Neil Postman

information age computer printing

“Nothing could be more misleading than the idea that computer technology introduced the age of information. The printing press began that age, and we have not been free of it since.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

Neil Postman - Argument Education

"Argument is the soul of an education"

—Neil Postman (1931-2003)

Neil Postman computer better education politics ignorant foolish

“Through the computer, the heralds say, we will make education better, religion better, politics better, our minds better — best of all, ourselves better. This is, of course, nonsense, and only the young or the ignorant or the foolish could believe it.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

children enter school question mark end period

"Children enter school as question marks and leave as periods."

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

invention why idea children consumer market

"We had learned how to invent things, and the question of why we invent things receded in importance. The idea that if something could be done it should be done was born in the nineteenth century. And along with it, there developed a profound belief in all the principles through which invention succeeds: objectivity, efficiency, expertise, standardization, measurement, and progress. It also came to be believed that the engine of technological progress worked most efficiently when people are conceived of not as children of God or even as citizens but as consumers-that is to say, as markets."

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

americans talk entertain ideas images argue propositions

“Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

politics religion news education show business amusing death

“Our politics, religion, news, athletics, education and commerce have been transformed into congenial adjuncts of show business, largely without protest or even much popular notice. The result is that we are a people on the verge of amusing ourselves to death.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

television TV informed disinformation misleading

“Television is altering the meaning of 'being informed' by creating a species of information that might properly be called disinformation. Disinformation does not mean false information. It means misleading information - misplaced, irrelevant, fragmented or superficial information - information that creates the illusion of knowing something, but which in fact leads one away from knowing.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

people adore technologies undo capacities think

“People will come to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

technology unforeseen consequences win lose

“Technology always has unforeseen consequences, and it is not always clear, at the beginning, who or what will win, and who or what will lose...”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

human history struggle veneration crap

“One way of looking at the history of the human group is that it has been a continuing struggle against the veneration of "crap.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

America least amusing people professiona entertainers

“In America, the least amusing people are its professional entertainers.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

statistician drowned river average depth four feet

“We must keep in mind the story of the statistician who drowned while trying to wade across a river with an average depth of four feet.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

purpose school detention attention

“Without a purpose, schools are houses of detention, not attention”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

idea stupid professor believe

“there is no idea so stupid that you can’t find a professor who will believe it.”

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)

invention communication voice audience excrement public

"The invention of new and various kinds of communication has given a voice and an audience to many people whose opinions would otherwise not be solicited, and who, in fact, have little else but verbal excrement to contribute to public issues."

― Neil Postman (1931-2003)