Podcast of the Week: Amusing Ourselves to Death

“Check this book from the mid-eighties that talks about the cultural implications of TV,” is not a very relevant sounding pitch. But – I think I’ve recommended Neil Postman’s book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, countless times for the way he thinks through society’s media problems and predicted much of the social revolution we’ve in the middle of today. As the mediums we consumed content from shifted firmly to entertainment from information (because advertising is the lifeblood of radio and magazines in a way that it’s not of books and classrooms) we, as a society has changed too. Postman brilliantly dissects what was going on in 1985 and what it could mean going forward. Don’t judge this book by its cover, it’s still extremely relevant for today.

On the Animal Spirits Podcast, ReKindled – Amusing Ourselves to Death, Michael and Ben give a great overview of this classic. If you haven’t read the book, this should make you want to, and if you have, you’ll want to read it again after hearing them talk about it.

In the same vein, see also Tim Wu’s The Attention Merchants, and Evgeny Morozov’s To Save Everything, Click Here.