A disconnection from action, even when it is literally right outside one's door is felt by the viewer, where as simple and plain print media has not the power to distort the message, or at least arguably as much. A culture and society of apathy, as many would say we are living in, would be the obvious outcome of the premise of Postman's work, a serious social and cultural issue in need of discussion and solution. Sociology and sociologists would be wise to continue an active discourse on the subject matter contained within this book, as evolving and emerging technologies, especially for human communication, frequently out run academics. A good starting platform, according to Postman would be to address, academics directly, by making sure that the messages being sent are not those associated with the delivery but rather the content. (32-35) Even education has become increasingly a matter of retention through delivery of entertaining messages, which should make a sociologist wonder what the content is lacking because of the nature of its dissection for delivery, even in the academics of sociology. Sociology needs to continually take a mirror, telescope and magnifying glass to the phenomena of information technology, if for no other reason than to better understand how and why information delivery so frequently drives changes in behaviors and social, cultural actions.

A believe, though the content is dated that most people would benefit from this work, if they could find time enough to actually sit down and read it. Postman points out that with "progress" comes balancing loss in a very effective manner. Technology may make it possible to disseminate information in as rapid as possible a means, but that in the mean time the real messages can be lost. One of Postman's most enduring messages is that print media...

In a sense reading isn't really even needed anymore as we can get almost everything we want from instant forms of entertainment and media. (23-28) Educators and students would greatly benefit from this work.
The last criterion for the evaluation of this book is that it needs to have its premises tested by a modern remaking. Are all of Postman's messages clearly playing out, without checks and recourses or have counterbalancing phenomena developed in the modern world to help balance the concerns he raised. The rapid advancement of so many technologies, would warrant a reworking of Postman's ideas across a more modern venue. An analysis of "reality" TV would be fascinating as well as a more comprehensive address to the "underground" information rich internet, as was hinted early on in this evaluation. The internet has become an integral part of information seeking and delivery behaviors and the social and cultural aspects of it are yet unknown. Again most people like to see the internet for its possibilities, and fail to see it for its power to change, possibly for the worse the culture and society we live in. Lastly, Postman utilizes the example of the entertainer president (Reagan) to give an example of the extreme way that entertainment has driven information, it would be equally interesting to see his take on the entertaining and comic way that the non-entertaining presidents are depicted, frequently by their opponents to make light of very serious decisions, that the public frequently does not agree with, but must live with anyway.

Works Cited

Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin, 1986.