Unh, huh . . . yeah I'm listening

Some time ago I read (and commented on) Neil Postman's lament Amusing Ourselves to Death wherein the author theorized (in 1985) that the television culture was destroying our capacity for democracy. Movement from a word based thought process to an image oriented society brought with it profound changes. Postman used the example of a news radio ad that stated, "Give us 24 minutes and we'll give you the world," and he rightly noted the ridiculousness of that claim.

Today, it is ridiculous to think that anyone could focus on even the radio for 24 minutes.

FoxNews takes us "around the world in 80 seconds" and I can't help but wonder what Postman would say about an internet society that has taken distraction to logarithmic new heights.

Some are trying to counter this trend, utilizing that outdated technology known as "the book."

Fully aware of the irony, I point you to this Colbert Report segment with Nick Carr author of The Big Switch. He argues that Google-think is destroying us (and Stephen demonstrates as much in real time).

If you can still stand reading, this article makes much the same point in a handy black and white non-video form. (Thanks to A.M. for passing it along---via the intenet of course.)

If you can still read not only a book, but an "old" book, check out Brave New World and be afraid, very afraid. Postman writes, "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."