#139

Mentioned in 95 episodes

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Book • 1985

In this book, Neil Postman argues that the contemporary world is more akin to Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' than George Orwell's '1984'.

Postman contends that television's emphasis on entertainment has led to a decline in rational discourse and the trivialization of politics, education, and religion.

He contrasts the print-based culture of the 19th century with the televisual culture of the 20th century, highlighting how the medium of television inherently promotes incoherence and triviality, turning serious information into a form of entertainment.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 95 episodes

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

as an influential book exploring the impact of television on society.

2,200 snips

Ep. 325: Simple Focus Protocols

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

for his perspective on how technology shapes information.

967 snips

Ep. 298: Rethinking Attention

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

as a relevant book for understanding the impact of technology on culture and thinking.

646 snips

Ep. 288: Confronting Your Phone

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

when discussing his note-taking method.

554 snips

Ep. 250: In Defense of Thinking

Mentioned by

Tristan Harris

as a highly influential thinker whose work shaped his views on technology.

334 snips

The Man Who Predicted the Downfall of Thinking

Recommended by

Cal Newport

to understand how media shapes thinking and the negative effects of social media.

267 snips

Ep. 3: Origin of my Productivity Obsession, Analog Relationships, and Detaching from Digital Judgment | DEEP QUESTIONS

Mentioned by

Jackson Dahl

as a book he and

Nabeel Qureshi

both recently read.

266 snips

13: Nabeel S. Qureshi - The Will to Care

Mentioned by

Austin Kleon

in relation to his book "Amusing Ourselves to Death."

242 snips

Austin Kleon on Fueling Artistic Ambition

Mentioned by

Jackson Dahl

in the introduction, comparing Orwell's and Huxley's views on censorship and information overload.

233 snips

11: Eugene Wei - Amusing Each Other to Death

Mentioned by

Scott Galloway

as a warning of becoming obsessed with entertainment over enlightenment.

228 snips

No Mercy / No Malice: Stream On

Mentioned by

Ezra Klein

as a book that explores how media changes us.

201 snips

Is there a sane way to use the internet?

Mentioned by

Jackson Dahl

in relation to the shift from a text-based society to a TV-based society.

155 snips

17: Alex Danco - Innovation Begins with Gifts

Mentioned by

Jonathan Haidt

as an author whose work explores the impact of electronic communication on society.

140 snips

Is Social Media Really Ruining Our Lives… Or Is It Something Else? (ft. Jonathan Haidt)

Mentioned by

Brad Stulberg

, referencing Postman's prescient observations on the decline of meaningful communication in American society.

130 snips

107 - Wise Words: 16 of Our Favorite Quotes to Live By

Mentioned by

Jackson Dahl

when discussing the potential paternalistic nature of Daylight and its impact on users' attention.

118 snips

16: Anjan Katta - A Sunrise Over Computing

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

as an author whose work influenced his thinking.

103 snips

Ep. 31: RYAN HOLIDAY on Ranch Life, Fostering Discipline, and the Loss of Reading Culture

Mentioned by

Jon Lovett

when discussing the challenge of censorship and noise in the media.

102 snips

An Obama Arrest a Day Keeps the Epstein Files Away

Mentioned by

Caitlin Schess

while discussing the impact of entertainment media on political discourse.

88 snips

659: The Root of Racism is Greed Not Hate with Malcolm Foley

Mentioned by

Mario Gabriele

, contrasting Orwell's and Huxley's dystopian visions.

85 snips

How AI Will Enhance Human Potential, Not Replace It: Reid Hoffman

Mentioned by Vivian Lai as a book she revisits, focusing on the effects of television and electronic media on politics.

83 snips

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