Why I Choose This Book

凉拌折耳根

  I chose to read Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman for my classic literature training because it offers a critical reflection on the impact of media on society, a topic that feels especially relevant today. In modern society, we are constantly surrounded by media and entertainment. From social media platforms to television shows, people, including myself, often spend a large amount of time consuming content that is designed to entertain rather than inform. This constant bombardment of entertainment media, while providing instant gratification, has led to the decline of deep thinking and critical engagement with important issues.
  In Amusing Ourselves to Death, Postman argues that television, and later, the internet, has transformed serious discourse into superficial entertainment. He warns that when the primary function of media is entertainment, the public becomes distracted and uninformed, which can be harmful to the quality of democracy and individual decision-making. Postman’s central thesis is that as people shift their focus from meaningful dialogue to passive consumption of media, they lose the ability to engage thoughtfully with important issues.
  Reading this book will help me better understand how the entertainment-driven nature of media affects society’s collective consciousness and how it shapes individual behaviors. I am particularly interested in Postman’s analysis of the transition from a print-based society to a visual media-driven one. As a student in today’s digital age, this book encourages me to reflect on my own media consumption habits and the consequences of those habits.