Neil Postman on Technology and Society

From a presentation on 1998/02/07 at Calvin College, via YouTube (thanks to George Siemens for pointing this video out!)

when looking at any technology, (at least) 6 questions are important:

1. "What is the problem to which this is the solution?"
2. "Whose problem is it?"
3. "Suppose we solve this problem, and solve it decisively. What new problems might be created because we have solved the problem?"
4. "Which people, and what institutions might be most seriously harmed by a technological solution?"
5. "What changes in language are being enforced by new technologies, and what is being gained and lost by such changes?"
   • (eg. "community" and "conversation" have changed meaning wrt internet)
   • "conversation" - "email isn't a conversation, it's just 2 guys typing messages to each other."
   • "community" - on internet, people of similar interests. traditionally, people who do not necessarily have similar interests, but who must negotiate and accommodate their differences for the sake of social harmony.
6. "What sort of people and institutions acquire special economic and political power because of technological change?"
   • the transformation of a technology into a medium - the exploitation of a technology - always results in a realignment of power.
   • eg. television gives power to some, while depriving others.
   • media entrepreneurs are the most radical force in culture.

"The answers one gives may have an ideological cast, but the questions [are universal]."