Problems in the world are presented through television. Before the invention of newspapers and other media, information was spread through the word of mouth and later in written forms. When television was invented, communication became visible and information was being spread instantaneously. However, electronic media is reshaping the culture in which we live today by televising serious issues into a form of entertainment. Neil Postman, the author of his 1985 Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, argues the effect that television has had on politics, debate, education, and national discussion; although his arguments on political debates, education, and religion were written before the rise of global communication and social media, his points are valid and are true in the modern world.
Postman argues the decline of communication medium as the invention of television begins to replace print. He asserts that the television is turning important matter into entertainment. Therefore, the images displayed are more important than the information being spread. He argues that since political debates are publicized, “men [are] less concerned with giving arguments than with giving off impressions, which is what television does best” (97). Today, the people included in political debates want to make sure that they not only give the viewers what they want to hear but make sure they are well dressed. Postman describes the seven famous debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas that took place in 1858 to point out how political debates would last around seven hours, which people today would not have the capacity to endure that much talking, especially without pictures. For instance, he asks the question “is there any audience of Americans today who can endure seven hours of talk?” (45). “[The] audiences [at] [the] [debate] must have had an equally extraordinary capacity to comprehend lengthy and complex sentences aurally” (45). He mentions the debate to prove his argument that television is the cause of short attention spans. Postman also argues that educational television shows have become a form of entertainment. He supports this claim by using the children's show “Sesame Street” as an example. He explains that when the show was first televised through commercials in 1969, parents loved how their children were gaining an education while watching an entertaining show. However, the show “encourages children to love school only if it is like ‘Sesame Street” (143). This is because the show “is an expensive illustration of the idea that education is indistinguishable from entertainment” (94). For instance, songs in the show trying to teach the children about identifying colors or shapes may appear to them just as fun songs. Although its “use of cute puppets, celebrities, catchy tunes, and rapid fire-editing” is entertaining for kids …show more content…
Even though he wrote Amusing Ourselves To Death in 1985, the assertions he makes about the way television has affected people holds true in the modern world. His arguments are more valid since the rise of global communication and social media because the evidence he states accurately describes the effect that television has had on political debates, education, and religion by turning them into entertainment. It is important for people to be aware about the media culture in order to recognize the difference between education and show
Postman argues the decline of communication medium as the invention of television begins to replace print. He asserts that the television is turning important matter into entertainment. Therefore, the images displayed are more important than the information being spread. He argues that since political debates are publicized, “men [are] less concerned with giving arguments than with giving off impressions, which is what television does best” (97). Today, the people included in political debates want to make sure that they not only give the viewers what they want to hear but make sure they are well dressed. Postman describes the seven famous debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas that took place in 1858 to point out how political debates would last around seven hours, which people today would not have the capacity to endure that much talking, especially without pictures. For instance, he asks the question “is there any audience of Americans today who can endure seven hours of talk?” (45). “[The] audiences [at] [the] [debate] must have had an equally extraordinary capacity to comprehend lengthy and complex sentences aurally” (45). He mentions the debate to prove his argument that television is the cause of short attention spans. Postman also argues that educational television shows have become a form of entertainment. He supports this claim by using the children's show “Sesame Street” as an example. He explains that when the show was first televised through commercials in 1969, parents loved how their children were gaining an education while watching an entertaining show. However, the show “encourages children to love school only if it is like ‘Sesame Street” (143). This is because the show “is an expensive illustration of the idea that education is indistinguishable from entertainment” (94). For instance, songs in the show trying to teach the children about identifying colors or shapes may appear to them just as fun songs. Although its “use of cute puppets, celebrities, catchy tunes, and rapid fire-editing” is entertaining for kids …show more content…
Even though he wrote Amusing Ourselves To Death in 1985, the assertions he makes about the way television has affected people holds true in the modern world. His arguments are more valid since the rise of global communication and social media because the evidence he states accurately describes the effect that television has had on political debates, education, and religion by turning them into entertainment. It is important for people to be aware about the media culture in order to recognize the difference between education and show