So this is the first post for C151 that is relevant to any of the class materials. The readings for this week were from Neil Postman (Peek-a-Boo World and The Age of Show Business).
I really enjoyed the readings this week and I will comment about each of the two different readings including some of my views and opinions on what he has said.
In the first readings I thought that the Texas and Maine example was used well with regards to how information in context-free and has no real meaning to people. Just as information in Ohio completely unrelated to me would be meaningless to me if i were to hear it over the radio, tv or Internet. Postman uses the Telegraph as his example as what started the whole creation of this type of flow of information across the country. I find it quite relevant, especially linked to the next reading also. It is so true, we just sit around and watch tv, acquire these useless facts of information, then 2 minutes later.....its gone. This is exactly how it happened in the 1800s too. I mean I am sitting watching TV right now (actually How Things are Made) and the information is streaming across my TV and while it is interesting and intriguing, it has no relevance to me. I might sometime in the future use a useless fact I learned, but probably not. And yet I am still watching the show, because it is entertaining to me. Filled with dramatic music and a voice in the background, all things used to make it more entertaining. But this is the point Postman makes, TV is all about being entertaining. No matter the topic as long as it is produced in a way to keep me watching or others.
2 comments:
I agree completely with what you said. I watch tv all the time, mostly tv shows with information that I will never use again and information that does not even relate to me. However, my eyes stay glued on to the screen and I don't stop watching the show until it is over. This is due to the images, sounds, and music that you mentioned, which keep me entertained.
I see where you are coming from when you talk about television providing useless information, however, I feel that it can be used to provide good information too, it's just harder to find. Television is cluttered with nonsense but there is some use in the news, and the weather (although sometimes it's wrong). Even though small things in Ohio or Texas aren't of interest to you, television does provide us with information about the War in Iraq and other information that directly effects our country.
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