Neil Postman, 72, Mass Media Critic, Dies

[Sufi Marmot]

Neil Postman, a prolific and influential social critic and educator best known for his warning that an era of mass communications is stunting the minds of children — as well as adults — died on Sunday at a hospital in Flushing, Queens. He was 72 and lived in Flushing....

In "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" (Viking, 1985; Penguin, 1986), he indicted the television industry on the charge of making entertainment out of the world's most serious problems. The book was translated into eight languages and sold 200,000 copies worldwide, according to N.Y.U.

Dr. Postman was particularly offended by the presentation of television news with all the trappings of entertainment programming, including theme music and "talking hairdos." Only in the printed word, he felt, could complicated truths be rationally conveyed.

Entire article here.

Given the recent events in California, his thesis in "Amusing Ourselves to Death" was certainly vindicated... for DUers who haven't read the book, it would surely resonate with most of you, although by now it would probably be preaching to the choir...

-SM

[Nay]

1. Oh, man. A great book. Another guy way ahead of his time!

Read this book if you can find it. He was right on the mark.

[FlashHarry]

2. I read "Amusing Ourselves to Death" in college.

Great stuff. Required reading, along with Barthes, Bazin, Sklar and Eisenstein.

[DrBB]

3. Used his book "Technopoly" in my Science Fiction course

Crikey, what a season for people I admired checking out.

Sam Phillips
Johnny Cash
Edward Said

...more that I'm forgetting. But shit--is it just me, or is this kind of extraordinary? Like some instinctual thing: people sense bad times coming and something decides this would be a good time to bail out....

Superstitious b.s. I'm sure. But damn.

[RainDog]

5. My first thought..

how ironic that Postman dies right as a totally media-created candidate wins the govenorship of one of the most influential states in this country.

Yes, it is terribly sad, and almost like a cosmic cry in the wilderness.

[Pocho]

4. BEST BOOK: TEACHING AS A SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY

.

[elfwitch]

6. Very sad

Postman and Edelmen were the cornerstone of my PolSci graduate program. I'd imagine Neil was horrified yet in no way shocked by the current state of affairs.

[Vis Numar]

7. A great writer

I heard him this morning, really appreciated it.

[Cronus Protagonist]

8. That is a great book.

And I'm sorry to hear of Neil's death. He was a luminary.

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