Podcasts about amusing ourselves

We welcome back Sarah Cain to ask if Catholic media is different to secular news sources and if it should it be. Father and Sarah share their stories about how they found themselves working in media. Father finishes with Timely Thoughts. Show Notes Homefront Crusade (Sarah Cain) Failing Foundations: The Pillars of the West Are Nearing Collapse What will make people more likely to accept the “truthiness” of truth?  Do we need a review of Church teaching on reputation and slander?  Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power: Pieper, Josef Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies: McEntyre, Marilyn iCatholic Mobile The Station of the Cross Merchandise - Use Coupon Code 14STATIONS for 10% off | Catholic to the Max Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! "Let's Take A Closer Look" with Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J. | Full Series Playlist Listen to Fr. McTeigue's Preaching! | Herald of the Gospel Sermons Podcast on Spotify Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

On today's episode, Phil Christman joins Josiah to discuss Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. They explore Postman's intellectual trajectory and legacy, as well as the broader media ecology movement. Did Postman predict Donald Trump? Is Postman a conservative? Would Postman have liked podcasts? All this and more on today's episode.Phil Christman's previous appearance on Fruitless: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e49b23bcPre-order Why Christians Should Be Leftists here: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884053/why-christians-should-be-leftists/Check out Phil Christman's Substack The Tourist: https://philipchristman.substack.com/Follow Phil on Bluesky @philipchristman.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZWDsDrQ0XvDQFWzE6s2ggFind more of Josiah's work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesAmusing Ourselves to Death by Neil PostmanTechnopoly by Neil PostmanThe Medium is the Massage by Marshall McLuhan"The Media Ecologists," Phil Christman on Substack, https://philipchristman.substack.com/p/the-media-ecologists"You Don't Need a Postman To Know It's Mostly Junk Mail," Phil Christman on Substack, https://philipchristman.substack.com/p/you-dont-need-a-postman-to-know-itsTeaching as a Subversive Activity by Neil PostmanTeaching as a Conserving Activity by Neil PostmanThe Disappearance of Childhood by Neil PostmanThe Age of Missing Information by Bill McKibbenWNUF Halloween Special (2013, dir. Chris LaMartina)Ghostwatch (1992, dir, Lesley Manning)71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994, dir. Michael Haneke)Benny's Video (1992, dir. Michael Haneke)Music & audio creditsSunflower (Prod. Lukrembo)Yesterday – bloom."Russia Invades Ukraine Sponsored By Applebee's - CNN Clip (February 24, 2022)," YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6QUsx68DCAIn My Dreams – bloom. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On this episode of BMU, the guys discuss Marvin Sapp closing the doors of the church to raise a significant offering. The conversation considers the consequences of broadcasting church to the masses, how nuance can be lost in increasingly larger contexts, and what we mean by "authority" in the Christian context.Today's episode references an excellent book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman.

On this episode of BMU, the guys discuss Marvin Sapp closing the doors of the church to raise a significant offering. The conversation considers the consequences of broadcasting church to the masses, how nuance can be lost in increasingly larger contexts, and what we mean by "authority" in the Christian context.Today's episode references an excellent book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman.

Are we being controlled by fear or by pleasure? The boys drink and review an imperial pilsner, then discuss the contrasting visions of the future by Orwell and Huxley. P&C explore the strange relevance of 1984 and Brave New World -- from constant surveillance, censorship, and thought control, to mindless entertainment, dopamine addiction, and emotional infantilization. Both dystopian visions offer chilling insights into modern society. We break down the contrasting methods of control: Orwell's world of pain and suppression vs. Huxley's world of pleasure and distraction. Drawing from key quotes, real-world parallels, and cultural trends.

Episode Notes What could a book written about television forty years ago possibly have to teach us about living well and wisely in our world of smartphones, social media, and high-speed connectivity? According to the editors of Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age, a lot! In this episode, Brett McCracken and Dr. Ivan Mesa join Dr. Keith Plummer to discuss why Neil Postman's classic volume Amusing Ourselves to Death is still amazingly relevant and how they hope their project will help the body of Christ.

