Faith Quote by Neil Postman
““belief that where there is a problem, there must be a solution, I shall conclude with the following suggestions. We must, as a start, not delude ourselves with preposterous notions such as the straight Luddite position as outlined, for example, in Jerry Mander’s Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. Americans will not shut down any part of their technological apparatus, and to suggest that they do so is to make no suggestion at all. It is almost equally unrealistic to expect that nontrivial modifications in the availability of media will ever be made. Many civilized nations limit by law the amount of hours television may operate and thereby mitigate the role television plays in public life. But I believe that this is not a possibility in America. Once having opened the Happy Medium to full public””
About This Quote
Source Book: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman, 1985
Technological change resists simple bans; realistic media reforms must consider cultural and legal limits.
In simple terms: Tech can't be simply shut down; reforms need nuance.
Key Takeaway
Seek balanced media policies.
Themes
technology
media
policy
culture
reform
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- government regulation
- educational curricula
- public awareness campaigns
- media literacy programs
Key Concepts
sociology
communication
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What realistic steps can improve media impact?
- How do cultural values shape media policy?
A Different Perspective
Ideal solutions may clash with economic interests.
![“The defining characteristic of today's intellectual and media elite is that it swims merrily in a sea of fantasy. The world of television is essentially a fantasy world, and television is today's [1980's] common denominator of communication, today's unifying American experience. This has…” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/464/richard-m-nixon-727_common-denominator_the-defining-characteristic-of-today-s-i_2826703.jpg)
