Neil Postman

WEEK 2: Neil Postman

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

A.) Religion
Television quickly changed religion from enlightenment to entertainment. it became all about the ratings and popularity, which is achieved through entertainment. In addition watching a service on TV is not the same as being there personally. It takes place in your living room where you watch entertainment shows, making it easy to get distracted.
B.) Politics
First TV is a visual media it has sculpted political campaigns into a beauty competition. A great example of this is Lincoln who would not get elected today because of his image. In addition the medium is so centered around entertainment that the campaign ends up going back and forth talking about mistakes the candidates have made.
C.) Education
They have shifted education toward entertainment. Educational programming is not considered worthy unless it is entertaining. television does not promote learning from books and classes but rather through TV. One can not learn through the TV though because the information is so scued toward entertainment and advertising rather then fact and knowledge .

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"?
Postman suggests educating people about TV through the medium itself. Rather then suggesting a solution on how to eliminate television, he thinks people should be thought how to observe it. One must understand what is true information, and where to find it. Most things on TV are entertainment, and this should be the sole
purpose of TV rather then a source of information.

3.)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.
I agree with Postman that our public discourse still exists in the age of the internet. The internet is basically just an extension of the TV meaning it's main purpose is entertainment. People watch videos online to get info on current events but these videos are not guaranteed to be credible, just like in TV most of them were created for entertainment purposes. Over the years I think our culture has gotten used to constantly being entertained, therefore we are more likely to reject a medium where we are not entertained. This however does not help us choose a credible source, just and entertaining one.