Postman's The Disappearance Of Childhood
Postman’s social theory returns again and again to the theme of technological change driving changes in structure and culture. He repeatedly asserts that irrespective of the intentions of the users (or the owners), technology always has unintended consequences, that these consequences are both positive and negative, and that these consequences are rarely evenly distributed throughout the society. Postman calls this the “Frankenstein Syndrome” in which technology is developed for a limited and specific purpose. “But once the machine is built, we discover—sometimes to our horror, usually to our discomfort, always to our surprise—that it has ideas of its own”(1982/1994: 21).
Inevitably new technologies cause changes in institutional structures …show more content…
His contribution to this topic, he points out, is not in documenting this erosion; many observers have remarked upon the disappearance in the past. Rather, his contribution is in explaining both the origin of childhood itself as well as the reasons for its decline. Specifically, Postman posits that both the rise of the social role of the child and its consequent decline is rooted in changes in communications technology (1982/1994, …show more content…
Most are competing for a wider audience and much of this competition consists of coming up with new and novel situations, information, and images to attract and hold that audience. Thus television constantly seeks to push the envelope by depicting all manner of human behavior, ideas, and lifestyles. Nothing is held back, all have access (82). And without secrets or any sense of shame, Postman adds, childhood must necessarily disappear. Groups are largely defined by the exclusivity of information and knowledge that their members share, Postman says, and adults no longer enjoy such exclusive knowledge (80).
To say that television has significantly changed the socialization process of youth is also to make the claim that it has changed the meaning and form of adulthood as well. It is in The Disappearance of Childhood that Postman first broaches the themes of electronic media changing the character of adult intellectual and emotional capacities, emphasizing emotional responses to political candidates, consumer products, and social issues as opposed to rational interest, logic, reflection, and reason (50, 63, &
Inevitably new technologies cause changes in institutional structures …show more content…
His contribution to this topic, he points out, is not in documenting this erosion; many observers have remarked upon the disappearance in the past. Rather, his contribution is in explaining both the origin of childhood itself as well as the reasons for its decline. Specifically, Postman posits that both the rise of the social role of the child and its consequent decline is rooted in changes in communications technology (1982/1994, …show more content…
Most are competing for a wider audience and much of this competition consists of coming up with new and novel situations, information, and images to attract and hold that audience. Thus television constantly seeks to push the envelope by depicting all manner of human behavior, ideas, and lifestyles. Nothing is held back, all have access (82). And without secrets or any sense of shame, Postman adds, childhood must necessarily disappear. Groups are largely defined by the exclusivity of information and knowledge that their members share, Postman says, and adults no longer enjoy such exclusive knowledge (80).
To say that television has significantly changed the socialization process of youth is also to make the claim that it has changed the meaning and form of adulthood as well. It is in The Disappearance of Childhood that Postman first broaches the themes of electronic media changing the character of adult intellectual and emotional capacities, emphasizing emotional responses to political candidates, consumer products, and social issues as opposed to rational interest, logic, reflection, and reason (50, 63, &