Abstract
Student describes how Neil Postman, uses ethos, pathos, logos to argue that American culture is moving towards the dystopian future described by Huxley in “Brave New World,” and not the world described in Orwell’s “1984.” He does an excellent job proving facts and disturbing anecdotes, but he lacks showing the audience an opposing viewpoint. Despite this he is able to clearly show is agreement, by proving emotion supported by fact. Postman is able to connect with his audience through his credentials. The student feels that Postman shows a dangerous path that American Culture may be on, and is able to provide a warning to those who listen to his speech.
Analysis of Neal Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death” “What is dangerous about television is not it’s junk. Every culture can absorb a fair amount of junk, and, in any case, we do not judge a culture by its junk but by how it conducts its serious public business. What is happening in America is that television is transforming all serious public business into junk.” (Postman, 1984, p. 2) In his speech, "Amusing Ourselves to Death," Neil Postman, Columbia University graduate, and one time chair of the Department of Culture and Communication, made the point that American culture is headed for a culture like that described in Adlus Huxley's "Brave New World," and not the culture described in George Orwell's, "1984." He described the world imagined in 1984 as a place where there were no books, and where the people are prisoners to the government that controls them. In contrast, Mr. Postman describes the culture in "Brave New World," by saying that there is no need to ban books because nobody wants to read them, in this world people are happy in their perceived paradise, controlled by the technologies around them. (Postman, 1984)
This description Mr. Postman accurately describes American culture today. In America, television has become the main form of information gathering and entertainment. The news broadcasts, which are filled with sorrow and dismay, should make the viewer upset, but night after night viewers tune in because they recognize a good show. TV show are no longer scripted comedies or dramas, they have turn real medical procedures and so-called reality TV into prime time entertainment. Americans gladly come home from work and sit in front of their TV.
Thesis
American culture seems to be happily dancing toward this future. In exploration of Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” this paper will take in depth look at Postman’s use of logos, ethos, and pathos, and discuss how society is more like the dystopian future of "Brave New World," and how television is a large contributor to this,.
Logos
The author appeals to the mind and intellect of the reader by first referencing the works of George Orwell’s “1984,” and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.” Both of these works of fiction reference a dystopian society, but they are vastly different. He goes on to describe the scenarios described in both of the books, just in case the reader had not read those books. While those who had read the books would be actively engaged, he keeps everyone interested by giving a brief overview.
He then begins to reference the ways that American society is becoming more like what has been describe in “Brave New World.” One of the main cuprites leading to this according to Postman is the television. Postman argues that the television has become an integral part of our everyday lives, one that has increased in popularity since its invention. He states,
“According to the 1983 Nielsen Report on Television, ninety eight percent of all American homes have a television set. Fifty-one percent have two or more television sets. Seventy-five percent have color television sets. The average household has its television sets on approximately seven hours a day. The average American child watches 5000 hours of television before he or she ever gets to school; about 16,000 hours by high school’s end. The only activity that occupies more of an American youth’s time than TV-viewing is sleeping. Americans who have reached the age of forty will have seen over one million television commercials, and can expect to see another million before their first retirement check arrives.” (Postman, 1984, pg 2) This quote directly relates to the television as being the “soma” of Huxely’s “Brave New World,” which is exactly Postman’s main argument. He uses several more examples of how television is leading to the decline of intellect. The unfortunate part of this is that these are the only concrete facts that Postman uses. Postman fails to address any of the problems with printed media as well. His argument shows no consideration for the good that may come from the television or the possible harm that can be created by the printed word.
Ethos
Neil Postman first shows that he is knowledgeable about the subject because he is a speaker at the 1984 Frankfurt Germany Book Fair. He had to have some credentials to be asked to speak at this event. Some of these include that he was educated at the State University of New York and Columbia University. He also chaired the Department of Culture and Communication. These credentials give his words a lot of weight on the matter that he is discussing.
He also demonstrates knowledge of the books that he is comparing and contrasting. Postman is able to accurately able to describe portions of those books. He also researched how TV has affected those in American society. Postman is very adamant about his view point that television is leading to an American much like “Brave New World,” does not provide a contrasting viewpoint at all. He did not show any positive aspects to TV in our culture. He does take the side that TV has lead to the corruption of American culture.
Another downfall to Postman’s argument is that he assumes that the audience is familiar with both “Brave New World,” and “1984.” While he does provide colorful quotes and describes the dystopian futures presented in both very well, without actually reading either book, the audience member may lose the real heart of his argument. He also assumes that the audience if familiar with the American culture. Oddly, this speech was giving in Germany. Postman does provide a small view of American culture but does not do a good job at describing it as a whole.
Pathos
Postman helps the audience to really get the sense that he can back up the evidence he is presenting. This is because he is a well-educated man, who has studied the works he is talking about. He uses this knowledge to compare it to the book “Brave New World.” He is able to show through statistics that teenagers spend more time watching the TV than they do sleeping. He uses this to illustrate his point that America has an infatuation with TV and as he claims a dangerous one. Postman does not address those audience members who may disagree with him. He talks about how American society has thus far avoided the future that is talked about in “1984.” He does not really address that there has been some regimes that act in some ways like the government in “1984.” He also only refers to American culture. There are many countries in the world with similar loves for television. America may be the worst offender but it seems that he is only focused America. He could broaden is view by showing the effects of this mentality on other cultures. Postman assumes that the audience understands what he is saying. He assumes that the audience is familiar with American culture, “`1984”, and “Brave New World.” The audience may not be familiar with either work and this may affect their ability to sympathize with his points.
Conclusion
With American news and entertainment are carefully controlled by the broadcasting companies to keep the populous entertained, and informed in the way that the company wants the new presented. This leaves very little time for an American TV watcher to think for themselves, which is eerily too similar to the way that Huxley described the people in “Brave New World.” In conclusion, Postman states “Everything in our background has prepared us to know and resist a prison when the walls begin to close around us…..Who is prepared to take arms against a sea of amusements?” It is easy to recognize forced compliance, but not as easy to see when compliance is a voluntary choice made when the TV is turned on. Luckily, with we there are positives of watching some television, and there are tools to help prevent the desolate future that Neil Postman describes.

References

Postman, N. (1984/2012). Amusing ourselves to death. In R. Seamons (Ed.), The way of wisdom (pp. 448-453). Rexburg, ID: BYU-Idaho. Retrieved from http://ilearn.byui.edu