Neil Postman

DATE OF BIRTH: March 8, 1931 - October 5, 2003
OCCUPATION: Professor, Author, Social & Cultural Critic

Neil Postman is one of the US's greatest cultural critics with a focus on America's love with technology. He was born in New York City graduating from State University of New York at Fredonia in 1953. He furthered his studies at Columbia receiving both his masters and doctorate in education.. In 1959, he became a professor at New York University. Postman founded the Steinhardt School of Education's program in Media Ecology at NYU in 1971 and was the chair of the Department of Culture and Communication until 2002 at NYU.

He has wrote many books, articles and essays in his lifetime with The Disappearance of Childhood (1982), Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985), and Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology (1992) being his most popular. Neil Postman died in 2003.

Full Spectrum's Reasons for Reading:
Everyone knows the benefits technology has bestowed on humanity but very few realize its negative effects. Neil Postman was one of those few. Throughout his career as an author he has tried to educate the masses about the trade offs made when adopting new forms of technology to replace older ones.

Why do children grow up quicker? Why is it that people read less? Why is there less participation in discourse in public places? These are a few questions he gives answers to; as well as many others in his numerous publications. With the advent of personal computers, home video consoles, cell phones and the internet, as a few examples of technological progress, his opinion on what their results to humanity will be, along with previous advances such as the television, the printing press, and the alphabet, and their corresponding effects, is an important voice contrary to all those who seek only to promote the positive effects of technology. We see all the benefits directly, it's time we see the possible and actual harm.

Written by The Staff of Full Spectrum


Neil Postman Discussion on Technology - Audio with Scott London (Quicktime)
American Eduction Standards - Neil Postman Interview (RealPlayer)
Neil Postman on Cyberspace (1995) - Video Interview (Flash)
And Now This... Media Ecology Association 5th Anniversary - Tribute To Neil Postman (Flash)


Neil Postman - Quotes
Neil Postman - Writing on the Web
Neil Postman - Online
Neil Postman - Information Page
Neil Postman - Wikipedia