Early this morning I finished a book entitled Amusing Ourselves To Death by Neil Postman. Quite thought-provoking. I find myself thinking about technology. Postman says, "In every tool we create, an idea is embedded that goes beyond the function of the thing itself." For example, regarding the invention of the clock he states, "The clock made us into time-keepers, and then time-savers, and now time-servers…with the invention of the clock, Eternity ceased to serve as the measure and focus of human events."
Postman argues that TV has transformed the thought process in our country, "Our politics, religion, news, athletics, education and commerce have been transformed into congenial adjuncts of show business." He goes on to say, "Our priests and presidents, our surgeons and lawyers, our educators and newscasters need worry less about satisfying the demands of their discipline than the demands of good showmanship…there’s no business BUT show business."
I really enjoy the book and look forward to reading some Marshall McLuhan stuff now too.
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