A Tip of the Old-Hat to Postman

Well, having now returned to Australia, I think it is time to not let this blog posting wane quite as it has over the last few weeks.  Hopefully you're still willing to give things a chance to get going...so let's tip the old-hat once more.

Reading Postman, one is always conscious of not amusing oneself to stupidity.  This isn't to say that what Postman has to say is not of value, or that it will, by reading it, not give you plenty to consider and think about.  But Postman is one of the most enjoyable scholarly writers that I have read.  He has what seems to be natural writing style that leaves you with a constant smile on the dial and even at times a good old chuckle in the belly.  Even as he's jumping on some idea you thought had value.
I always feel when reading Postman that he has a way of disarming your sensibilities and just taking you along for a ride.  Certainly, reading something which is enjoyable is fair easier than reading something which is just doing your head in.  But, I was, and am still wary of how easily I want to just take on board what Postman is saying, more for how he is presenting it than what is being presented.  I did continue to listen to what he said as I read more of his work:

The nature of discourse is changing as the demarcation line between what is show business and what is not becomes harder to see with each passing day.  Our priests and presidents, our surgeons and lawyers, our educators and newscasters need worry less about satisfying the demands of their discipline than the demands of good showmanship...There's No Business But Show Business. (Amusing Ourselves to Death, Chp 6). 

I do love the combination of technology, education and media that penetrates his work even if at times I do wonder if the show business of what is being said trumps the support for what is being said.  Still, as I tinker away with this post, I can't help but think that how enjoyable each post is will play a far larger role than what each post has to say in terms of building a readership.  I realise that if you've even got this far, you're probably wondering how much further you will go.  Especially as this post is not so entertaining.  I wonder if I should maybe say something funny....but then the pressure of that just makes it impossible to think of anything in the moment.......still nothing....I realise I'm losing you...maybe I should be serious again...or not...

Postman continues to make me wonder if there is always something about the artist that has the power to reveal beyond what the surface presents.  That to lose a sense of wonder and awe to the world of cold hard facts is to no longer see the world at all.