Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show BusinessTelevision has conditioned us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in spoonfuls of time, to the detriment of rational public discourse and reasoned public affairs. In this eloquent, persuasive book, Neil Postman alerts us to the real and present dangers of this state of affairs, and offers compelling suggestions as to how to withstand the media onslaught. Before we hand over politics, education, religion, and journalism to the show business demands of the television age, we must recognize the ways in which the media shape our lives and the ways we can, in turn, shape them to serve out highest goals. |
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Page 44
When Lincoln's turn came, he reminded the audience that it was already 5 p.m.,
that he would probably require as much time as Douglas and that Douglas was
still scheduled for a rebuttal. He proposed, therefore, that the audience go home,
...
When Lincoln's turn came, he reminded the audience that it was already 5 p.m.,
that he would probably require as much time as Douglas and that Douglas was
still scheduled for a rebuttal. He proposed, therefore, that the audience go home,
...
Page 45
By the stump of a felled tree or some equivalent open space, a speaker would
gather an audience, and, as the saying had it, “take the stump" for two or three
hours. Although audiences were mostly respectful and attentive, they were not
quiet ...
By the stump of a felled tree or some equivalent open space, a speaker would
gather an audience, and, as the saying had it, “take the stump" for two or three
hours. Although audiences were mostly respectful and attentive, they were not
quiet ...
Page 47
unless he assumed the audience could grasp his point. Finally, while both
speakers employed some of the more simpleminded weapons of argumentative
language (e.g., name-calling and bombastic generalities), they consistently drew
upon ...
unless he assumed the audience could grasp his point. Finally, while both
speakers employed some of the more simpleminded weapons of argumentative
language (e.g., name-calling and bombastic generalities), they consistently drew
upon ...
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really goot, taught me a lot about the tv and the way that tv shocks our life.
User Review - Flag as inappropriate
"What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one."
Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, (Penguin Books, 1986, 2005), p. xix.
http://archivalqualitycommunication.blogspot.com/
Contents
The Medium Is the Metaphor | 3 |
Media as Epistemology | 16 |
Typographic America | 30 |
Copyright | |
11 other sections not shown
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Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Neil Postman Limited preview - 2006 |
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Neil Postman Limited preview - 2005 |
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Neil Postman Limited preview - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
advertising America amusing appears argument assumed attention audience become beginning believe called century changes character claims communication continuous conversation course created culture discourse entirely example expressed fact give given human idea important intellectual interest kind knowledge language largely learning least lives look matter means medium ment merely metaphor mind move nature newspaper offer once oral photograph play political possible present President printed printed word problem produce public discourse question rational readers reason religion religious remarked sense serious sion social speak speech story Street suggested symbolic taken telegraph television television commercial tell thing thought tion tradition true truth turn understanding universe viewers watch writing written York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Elisabeth Sifton books Penguin books |
| Author | Neil Postman |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Penguin Books, 1985 |
| ISBN | 0140094385, 9780140094381 |
| Length | 184 pages |
| Subjects | › Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies Social Science / Media Studies |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |