19th century Quote by Neil Postman
“The problem in the 19th century with information was that we lived in a culture of information scarcity, and so humanity addressed that problem beginning with photography and telegraphy and the - in the 1840s. We tried to solve the problem of overcoming the limitations of space, time, and form.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Amusing Ourselves to Death, 1985
He notes that 19th‑century society struggled with information scarcity, prompting innovations like photography and telegraphy to overcome limits of space, time, and format.
In simple terms: People created new media to share information faster and farther.
Key Takeaway
Embrace technology to bridge information gaps.
Themes
information
technology
communication
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
historical
technological
When to use this quote
- journalism
- education
- global business
- emergency response
Key Concepts
media theory
history of communication
innovation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does technology change our perception of scarcity?
- What modern tools best reduce information gaps?
A Different Perspective
New media can also create overload and misinformation.
![“. . . Luddites were those frenzied traditionalists of the early 19th century who toured [England] wrecking new weaving machines on the theory that if they were destroyed . . . old jobs and old ways of life could be preserved . . . At certain times in his life each man is tempted to become a…” quote by James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/182/james-a-michener-1627_19th-century_luddites-were-those-frenzied-traditional_76909.jpg)
