Neil Postman was a person
Distraction is now the norm in the environment we’ve created. I see exactly what Postman predicted when I stroll through any public area today and observe people engrossed in their electronics. The difference is that our current media landscape makes 1980s television look quaint by comparison. The distinction is that, in contrast, 1980s television seems archaic in today’s media environment. These days, we have infinite scroll, algorithmic feeds that optimize interaction, and content that vanishes after a day.
Bite-sized explainer videos that give viewers the impression they’ve learned something significant in ninety seconds have become the norm in today’s edutainment. He maintained that watching television prioritized feeling good over critical thought, turning education into entertainment. As someone who has witnessed innumerable online debates turn into performative grandstanding, Postman’s criticism of education particularly speaks to me. We mix up exposure to information with true comprehension.
Social media algorithms serve viral dances and bite-sized outrage in the same stream. Postman called this “technology as a bargain with hidden clauses. This was dubbed We become more convenient but lose depth. In the present, the screen in my pocket validates his prophecy. The platform is more concerned with my stay than my learning. Fast-forward to now, and the screen in my pocket proves him prophetic. Although technology has the potential to empower people, it can also make tyranny more likely.
A society where people are terrified of the technology we all have at our fingertips is not what I want. I don’t want a society where people are afraid of the technology we all have at hand. Our society is one that is always evolving. How does Postman see language? How did Postman and Hirsch have different perspectives on the American Revolution? According to Neil Postman, language can express or reveal a society’s beliefs and show us who we are as a people.
He thought that one of the things that set humans apart from other species was language. Still, there’s something deeply hopeful in his work. Respect for human intelligence is hidden beneath the cautions. I’ve found that mindset useful in navigating my own digital life. These modest actions seem to be acts of resistance – not against technology per se, but rather against the passivity it promotes.
Instead of wanting us to give up, he wanted us to stay up. His talks were humorous rather than depressing. He believed that people could learn to see through the seductions of technology if they cared enough to try. I’ve started reading lengthy articles in print again, turning off my phone during meals, and even keeping a little notebook for ideas that don’t have to be shared.
