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Instapundits and Instascholars

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mwkruse
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TCS Daily: Instapundits and Instascholars

Neil Postman argued persuasively that the content of our discourse depends on the means of communication. For example, he pointed out, smoke signals cannot be used to send complicated messages. Postman, a deep thinker and talented writer, believed that the written word as a communications medium permits careful, rational thought. Television, in contrast, only has room for thinking that is shallow and superficial.

For me, this thesis raises a number of interesting questions. First, how would history have been different had television been available in the 18th century but not in the 21st century, rather than vice-versa? Second, where does the Internet fit in? (Postman himself, who died in 2003, believed that the Internet was no better than television.) …

Comments

4 responses to “Instapundits and Instascholars”

  1. ZZMike Avatar
    ZZMike

    “… how would history have been different had television been available in the 18th century but not in the 21st century,”
    I don’t think that’s a reasonable question. On the other hand, if there had been TV in the 18th C, mankind might have reacted so strongly that it was done away with by now.
    My first reaction is to consider the standard MSM running then. Most likely, there would have been mass [media] objections to our breaking off with Britain, there would certainly have been cries of “quagmire” during the Valley Forge days, cries of “no blood for tea”, daily reports of casualties, …
    The main – and significant – difference between TV and the web [I think the distinction between internet and web has faded] is that TV is one-way, and more than that, one-to-many. The web is decidedly two-way (as is talk radio), and many-to-many. TV is best suited for “wrap-em-up-quick” sound bites (distressingly so during political campaigns), and the web, for back-and-forth discussion.
    The really important thing about the web is that it requires – demands – critical thinking ability. All the world’s facts are on the web – and some of those facts are even true.
    It’s our job to figure out which is which – and that means that it’s society’s job – at least, our society – to teach our children how to think critically, how to weigh evidence; how to find authorities (I mean, in the sense of Socrates, Descartes, Russell Kirk, …) to support or refute an argument; how to evaluate sources, so as to distinguish the New York Times from the National Enquirer.

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  2. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    I saw a Frank Lloyd Wright quote today:
    “The truth is more important than the facts.”
    Data has to be transformed into information. I agree. Critical thinking is becoming evermore critical.

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  3. will spotts Avatar
    will spotts

    “Critical thinking is becoming evermore critical.”
    It is also becoming less and less prioritized. The fashion of a particular idea is more the preferred focus.
    The aspect of this I appreciate – that zzmike highlights is the fact that it is far more egalitarian. If an idea is true – or if an argument has merit, it is coming to matter less the credential/wealth/insider status of its source. To me, this is a good change.

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  4. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    “The aspect of this I appreciate – that zzmike highlights is the fact that it is far more egalitarian. If an idea is true – or if an argument has merit, it is coming to matter less the credential/wealth/insider status of its source. To me, this is a good change.”
    Amen!

    Reply

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