Putting an End to Postman ...

Not to prolong the discussion, but I must say that I think there is a flaw in your thinking here, Greg. In your last post, you argued that you believe that moral relativism is the major cause of the collapse in society. While I would agree with you that moral relativism is a major issue, I think we oversimplify when we suggest that any one thing is the issue. Do I agree that moral relativism is a major problem yes? But I also think that our society is being systematically dumbed down by both the form and the content of information dissemination. Reading is an isolating experience that requires certain critical skills as the reader sets aside everything else and engages the content in an intentional way. Surfing through hundreds of channels, on the other hand, tends to confuse the viewer. Studies have shown that when people do this, they begin to loose the ability to make moral differentiations. Viewing a war in Iraq on channel 12 becomes equivilent to viewing Blackhawk Down on channel 13 because they look alike, sound alike, and are taken in in a similar fashion. As time progresses, the distinctions blur even further. Before long, viewing a cooking show is processed in the same way as viewing a war.

In the end, that's what Postman is really getting at. He is essentially attacking the Postmodern collage that is offered through various technologies and is suggesting that we are becoming desenstized.