulation of language, so much the greater in our “post truth” generation. While the book is dated, it is a valuable piece of social history, indeed of “moral theology,” that indicates that we had been warned of what was coming.
March 19, 2024
If you don't know Postman, you should. He was a teacher, and a culture and technology critic whose most influential work was published in the 80s and 90s. At the time, he was largely considered the intellectual heir to Marshall McLuhan. He died in 2003, but his books are still worth reading in 2024. If you like stuff written by people like Ted Chiang, Douglas Rushkoff, Nicholas Carr,Brian Merchant or even Cory Doctorow, you're a prime candidate for Postman's stuff. This one is a pretty good place to start.
It's a collection of essays and speeches on the various topics he wrote about over the years, and while individually none are as compelling as the books of his that I've read, they're an excellent introduction to his style and attitude.
Almost every piece of his writing I've read starts out with thesis I disagree with, and ends with me convinced that he's right. I've never come across a writer so effective at making me reconsider my own thinking.
Postman was a curmudgeon, convinced that television was irreparably damaging our intellects by shortening our attention span and turning everything into visual imagery at the expense of deeper thinking and consideration. Modern education amplifies the effect by failing to stimulate natural curiosity and critical thinking skills.
The writing is intellectual but accessible - unlike Marshall McLuhan (at least in my experience), Postman says what he means clearly and succinctly. There isn't a wasted sentence in any of his work.
If any of this resonates, check out his work. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology and Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business have both proven to be prescient and essential to understanding our culture today. This is the gateway drug.
It's a collection of essays and speeches on the various topics he wrote about over the years, and while individually none are as compelling as the books of his that I've read, they're an excellent introduction to his style and attitude.
Almost every piece of his writing I've read starts out with thesis I disagree with, and ends with me convinced that he's right. I've never come across a writer so effective at making me reconsider my own thinking.
Postman was a curmudgeon, convinced that television was irreparably damaging our intellects by shortening our attention span and turning everything into visual imagery at the expense of deeper thinking and consideration. Modern education amplifies the effect by failing to stimulate natural curiosity and critical thinking skills.
The writing is intellectual but accessible - unlike Marshall McLuhan (at least in my experience), Postman says what he means clearly and succinctly. There isn't a wasted sentence in any of his work.
If any of this resonates, check out his work. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology and Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business have both proven to be prescient and essential to understanding our culture today. This is the gateway drug.
November 9, 2022
If you’re the kind of reader who likes to think about what you’ve read after you’ve read it, give Neil Postman a try.
He understood the dangers of television, and he had insight about the dangers of the internet/social media before there was an internet/social media.
Postman is a wordsmith, and in Conscientious Objections he offers some compelling understanding about what’s wrong with the American system of education.
Give him a try.
Read more of my book reviews and poems here:
www.richardsubber.com
He understood the dangers of television, and he had insight about the dangers of the internet/social media before there was an internet/social media.
Postman is a wordsmith, and in Conscientious Objections he offers some compelling understanding about what’s wrong with the American system of education.
Give him a try.
Read more of my book reviews and poems here:
www.richardsubber.com
May 14, 2022
It is always timely to visit Postman's late '80s critique of the changing form of media changing culture (in unknown and negative ways), the truth of his opinions is has become more and clearly apparent as time and technology continues to evolve in the direction of more automation and less deliberate human thought. Only recently are the real effects on education and general culture starting to get general criticism in the public sphere.
January 17, 2018
Loved it. Postman was a genius. His analysis and free thinking is best gathered in these short form essays. An “essay” itself means to “make an attempt,” not to completely figure out. He exposes much of our modern thinking and is worth a read, especially now. Unfortunately the book is out of print. But I still recommend it if you can find a copy!
May 27, 2021
He was a conscientious man living in an amused land. Here in this collection of paper bound by harder pieces of paper Neil tells the reader why he's a boy of conscientiousness. He doesn't like missiles having names or handsome boys and girls reading news on TV sets too much. It's a fine book if you're feeling like nothing is going right in this town and you want a few ideas as to why that is.
