We watch Television. We read books. We do both at the same time sometimes. What we don’t do however is look at how we as a society or as a person have changed because of it. With each new revolution of change in the media industry, people and society change as well. Our learning habits change, the way we view media changes also. In today’s culture we are the digital electronic age. We rely in most case for our entertainment, news, and everything else in between through the computer or the television. Books and newspapers are still a huge part of society but not as much as it was when the printing press evolved. Neil Postman explains in his book “Amusing Ourselves to Death” the affects television has had on the minds of
Let me break this down for you. Postman sees the television as a reason for breakdown in society and in our culture. He feeds off beliefs the inventor of television himself had. Both men thought television was creating an inactive society, as the inventor P.T. Farnsworth expressed,
“There’s nothing on it worthwhile, and we’re not going to watch it in this household, and I don’t want it in your intellectual diet.” (http://heartland.temp.siteexecutive.com/pdf/17238.pdf) I almost completely agree with this statement. If you look at the media today you’ll find reality T.V. shows, mind numbing sitcoms, and dramatized series. To watch most of them you need “nothing but your eyes.” Meaning that we look and see but we don’t process or think critically about anything. We “veg” if you will. What Farnsworth and Postman couldn’t see is the Discovery channel, The Home Improvement Channel and the Food Network. These are factual and educational shows. You watch and learn something. Some of them are even interactive such as, the food network or the DIY channel. So yes, society has been numbed by the fact that people watch mindless TV shows but, not all shows are bad its how you look at them and how active you make yourself. Postman presents solid points but exaggerates because he can’t see the industry today.
