Foreword:
Compares two dystopian novels, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
and 1984 by George Orwell. He
states he relates to Huxley
Part I: Background and historical analysis
Ch 1: “The Medium is the Metaphor”- “media-metaphor” concept that the
medium the culture uses to convey its ideas influences the ideas. The
television age is influencing our way of communication and ideas.
Ch 2: “Media as Epistemology”- the serious, facts and truths of a
civilization are almost wiped away by the use of television as a way of relaying
them. In oral civilizations with spoken
proverbs and passed down history, the truth is found in the orator. In a
written culture, truth lies in documented papers. “Serious forms of discussion
have turned into mere entertainment”
Ch 3-5: “Typographic America” influences the “Typographic Mind”- the
decrease of literate population compared to that of the colonial times led to a
decrease in rational discourse and rational thought. With the technology to
perceive information from around the world w/ pictures, people became more
interested in the collectiveness of irrelevant facts than in-depth, rational
analyzation.
Part II: details the process by which media-metaphor infected our public discourse by valuing entertainment
Ch 6: “The Age of Show Business”- we now value the glamour and
flashiness over substances of worth. Entertainment is our discourse topic now
and it is watered down so much to mean even less than the actual entertainment
itself. Television demands “rapid-fire editing” and “non-stop stimulation”, not
“rational deliberation”.
Ch 7: “Now…This”- we no longer feel a part of the news we receive but
rather only develop opinions on it. It doesn’t affect our lives. It’s merely
for entertainment purposes only.
Ch 8-10: Examines other important public discourses that have been
reduced to entertainment through the use of television as a medium
Ch 8: “Shuffle off to Bethlehem”- religion an empty spectacle on
television, lacks power to deliver true religion
Ch 9: “Reach out and elect someone”- political elections became a battle
of advertisements
Ch 10: “Teaching as an Amusing activity”:- television as a way of
education only teaches children how to love tv- not learning.
Ending:
“The Huxleyan Warning”- to become aware that television is only
a means of media and to not let it control us.
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