Browsing Tag

Neil Postman

Mother's Education, Other Thoughts
The Restless Ones

Some of what was covered in chapter four compliments a reading of one my favorite, life-changing books (for me, anyway) by Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death. Chapter Four of All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes is entitled Popular Culture and the Restless Ones, and I think we can all agree that whatever words one uses to describe current culture, restlessness should be in the mix. And it’s an insatiable restlessness at that: If one is relying on popular culture Continue Reading…
January 20, 2009
Technopoly, Poetic Knowledge, and the Disappearance of a Bookstore

Yesterday, Kimbrah said… There used to be a GREAT children’s bookstore down the street called The Prince and the Pauper but they have since closed. They had a castle for the kids to sit in and read quietly and also a pet macaw that talked. It so sad that such a wonderful place closed down and went solely online. 🙁 There are many little things to mourn in our culture, not the least of which is the disappearance of small Continue Reading…
May 29, 2008
Why Doctors Don’t Listen

When I was fairly young {we’re not quite sure how old}, I contracted Lyme Disease. It took many years, however, to get a diagnosis. In fact, I was even told that I needed counseling because I was probably imagining all or some of the problem. Why the diagnostic delay? Two major reasons: {1} “We don’t have Lyme Disease here.” This is perhaps the most closed-minded response possible. Because our area wasn’t considered to be a place where catching Lyme was Continue Reading…
May 22, 2008
Negotiating With Modernity

I keep having these aha moments as I’m reading through my book about the Amish. This is followed by a series of huh, ah, yes, and oh! Don’t worry. I’m not converting. But it really is interesting to try and view modernity–and technology–through the eyes of a people who negotiate very carefully with it. And I’ve learned a lot of strange facts about the Amish as well. Did you know that they aren’t very fond of abstract thought? That abstract Continue Reading…
April 2, 2008