Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death was formative for me. It introduced me to the notion of media ecology and the challenges of communicating serious discourse through a medium crafted for entertainment. Chalk’s brief meditation on Postman’s insights is helpful.
I was struck by Chalk’s reference to “our youth—many of whom are learning virtually (perhaps an oxymoron?)—are educated by the vast, untamed wilderness of the Internet and social media.” Doubtless, content is largely in view here. But it also made me think of the need for education which is curated in terms not only of content, but also of order, proportion, and perspective–all of which are absent in a “wilderness.” All the “information” someone would need to know about any conceivable topic is readily accessible online — in an undifferentiated mass. A good education is not autodidactic absorption of that information, but involves a wise guide.
Orchard Keeper 
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