Review - Book Report/Review Example

This review aims at unearthing some of the features of interest of the book to communication students, particularly on TV, the ideas postulated and the ideas of interest to the people who are interested in rhetoric. The observations postulated can be of help to a media student, particularly in TV production. In one way, they can be insightful in creating a radical enthusiasm among media students and practitioners not to accept the traditional pampering of the television screens at the expense of content.

In addition to this, it can act as a pointer to aspiring media presenters that their physical appearance does not matter at all and should be brave to fight for equal positions within the media fraternity One of the most striking features of this book is the title. The title, Amusing ourselves to death… has a number of interpretations that are of interest to the reader. Its connotative and denotative meanings are a warning against embracing the pleasurable items exhibited in TV production to the extent that they are detrimental.

(Postman 1). Just like it comes out in the book, television is said to be concentrating on the beauty with which content is presented rather than the richness of the content itself. (Postman 1). In doing so, the watchers are thus entertained to the extent that that even the most destructive content is taken in with enthusiasm. Another striking feature of this book is the approach that Postman takes. In the introductory remarks, Postman links the earlier thought on the future of the world in as far as communication is concerned by reviewing the sentiments of Orwell and Huxley.

Orwell’s fear is that the world will be destroyed by what people hate while Huxley argues that the world will be destroyed mainly by what people like most. (As cited in Postman). In order to have a strong argument in support of the misdoings of the television, Postman thus goes for Huxley’s sentiments. Grounding on this, then it is evident that these are