Author Archives: brucesteinberg

In this chapter, Postman asserts that television does in fact provide education, yet it educates in deception and entertainment perpetuating a dependency on the entertaining nature of TV. While Postman concedes that TV can teach facts and concepts, it lacks the social atmosphere of a classroom which inhibits education in critical thinking and conversation. IContinue reading “Blogpost 10”

In this chapter, paragraphs that I felt were compelling were:  “Because the television commercial is the single most… instant therapy” (Postman 94).  “Czesław Miłosz, winner of the 1980 Nobel Prize… know everything about the last twenty four hours but very little of the last sixty centuries” (Postman 99).

In this chapter, Postman examines how television has mutated religion. Specifically, he scrutinizes televangelists’ blend of religion and entertainment. I thought Postman’s assertion was extremely valid. Televangelists are motivated by ratings and viewership so they tailor their suromons towards optimizing those factors rather than religious values. Postman’s fear is that religion will turn into brainlessContinue reading “BlogPost 8”

In this chapter, Postman asserts that television culture has made media shallow and insignificant as it promotes appearance and entertainment over quality content. I found Postman’s stance on credibility particularly thought provoking: “Credibility here does not refer to the past record… It refers only to the impression of sincerity, authenticity, vulnerability or attractiveness (choose oneContinue reading “Blog Post 7”

In this chapter, Postman asserts that television has directly attacked literary culture, and television has traded logic and analytical thinking for entertainment. One part of the chapter that I found particularly insightful was when Postman uses televised courtroom trials to further his argument. He states “a rape trial was televised, to the delight of audiencesContinue reading “BlogPost 6”

In this chapter, Postman describes the methodical death of print culture. Postman states “For telegraphy did something that Morse did not forsee” (Postman 48). In Postman’s view, the telegraph did two things. It made content and news easily accessible and cut down geographical barriers. This caused society to know a little about a lot. Essentially,Continue reading “BLOGPOST 5”

In this chapter, Postman describes the methodical death of print culture. He starts with the telegraph. In Postman’s view, the telegraph did two things. It made content and news easily accessible and cut down geographical barriers. This caused society to know a little about a lot. Essentially, information became so abundant that its deeper meaningContinue reading “Blog Post 5”

In this chapter, Postman attacks modern society’s lack of comprehension pertaining to complex arguments and word choice. In addition, he points out how the contemporary attention span is shrinking which he attributes to the “Age of Show Business”. Postman expands on his appeal of significant loss of intelligence by comparing the Lincoln Douglas debates whichContinue reading “Blog Post 4”

In this chapter Postman rewinds to the seventeenth century to convey changes in America’s literacy. He uses Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense as an example in the dramatically different way americans consumed literature. Postman states that Paine sold about 100,000 copies of his pamphlet which is comparable to 24 million copies today. Postman acknowledges theseContinue reading “Blog Post 3”

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde. This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.