02 Neil Postman Amusing Ourselves to Death 📼

Tags: #neilpostman #culture #media #tv


As we're living through an age of complete distrust in everything tech, social, and mass media, it's important to remember how media and technology theorist Neil Postman had some spot-on (but often forgotten) critique that is very relevant in today's media-soaked environment. It goes back to 1985 in his brilliant book "Amusing ourselves to Death".

The book included lots of great ideas about television, media, and politics. But what I found most fascinating is his view on how commercial television's main goal is to keep us "Amused". It might be a bit misunderstood because it's not just about broadcasting 24/7 music videos and entertainment, it's about continuously finding ways to keep us "engaged". It's almost similar to what we blame social media for today; keeping us engaged by continuously grabbing our attention.

In "Amusing Ourselves to Death", Neil Postman's core problem with commercial television is that it functions primarily on providing amusement to gather and grow an audience. "Amused" might be a bit misunderstood because it's not just about broadcasting 24/7 music videos and entertainment, it's about continuously finding ways to keep us "engaged". This conflict of interest is what permanently changes the nature of communication, to the degree of not taking TV seriously. It's almost similar to what we blame social media for today; *keeping us engaged by continuously grabbing our attention and offering us endless streams of AI-optimised content and interrupted by all kinds of ads.

Neil Postman did a very good interview on C-SPAN back in 1988, here are some important points.

Why commercial TV (or any other ad-supported medium can't be taken seriously)

On time and amusement

Effects?