January 17, 2024
Excellent. Though it's a dense read, and I did not necessarily get a lot out of every single essay in here personally, Neil Postman has such important things to say about our uses of technology, much of which have become eerily, depressingly prophetic today. Read his stuff if this topic interests you for sure, especially his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death!
September 2, 2018
Current America is mainly stupid and shallow. Television is to blame. Neil can say „I told you so”. Now... This. Is. Sad.
June 4, 2019
Amazing book! A well thought out analysis on how both the message and its medium are equally important. Literary prose at its best!
February 17, 2024
Really good but it’s dated now
February 25, 2017
A collection of essays that gives an overview of Postman's preoccupations. Two essays could be considered his seminal works "in brief"—the works being The Disappearance of Childhood and Amusing Ourselves to Death.
Postman reiterates many of his beliefs on television and public discourse. "Social Science as Moral Theology" and "The Educationist as Painkiller" stand out important examinations of our current world. Postman believes sociology is a means to convey a narrative instead of a science of theorems and proofs. This idea would carry over in a more sinister way when Postman reminds the reader that adverts are less about products and more about mythology.
The passage in Alfred Korzybski was most illuminating. The idea of time-dating the words we use seemed both hilarious and impossible. How specific should the date be? To the second? Still, I sense a very DF Wallace short(long) story could be spun from the idea.
Included are two satirical pieces—"Megatons for Anthromegs" and "Safe-Fail"—that belong in the The Onion or on McSweeney's.
Postman reiterates many of his beliefs on television and public discourse. "Social Science as Moral Theology" and "The Educationist as Painkiller" stand out important examinations of our current world. Postman believes sociology is a means to convey a narrative instead of a science of theorems and proofs. This idea would carry over in a more sinister way when Postman reminds the reader that adverts are less about products and more about mythology.
The passage in Alfred Korzybski was most illuminating. The idea of time-dating the words we use seemed both hilarious and impossible. How specific should the date be? To the second? Still, I sense a very DF Wallace short(long) story could be spun from the idea.
Included are two satirical pieces—"Megatons for Anthromegs" and "Safe-Fail"—that belong in the The Onion or on McSweeney's.
December 29, 2014
“Conscientious Objections” is a series of eighteen of Postman's essays and speeches, most concerned with his perennial topics of education, language, technology, and media. They’re from the late 1980s, so some of them are rather dated, but many of them are still strikingly relevant today. (It’s also rather scary to see how scarily accurate his predictions were of what would happen to European society and culture if everyone blindly followed the US’s example with commercial television — from a time when only 20% of adults watched evening TV, vs 75% in the US).
The piece I found most thought-provoking was “The Educationist as Painkiller” in which he proposes that, just as the medical profession largely concerns itself with relieving us of sickness (and it’s difficult to get them to agree on what “health” itself even is, beyond the absence of sickness), so education should abandon its vague, arrogant, and ultimately futile attempts to make children intelligent, but instead work much harder simply on helping them avoid stupidity and error. Everyone makes errors. We are often most stupid when we think we’re not. Being stupid is not something we are — it’s something we do — and it’s reducible. And it’s like sickness, in that some of it we produce ourselves, and some of it is something that is inflicted upon us from others, and from which we need protection. So teachers and other educationists should become experts in stupidity, and able to prescribe procedures for avoiding it. He notes, almost in passing, that he has been able to isolate thirty-two different varieties of stupid-talk. Some of these (“either-or thinking; overgeneralization; inability to distinguish between facts and inferences; and reification, a disturbingly prevalent tendency to confuse words with things”) he lists here, but now I’m very curious as to whether he ever published his entire list somewhere.
He also muses (in a world before ebooks) on what the world might be like if a major paper shortage constrained authors to only being able to publish books with fewer than 50 pages — and then proceeds to distill his two previous books (The Disappearance of Childhood and Amusing Ourselves to Death) into versions of about 15 pages each.
Highly recommended all round.
