Chapters 1 and 2 Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil...

Summary Essay of Amusing Ourselves to Death This is a breakdown of Neil Postmans Amusing ourselves to death(1985), which must be written to explain the effects that high volume of emails, text messages, video games, and internet television has on the human race and the way we think. In the first chapter of the book The Medium is the Metaphor Postman (1985) begins his argument that he presents through out the book. Postman (1985) explains how knowledge is no longer gained from print, but from visual. This change is dramatic and irreversibly and the two print and visual can not accommodate one another. In chapter 2 Postman (1985) lays out a plan for the book. Postman (1985) rants and raves about how television is evil and has†¦show more content†¦Backing up his attestations, he gives several examples. Native Americans communicating long distances using smoke signals, they could likely not have had philosophical communication. The limitations of the form affect what can be realistically communicated. As another example President Taft was a fat man, one who would more than likely not be elected today because of his appearance. However, in a world without television he would be elected due to his intelligence and political arguments which held more clout than appearance. Postmans (1985) most important example the news of the day could not exist without proper media to give it expression (p.7). Even though corruption has always occurred amongst the human race, it was not as bearing on a persons everyday life until media made it possible for them to be communicated at a faster pace. In this chapter Postman explains how we have turned from the Age of Typography to the Age of Television and how the young require all communication to be in the form of entertainment (p.8). He implies that our form of speaking works through media-metaphors which do not tell us what the world is like, but instead tells us what it is like without telling us anything. They limit and regulate what the world must be (p.10). Postman (1985) then speaks about the clock and how it serves as a metaphor for the way we look at the world, moments turning into other moments. The clock serves as a conversation man hasShow MoreRelatedNewspaper And Other Traditional Sources Of Journalism1379 Words   |  6 Pagesused for social networking), as well as news sources that can be accessed on the Internet. Before the internet was popular Neil Postman said â€Å"Most of our daily news is inert, consisting of information that gives us something to talk about but cannot lead to any meaningful action.† (Neil postman, amusing ourselves to death: Public Discourse in the Age of show business.) Neil wanted people to know that nowadays to get information is no big issues, information in this world is second difference withRead MoreRupert Murdoch ¬Ã‚ ¥S Media Monopoly5481 Words   |  22 Pagesmany power is concentrated in just a few hands, and how our perception of reality can be manipulated by the selection and manipulation of information presented on TV. Table of Contents Introduction Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…..Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â… p. 3 1. The development of television Â…Â…Â….. p. 4 2. Globalisation of the TV market and its effects Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…. p. 5 3. How legislation can influence the quality of journalism Â…Â…Â…Â…Â….. p. 6 4. How television can be abusedÂ…Â….Â…Â…p. 8 5. Rupert Murdoch ´s media monopoly Read More Public Opinion and Television Essay5264 Words   |  22 PagesOutlining the success story of this important means of mass media at the beginning of the first chapter, I will then explain the effects of globalisation on the TV market. Considering the example of commercialised American television, I will demonstrate in which ways the extreme competition between TV companies and their struggle for the top ratings has influenced the quality of TV programs. In the second chapter I will deal with media control and show how television can be abused by political powersRead MoreInnovators Dna84615 Words   |  339 PagesW P R E S S BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 100092 00 i-vi r1 rr.qxp 5/13/11 6:52 PM Page iv Copyright 2011 Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and Clayton M. Christensen All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the publisher