Amusing Ourselves to Death

Though largely about media in the 80's, it is even more relevant today.

on HN, 2018

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

on HN, 2017

Among lots of other ideas, he defends the thesis that /writing/ is still humankind’s greatest invention, and that our thoughtless eagerness to replace it with newer forms of media, such as television and computers—just because they're newer—is dumb and dangerous.

on HN, 2015

There are many great insights in the book, one that stuck with me in particular is to observe the relationship between the nature of a medium and the goal it is ostensibly trying to accomplish.

on HN, 2022

Be warned, you will have a very dim view of the future of humanity if you read all the way through.

on HN, 2017

I've found myself wishing he were still alive to champion his ideas today - they seem just as relevant in the era of Facebook as they did in the era of television.

on HN, 2017

Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death makes a great gift for anyone who watches too much TV or is addicted to Youtube

on HN, 2016

which is a good comparison / critique of the two books and authors.

on HN, 2014