The piece I found most thought-provoking was “The Educationist as Painkiller” in which he proposes that, just as the medical profession largely concerns itself with relieving us of sickness (and it’s difficult to get them to agree on what “health” itself even is, beyond the absence of sickness), so education should abandon its vague, arrogant, and ultimately futile attempts to make children intelligent, but instead work much harder simply on helping them avoid stupidity and error. Everyone makes errors. We are often most stupid when we think we’re not. Being stupid is not something we are — it’s something we do — and it’s reducible. And it’s like sickness, in that some of it we produce ourselves, and some of it is something that is inflicted upon us from others, and from which we need protection. So teachers and other educationists should become experts in stupidity, and able to prescribe procedures for avoiding it. He notes, almost in passing, that he has been able to isolate thirty-two different varieties of stupid-talk. Some of these (“either-or thinking; overgeneralization; inability to distinguish between facts and inferences; and reification, a disturbingly prevalent tendency to confuse words with things”) he lists here, but now I’m very curious as to whether he ever published his entire list somewhere.
He also muses (in a world before ebooks) on what the world might be like if a major paper shortage constrained authors to only being able to publish books with fewer than 50 pages — and then proceeds to distill his two previous books (The Disappearance of Childhood and Amusing Ourselves to Death) into versions of about 15 pages each.
Highly recommended all round.
Read
May 30, 2023I keep looking for Neil Postman chapters and essays to present to high school students, and man if he doesn't pepper nearly every single one of them with just something a little too close to the line for my own good. I don't mind the outdated references because we can bring those up to date, and I don't mind the religious imagery, because those are interesting. His casual use of old school references to mental illness, his bad habit for casual political digs at conservatives (again, I don't mind, but I am not trying to alienate students and get attention from parents), and other little things.
This book is a series of essays, some solid and good, some mere book jacket summaries of other books he's written, and some truly bad satire. He's a definitively unfunny writer and his satire is obnoxiously bad. And like most of his books, the ideas are there, the thinking is never as deep as it should be, the solutions are simplistic or impossible, and his annoyances are too thin-skinned. He's best at asking questions, and not great at answering them. If he could take a cue from the poststructuralists he hates, he might realize some confidence to leave the impasses where they are.
This book is a series of essays, some solid and good, some mere book jacket summaries of other books he's written, and some truly bad satire. He's a definitively unfunny writer and his satire is obnoxiously bad. And like most of his books, the ideas are there, the thinking is never as deep as it should be, the solutions are simplistic or impossible, and his annoyances are too thin-skinned. He's best at asking questions, and not great at answering them. If he could take a cue from the poststructuralists he hates, he might realize some confidence to leave the impasses where they are.
February 8, 2020
Collection of essays on different topics from education, childhood, politics, technology, television etc.
Postman, as always, provides insights into our culture (mostly American) and suggests some practical ideas how to prevent negative ongoing trends. As always he uses wisdom of sages, thinkers, writers, and philosophers from the past to help us understand current social issues.
His essays and observations draw a picture of quite sad future. A lot of this predications are already fulfilled, so Postman is unfortunately was very accurate in them which he poses as warnings for us.
However, what I liked about this book is that he tries to stay optimistic. He reminds us that civilized society is very vulnerable and we should pay attention to dangers. And he tries to provide us with a mindset how to do just that.
Postman, as always, provides insights into our culture (mostly American) and suggests some practical ideas how to prevent negative ongoing trends. As always he uses wisdom of sages, thinkers, writers, and philosophers from the past to help us understand current social issues.
His essays and observations draw a picture of quite sad future. A lot of this predications are already fulfilled, so Postman is unfortunately was very accurate in them which he poses as warnings for us.
However, what I liked about this book is that he tries to stay optimistic. He reminds us that civilized society is very vulnerable and we should pay attention to dangers. And he tries to provide us with a mindset how to do just that.
September 4, 2016
A series of essays from the one and only Neil Postman, in my opinion one of the best social critiques of the 20th century. An excellent introduction for people who are not familiar with his work, which despite him passing away in 2003, is still far ahead of his time.
