

#3963
Mentioned in 11 episodes
Technopoly
The Surrender of Culture to Technology
Book • 1991
In 'Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology', Neil Postman argues that modern society has transitioned into a 'technopoly', where technology is not just a tool but the central organizing principle of culture.
Postman contends that this shift has radical consequences for politics, art, education, intelligence, and truth.
He describes how technology has become the primary source of moral authority, leading to a culture that values efficiency and technical calculation over human judgment.
The book critiques the pervasive influence of technology on all aspects of life, highlighting issues such as the reduction of truth to data, the dominance of experts in all fields, and the erosion of traditional moral and cultural frameworks.
Postman contends that this shift has radical consequences for politics, art, education, intelligence, and truth.
He describes how technology has become the primary source of moral authority, leading to a culture that values efficiency and technical calculation over human judgment.
The book critiques the pervasive influence of technology on all aspects of life, highlighting issues such as the reduction of truth to data, the dominance of experts in all fields, and the erosion of traditional moral and cultural frameworks.
Mentioned by



















Mentioned in 11 episodes
Mentioned by
Aaron Bastani when discussing the Bronze Age collapse and the potential for social choice in technology adoption.


20 snips
Downstream: Everything We’re Told About the History of the West Is Wrong w/ Josephine Quinn
Mentioned by Keith Kruger as shaping not just how we communicate, but how we reason, what we value, even what we're able to see.

19 snips
Joseph Torigian, "The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Mentioned by
Greg Epstein when discussing how technology became a religion, referencing Postman's comparison between tech and religion.


18 snips
Greg Epstein "Tech Agnostic"
Mentioned by Ginny Yurich as an author whose works offer valuable insights into the impact of technology on society and childhood.

12 snips
1KHO 474: Using Psychology as a Weapon Against Children | Dr. Richard Freed, Better Than Real Life
Mentioned by Brett McCracken as a book discussing how technology, initially used as tools, ends up using us.

Are We Scrolling Ourselves to Death? (Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa)
Mentioned by Jerry and Stably in relation to Boorstin’s work, highlighting thematic similarities and the influence of Postman’s ideas on media and culture.

The Image by Daniel J. Boorstin
Mentioned by Josh Pauling as an influential figure in his thinking about technology.

Robin Phillips and Joshua Pauling, "Are We All Cyborgs Now?: Reclaiming Our Humanity from the Machine" (Basilian Media, 2024)
Mentioned by Sean Leahy when discussing technological change and its multifaceted effects on society.

AI and Technological Change: the Postman Always Delivers