Amusing Ourselves To Death Summary
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Postman - Chapter Ten Critical Analysis
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Postman (Chapter 10) is a hypothetical counterargument response to various ways in which television and other media can be used for education rather than causing distraction to children. The author posits that television is not interactive. Therefore, the chapter gives a moment of reconsideration of digital technology advances since the publication of this book. Postman highlights that there can be no complete education without the social element: if a child can count, write, and read but cannot develop a conversation, socialize, or question, then he or she is not properly educated. Using the Internet, students are able to interact via various media channels or even with online tutors, but Postman would probably see this system inferior to the traditional setting of a classroom. …show more content…
Further, parents loved it because it showed a potential of educating children in a way that they embraced. The use of “celebrities, cute puppets, rapid fire editing, and intriguing tunes” educated the children while still entertaining them (147). Educators, alongside parents, were also in support of the program, which proved to teach children to love and enjoy learning.
However, the trouble Postman finds with “Sesame Street” is that it “encourages the learners to love learning and school only if it shares similarities with ‘Sesame Street’” (148). He believes that the model used by “Sesame Street” chips away at what traditional education is purposed to do. In the “Sesame Forum,” a child is not in a position to ask questions of what they see on television, learning less on language and communication and much more on unnecessary
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Postman (Chapter 10) is a hypothetical counterargument response to various ways in which television and other media can be used for education rather than causing distraction to children. The author posits that television is not interactive. Therefore, the chapter gives a moment of reconsideration of digital technology advances since the publication of this book. Postman highlights that there can be no complete education without the social element: if a child can count, write, and read but cannot develop a conversation, socialize, or question, then he or she is not properly educated. Using the Internet, students are able to interact via various media channels or even with online tutors, but Postman would probably see this system inferior to the traditional setting of a classroom. …show more content…
Further, parents loved it because it showed a potential of educating children in a way that they embraced. The use of “celebrities, cute puppets, rapid fire editing, and intriguing tunes” educated the children while still entertaining them (147). Educators, alongside parents, were also in support of the program, which proved to teach children to love and enjoy learning.
However, the trouble Postman finds with “Sesame Street” is that it “encourages the learners to love learning and school only if it shares similarities with ‘Sesame Street’” (148). He believes that the model used by “Sesame Street” chips away at what traditional education is purposed to do. In the “Sesame Forum,” a child is not in a position to ask questions of what they see on television, learning less on language and communication and much more on unnecessary