Amusing ourselves to death essay sample

Amusing ourselves to death is a book by Neil Postman, an educator who brings forward the reflections of the world on a contemporary perspective. In this publication, he shows a quality of being able to view the world in its dynamics. He presents the transition from television to computers as an image that remains central to humanity. Television has been viewed as the best in entertainment. This is what it does best. However, the argument brought forward by Postman was not that of the entertainment aspect of the television but the way in which information is passed through television. He says that television lacks seriousness in its presentation.

Essentially, the premise of this book as expressed by Postman in his arguments that follow is that the content is excluded in the form. This means that a specific medium can only sustain a specified level of ideas (Postman, 1985). Politics and religion have been diluted by the fact that typography has been interfered by television. News of the day has been the most anticipated commodity by the masses. The quality of information, according to Postman, de-emphasizes the importance and quality of information. It does this to satisfy the need for entertainment.

Ultimately, the presentation of television news has eventually become a form of entertainment due to the interruptions of commercials and music. This makes people take television news as never serious due to the perception that has preoccupied the viewers. Throughout the text, Postman puts particular emphasis on the television as being a too that passes information to a massive audience (Postman, 1985). The problem with this, according to him, is that there is a lot of information overload. Many people are inclined to believe in television and attach truth the information presented (seeing is believing). This then has been the danger attached to the television. Postman’s intention was basically to present the argument and give room for people to discuss and come up with counter arguments.