Informing ourselves to death

I've just introduced myself to the ideas of Neil Postman by reading a speech of his from 1990, entitled Informing ourselves to death (available http://www.frostbytes.com/~jimf/informing.html). I definitely want to explore his work further.

He comments on the uncritical approach to the use of technology in society, with a refreshing perspective on how technology empowers some, but not others.

"technological change is always a Faustian bargain: Technology giveth and technology taketh away, and not always in equal measure."

Importantly he comments on the pervasive flood of information that washes around us:

"The tie between information and action has been severed. Information is now a commodity that can be bought and sold, or used as a form of entertainment, or worn like a garment to enhance one's status. It comes indiscriminately, directed at no one in particular, disconnected from usefulness; we are glutted with information, drowning in information, have no control over it, don't know what to do with it."

These comments mirror those of Theodore Roszak on the Cult of Information. Postman also notes the importance of symbols. Postman...Post-modern man more like (a little postmodern humour there)!