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The Man Who Predicted the Downfall of Thinking

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Mar 6, 2025

In this discussion, Sean Illing, host of Vox's The Gray Area, and Lance Strate, a communication professor and Neil Postman's former student, dive into the prophetic insights of Neil Postman. They tackle how today's technology, especially social media and AI, fragments our attention and shapes our democracy. The duo highlights the dangers of misinformation, the ethical implications of technology, and the critical need for enhanced literacy in a media-saturated world, urging listeners to reclaim meaningful engagement to preserve humanity.

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insights

INSIGHT

Media's Impact on Politics

Media dictates the winners and losers in politics by shaping how we think and relate to the world.
Different mediums favor different rhetorical forms, habits, and ways of thinking, influencing political discourse and outcomes.

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ANECDOTE

Lincoln-Douglas Debates vs. Modern Politics

Lincoln-Douglas debates demonstrate how people engaged with long-form political discourse in the typographic era.
Today, sound bites and imagery dominate, favoring appearance and personality over substance.

insights

INSIGHT

Technology's Growing Influence

Technology shapes culture, which in turn influences politics.
Technology leaders' choices might matter more than political leaders' choices in the coming years, especially with AI.

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Media Ecology and Democracy

03:52 • 26min

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The Cultural Implications of Technopoly and Technology's Role in Society

29:30 • 4min

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Navigating the Complexities of AI and Society

33:49 • 19min

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Reinforcing Literacy in a Media-Saturated World

52:47 • 2min

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Navigating Incentives and the Power of Questions

55:01 • 2min

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Dystopian Visions: Orwell vs. Huxley

Written in 1931 and published in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State where humans are bred in vitro and predestined into a rigid social hierarchy. The novel explores themes of technological advancement, social conditioning, and the loss of individuality and freedom. The story revolves around characters such as Bernard Marx, an Alpha who questions the society, Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, and John, a 'Savage' from a reservation who introduces elements of emotion and individuality into the highly controlled World State. The novel critiques the optimism of technological progress and its potential to create a society that values stability and happiness over humanity and freedom.

1984

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George Orwell

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Neil Postman

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.

Computer power and human reason

From Judgment to Calculation

Joseph Weizenbaum

In this book, Joseph Weizenbaum critiques the increasing reliance on computers for decision-making and argues that computers lack the human qualities of compassion, wisdom, and moral judgment. He discusses the limitations of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that computers are deterministic machines that cannot initiate actions or make ethical decisions. Weizenbaum warns against the misuse of computer technology in critical areas such as life-and-death decisions and advocates for a more balanced approach that leverages human intuition and initiative alongside technological advancements.

Technopoly

The Surrender of Culture to Technology

Nail Postman

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.

Few thinkers were as prescient about the role technology would play in our society as the late, great Neil Postman. Forty years ago, Postman warned about all the ways modern communication technology was fragmenting our attention, overwhelming us into apathy, and creating a society obsessed with image and entertainment. He warned that “we are a people on the verge of amusing ourselves to death.” Though he was writing mostly about TV, Postman’s insights feel eerily prophetic in our age of smartphones, social media, and AI.

In this episode, Tristan explores Postman's thinking with Sean Illing, host of Vox's The Gray Area podcast, and Professor Lance Strate, Postman's former student. They unpack how our media environments fundamentally reshape how we think, relate, and participate in democracy - from the attention-fragmenting effects of social media to the looming transformations promised by AI. This conversation offers essential tools that can help us navigate these challenges while preserving what makes us human.

Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on X: @HumaneTech_

RECOMMENDED MEDIA

“Amusing Ourselves to Death” by Neil Postman

”Technopoly” by Neil Postman

A lecture from Postman where he outlines his seven questions for any new technology.

Sean’s podcast “The Gray Area” from Vox

Sean’s interview with Chris Hayes on “The Gray Area”

"Amazing Ourselves to Death," by Professor Strate

Further listening on Professor Strate's analysis of Postman.

Further reading on mirror bacteria

RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES

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This Moment in AI: How We Got Here and Where We’re Going

Decoding Our DNA: How AI Supercharges Medical Breakthroughs and Biological Threats with Kevin Esvelt

Future-proofing Democracy In the Age of AI with Audrey Tang

CORRECTION: Each debate between Lincoln and Douglas was 3 hours, not 6 and they took place in 1859, not 1862.

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