Studying Amusing Ourselves to Death (Write a Chapter 9 Review)

Everyone is to read the two introductions and the foreword to the book.  Underline or otherwise note what interests you.  The “Introduction to the Twentieth Anniversary Edition” makes the case that a book which in 1985 focused so much on television is still relevant today.  For instance, he quotes one college student as saying, “When I go to a restaurant, everyone’s on their cell phone, talking or playing games.  I have no ability to sit by myself and just think.”  Several years ago, in discussing this book, one student athlete confessed in class that she realized how ridiculous things were getting on a road trip when so many of her team members were sitting in their seats texting other people on the bus.  “Why didn’t we just talk face-to-face to our friends on the team?” she wrote.  Inspired by this book, she began making a serious effort to communicate more often personally and directly with the people she cared about.

Author: Neil Postman                    

Publisher: penguin books             

Year: 2005