Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Best-known introduction to Postman's critique of television, media, and public discourse.
Author guide
Neil Postman Books in Order
Neil Postman (1931–2003) was an American educator, media theorist, author, and cultural critic. He taught at New York University, where he founded the graduate program in media ecology and chaired the Department of Culture and Communication. His books examined education, language, childhood, television, technology, and the cultural consequences of changing media. His best-known works include Teaching as a Subversive Activity, The Disappearance of Childhood, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Technopoly, and The End of Education.
media criticismcultural criticismeducationlanguage and communication
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Teaching as a Subversive Activity
Foundational statement of his educational philosophy and his collaborative work with Charles Weingartner.
Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology
Central overview of his critique of technological culture.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Other (17)
- Television and the Teaching of English
book · 1961
- Language and System
book · 1965
- The Language of Discovery
book · 1965
- Linguistics: A Revolution in Teaching
book · 1966
- Teaching as a Subversive Activity
book · 1969
A no-holds-barred assault on outdated teaching methods--with dramatic and practical proposals on how education can be made relevant to today's world.From the Trade Paperback edition.
- How to Recognize a Good School
book · 1973
- Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk: How We Defeat Ourselves by the Way We Talk—and What to Do About It
book · 1976
A guide to recognizing and correcting or eradicating confused, inappropriate, and inarticulate speech and unreasonable or maliciously intended speech, based on the non-Aristotelian orientation of 'general semantics.'
- Teaching as a Conserving Activity
book · 1979
- The Disappearance of Childhood
book · 1982
Argues that the intrusion of television into every home introduces children too early to adult concepts and activities and subverts their ability to think abstractly, and the very concept of childhood is being destroyed.
- Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
book · 1985
Examines the effects of television culture on how we conduct our public affairs and how "entertainment values" corrupt the way we think.
- How to Watch TV News
book · 1992
America is suffering from an information glut, and most Americans are no longer clear about what news is worth remembering or how any of it connects to anything else. Thus Americans are rapidly becoming the least knowledgeable people in…
- The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School
book · 1995
In this brilliantly challenging response to the education crisis, Neil Postman returns to the subject that established his reputation as one of our most insightful social critics. Starting from his belief that schooling is now too often a…
Frequently asked questions about Neil Postman
Who was Neil Postman?
Neil Postman (1931–2003) was an American educator, media theorist, author, and cultural critic. He was especially known for examining how media and technology shape education, language, and public discourse.
Sources: britannica.com (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
What did Neil Postman do at New York University?
Postman was a long-time NYU professor who founded the university’s graduate program in Media Ecology. He later chaired the Department of Culture and Communication.
Sources: steinhardt.nyu.edu (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
Who influenced Neil Postman’s thinking?
Marshall McLuhan was a major influence on Postman. Postman expanded McLuhan’s media-centered approach into media ecology, studying media as environments that shape culture and perception.
Sources: adelphi.edu (opens in a new tab)doi.org (opens in a new tab)
What award did Neil Postman receive?
In 1986, Postman received the NCTE George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language for Amusing Ourselves to Death.
Sources: ncte.org (opens in a new tab)ncte.org (opens in a new tab)
Why is Neil Postman still important today?
His legacy lives in media ecology and in continuing study of how communication technologies shape meaning, perception, education, and public life. NYU continues an annual Neil Postman Graduate Conference, and the Media Ecology Association presents a Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity.
Sources: steinhardt.nyu.edu (opens in a new tab)media-ecology.org (opens in a new tab)