Page 5 - Amusing ourselves to death
P. 5
AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH
You get to relax on a comfy sofa with a drink and snacks and do nothing or in the very least,
anything that requires "skills". Unfortunately, this is not the end of the issue. Television
stations lure you to watch new TV shows that are set to air. So, rather than being satiated by
a show you are currently watching, you are now anxiously awaiting the next show that will be
on. The hours spent watching television never seem to stop. You are never satisfied, an
experience similar to a never-ending cycle that keeps sucking you in to continue pursuing that
entertainment for your pleasure. And before you know it, you've been binge-watching for
hour on end; thanks to that dopamine dose your brain produces as you're watching.
Based on the above analysis, I believe the book's title was influenced by the concept of
"entertainment." Postman argues that tv is harmful because of its fast-paced patterns and
reliance on "spectacle" over content, which has infiltrated our daily lives. The drive to
entertain has infiltrated everything people do, even the most serious aspect of religion,
politics, and so on. He implies that this problem will indeed spread and become more
pervasive and prominent. Nevertheless, several ideas are implicit in this debate that Postman
omits. It is worthwhile to examine these broader implications while considering this
discussion. The question that arises when Postman claims that tv has found a nurturing
climate in liberal democracy and a "relatively free market economy" in which its full potential
4
You get to relax on a comfy sofa with a drink and snacks and do nothing or in the very least,
anything that requires "skills". Unfortunately, this is not the end of the issue. Television
stations lure you to watch new TV shows that are set to air. So, rather than being satiated by
a show you are currently watching, you are now anxiously awaiting the next show that will be
on. The hours spent watching television never seem to stop. You are never satisfied, an
experience similar to a never-ending cycle that keeps sucking you in to continue pursuing that
entertainment for your pleasure. And before you know it, you've been binge-watching for
hour on end; thanks to that dopamine dose your brain produces as you're watching.
Based on the above analysis, I believe the book's title was influenced by the concept of
"entertainment." Postman argues that tv is harmful because of its fast-paced patterns and
reliance on "spectacle" over content, which has infiltrated our daily lives. The drive to
entertain has infiltrated everything people do, even the most serious aspect of religion,
politics, and so on. He implies that this problem will indeed spread and become more
pervasive and prominent. Nevertheless, several ideas are implicit in this debate that Postman
omits. It is worthwhile to examine these broader implications while considering this
discussion. The question that arises when Postman claims that tv has found a nurturing
climate in liberal democracy and a "relatively free market economy" in which its full potential
4
