Neil Postman- Amusing Ourselves To Death Part 2

1. Discuss THREE specific ways in which Postman explains how the medium of television transforms the epistemological nature of each of the following:

 A. Public discourse about religion

B. Public discourse about politics

C. A public discourse about education

A) When religion is transferred to the TV screen all sense of “spiritual transcendence is lost” pg 117 What Postman is saying here I think, that once you remove the ritual of having a service in place designated only for worship you lose that feeling of being in a serene, open space with whomever you go in front of in times of prayer. Also what ties in with transcendence is also translation. What happens with face-to-face worship is entirely different than what is heard on the television. The message may be harder to understand and what is trying to be portrayed through imagery and an audience can be lost in translation. Second, the concept of space is entirely different when you are watching a religious television show while trying to cook, clean, do cartwheels or fold laundry. Places of worship are specifically designated for that purpose only. We have now begun to turn our living rooms into worship areas and again it cannot be taken seriously when there are kids running around. Finally, we associate the screen of the TV to entertainment only. We turn on the TV and expected to be amused, how can one turn it on and wipe out everything in their mind previous to watching a show on religious topics. 

B)  Politics has begun to associate imagery rather than words with the public through commercials, that being problem number one. We are assuming our politician of choice has xxx amount of experience when all I have actually seen his him on a tractor mowing his lawn, telling me he is working on environmental issues. Secondly, because television is the world’s largest stage to convey a message we accept what we hear, on the basis we know that everyone else is seeing the same thing. It is very easy to accommodate what is being circulated throughout a country. Finally, which is very true I think today what the political commercial also asks of us is to think that problems can be solved quickly; we anticipate the drama over the exposition. Also you are associating the politician with movie stars, and comedians taking them away from their what we hope well-educated political background, and seeing them as an entertainer of the screen.

C) Education I think is the most important and interesting one to look at. Here we are simply playing with fire in that the television has the most hold on our youth today, and Postman identifies three very clear tactics. First being that the TV undermines the traditional way of schooling, we think desk, chair, and blackboard. Sesame Street offers, steps, a garbage can, and cookies. In school we are able to develop our strength in language through conversation with others. The TV only ask that you interpret images, not words. Finally the TV is a choice, where as school in some respects may be a requirement. The idea that we can turn on and off the TV does not translate well if young people are assuming it is the same with their education.

 

2. What specific solutions does Postman offer to improve public communication in our "Peek A Boo" world, and our challenges to communicate in a thoughtful and rational manner in "An Age of Show Business"? In other words, how might we prevent a world in which we are "amusing ourselves to death"?

  Prevention tactics that I found were his idea to ban political commercials, but also to make televisions programs about why watching television is so bad. Why hasn’t anyone thought of that? The second option, for which I feel lucky to be in this class, is to take it to the schools of our youth and educate them on what they think they have been educated on from watching television.

3. HARD Question: Does Postman's thesis about television still apply to our public discourse in today's Age of the Internet? Please explain your reasoning in 4-5 sentences.

YES! I do think his thesis holds true to todays over connected world. It is scary to think how many companies have access to what you are viewing and then cater to your needs. How much more self-absorbed can you be when everything you ever wanted to know can come from something that doesn’t even speak. The world of Web 2.0 has certainally held up to Postman's thesis about television. The net absorbs the medium, and is re created in image, therefore having qualities similar to television.  It will be interesting to see where the next decade will take us.