'My Graduation Speech', 'Columbosity' and 'The Conservative Outlook' were 3 of my favorite chapters in the book, each brimming with the wit and masterful turn of phrase typical of Postman. I don't agree with everything he says on some issues, but I appreciate his courage for questioning some 'truths' that our society today sees as self-evident.
My favorite quote: "There's a difference between rape & seduction, technology can rape a culture or be forced to seduce it"
'My Graduation Speech', 'Columbosity' and 'The Conservative Outlook' were 3 of my favorite chapters in the book, each brimming with the wit and masterful turn of phrase typical of Postman. I don't agree with everything he says on some issues, but I appreciate his courage for questioning some 'truths' that our society today sees as self-evident.
My favorite quote: "There's a difference between rape & seduction, technology can rape a culture or be forced to seduce it"
Read
January 29, 2012Unfortunately, Neil Postman passed away in 2003, but much of what this media theorist and cultural critic had to say during his lifetime still holds true today. This collection of short essays collected from his writings and his presentations can be at times dated (many were written during the final phases of the Cold War and reflect the worries resulting from the stand-off of the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R), but they touch upon issues that should be of concern to all of us. During his most productive years the internet had not yet surfaced as the media force it is now. Instead, he focuses most of his writing in this book on television and its effect on the public weal.
March 18, 2016
Essential Postman reading. His final essay, "My Graduation Speech," is worth the entire book. Over the years, I've used this essay with what now must include hundreds of students--it delineates the Athenians from the Visigoths--and it lays the responsibility for honest, intellectual work that is committed to action on each of us. I value Postman's prose because he was an impeccable craftsman with written expression AND used his acerbic wit and his penetrating analysis to critique our institutions and ourselves.
July 26, 2011
A book of Postman's essays. One was a condensed version of his Disappearance of Childhood. I also learned a marvelous new word from two of the essays -- "aliterate", one who can read but doesn't. Besides the essay about childhood, another I particularly liked talked about a need to teach children how to communicate with today's "indefensible language" -- that is, advertising and politics. I've always appreciated this man's work.
December 7, 2018
كتاب اختصاصي، لم يكن مجال اهتمامي، لكنني اطلعت عليه، وتوضح لي كم كانت الشعوب تعارض الخدمة العسكرية، وتعرفها أنها فن القتل وواجب حماية الحدود،وأن السلم فترة فاصلة بين حربين، وقد عرض الكتاب تجارب الدول الأخرى، في مواجهة ماسماه الكتاب: المعارضة الأخلاقية، حيث بدأت الدوال تتنازل في قوانينها فتجعل الخدمة خارية، ثم تحولها لخدمة بديلة في مجالات خدمية أخرى ولكن نفس المدة.
الكتاب مهم وناجح ، حيث طرح موضوعا مهما يشغل فكر الشباب بقوة.
الكتاب مهم وناجح ، حيث طرح موضوعا مهما يشغل فكر الشباب بقوة.
Want to read
January 31, 2013I've been looking forward to getting to this for some time! Postman's biting culture criticism turns to educational questions in the use of faddish technology and wonders about a teacher's and school's role in transmitting or defending against popular culture. The cultural wasteland in all its glory.
June 5, 2008
This is the third book I have read by Postman. I think this is one of his most accessible books. I like that this book is full of eclectic subjects. A major highlight for me was his article on the German cultural psyche, and his own digested versions of prior books.
August 4, 2009
I didn't finish Technopoly because there was a hold in it at the library.
This one has short essays/lectures which were expanded into his books.
I love the way the librarian looks at me when I check out his books.I must read more Neil Postman.
This one has short essays/lectures which were expanded into his books.
I love the way the librarian looks at me when I check out his books.I must read more Neil Postman.
August 9, 2011
This books is serving as one of my textbooks for class. It's so engaging and well written! Postman obviously knows his stuff and I like the way he presents information. It's written with a level of simplicity that is hard to find amongst academicians.
February 19, 2008
"More dangers in a world driven by TV media and the loss of precise language."
February 25, 2008
Read anything by Postman. Twice. More if you're an educator.
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