Response to “The American Experiment”

   A large number of points were addressed in the article, to say the least.  The author starts with a bit of history, and ideology. I am one of the strongest supporters of The Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence that anyone will find, and pay close attention to the activities of the American Supreme Court.

  The author also made reference to “misinformation”, but made no attempt to quote works that are easily accessible such as Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent, or Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States.

 As Postman continues, and delves into the subjective nature of education and technology, we are faced with obvious questions about American traditions and social institutions, especially when they concern “uncontrolled technological development”. I find this to be a thin line to tread. As the author explains, the world looks to the US as an example, and even as we are exploding with not only information at our fingertips with little effort, there also is the very real and expanding threat of immoral people having anonymous  and negative impact on other peoples lives.

 Postman was right to gloss over the impact of the Industrial Revolution in comparison to the technological advances of the last few decades. There is no comparison. The cotton gin had no other purpose or ability than to benefit mankind in its production. There was no translation necessary, and regardless of input, it was capable only of production in a positive capacity.

 As I have stated in previous posts, I believe strongly that technology has its place in the development of a more ordered, informed world. I am not a Luddite. We need computers, we need the internet. I also agree strongly with a remark that Postman made near the end of the article that stated that teenage youth are unaware that there are serious arguments being made about their media-made world. They are entitled to be informed and heard from on the matter, which is why it is so important that parents and teachers alike must be aware of these very issues. As teachers, and parents it is our responsibility to teach them HOW to think when the internet supplies them with infinite (and sometimes harmful) varieties of WHAT to think. The glut of over-information that has been infiltrated with mis-information that has replaced lack of information has a dangerous undertow.