After we finished up The Power Broker, a bunch of people were asking us what other books we'd been reading. A group of us got together and presented some of our recent favorites, and the choices were so good and surprising and charming, we're now sharing it widely.Here are the books covered in this episode:Lasha's book: Usha's Pickle Digest by Usha R PrabakaranChris's books: What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer (and The Power Broker by Robert Caro

The late Phillip Sutton (pictured) helped me understand how ending our addiction to fossil fuels would worsen global warming, at least momentarily, but then provide an avenue to the solution.Phillip co-authored the prescient 2008 book "Climate Code Red: The Case for Emergency Action" with David Spratt, the Research Director for "BreakThroughOnline", The National Centre for Climate Restoration is an independent think tank that develops critical thought leadership to influence the climate debate and policy-making."Trading Hope for Reality Helps Me Parent Through the Climate Crisis";"Fact check: Have emissions risen under the Albanese government?";"Mayors Across US Urge Congress Not to Repeal Clean Energy Tax Credits";"One hundred ‘carbon-neutral' corporates quit government scheme over integrity concerns";"Paris Agreement 1.5°C threshold reached in 2024";"Climate change target of 2C is ‘dead', says renowned climate scientist";"James Hansen says we're underestimating global warming acceleration — is anyone listening?";"How to defeat populism";"‘Ridiculous blunder': Trump wades into California's water wars – and strikes some of his strongest supporters";"Amusing Ourselves to Death";"22 Republican AGs Sue to Stop New York's Attempt to Make Fossil Fuel Polluters Pay for Climate Damages";"Clean Energy Costs Expected to Drop 2-11% in 2025, Report Says";"Los Angeles Wildfires Were More Likely Due to Climate Change: Report";"A fierce tussle over a Northern Territory river reveals Australia's stark choice on water justice";"Explainer: what does it actually mean to ‘firm' renewables?";"Earth is already shooting through the 1.5°C global warming limit, two major studies show";"Where should we look for new metals that are critical for green energy technology? Volcanoes may point the way";"Nature and shops: here's what people told us they want most from urban planning";"Golf courses can be safe havens for wildlife and beacons of biodiversity";"What Happens in the Arctic Won't Stay in the Arctic";"Climate Politics: What Would Donald Trump Do?";"The Plastic Crisis: A Health and Environmental Emergency";"How nature can strengthen Greater Sydney's flood resilience";"As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost";"This form of anxiety is not officially recognised. But it's widely affecting young people";"A Ugandan climate activist works to hold global superpowers accountable";"CCAG: At the intersection of climate expertise and action";"You're invited to POWFest";"Air Pollution Exposure Reduces Ability to Concentrate on Everyday Tasks: Study";"UK Flood Defense Spending to Reach Record Levels in Face of Climate Crisis";"2025 Kicks Off With Warmest January on Record";"Australia tried to influence other countries and Unesco to keep Great Barrier Reef off in-danger list";"Greenland ice sheet cracking more rapidly than ever, study shows";"Heavy weekend snow and ice will hit swath of Midwest and Northeast";"Biden's Environmental Record";'"Dollars in the dust: Is outback scrub really saving the planet?";"Heavy weekend snow and ice will hit swath of Midwest and Northeast";"DOGE Ransacks NOAA, Raising Fears About Privatization of Climate Data";"Dollars in the dust: Is outback scrub really saving the planet?";"Hottest January on record mystifies climate scientists";"‘Backsliding': most countries to miss vital climate deadline as Cop30 n

In this episode of A Productive Conversation, I sit down with Anders Indset, the renowned business philosopher and author of The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success. Known for his profound insights into leadership and technology, Anders shares a compelling exploration of how modern Vikings channel timeless values like collectivism and creativity to achieve high-performance outcomes.We dive into what makes Norwegian success so unique, why micro-ambitions are key to long-term achievements, and how balancing timely and timeless approaches can transform both personal and professional growth. Anders' expertise in bridging philosophy and leadership offers a refreshing take on thriving in a fast-paced, tech-driven world.Key Discussion Points What modern Viking culture teaches us about collectivism and creativity. The role of micro-ambitions in achieving long-term success. How values like "tugnad" (effort for others) are deeply embedded in Norwegian culture. The interplay between finite and infinite games in life and business. The dangers of prioritizing timely distractions over timeless principles. Anders' perspective on AI's potential to foster depth in our lives. Anders' insights are both timely and timeless, offering listeners tools to rethink their approach to leadership, progress, and collective well-being. I know you'll enjoy this productive conversation.Links Worth Exploring Connect with Anders: Website | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Get the book we discuss: The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success Get Anders' other book that he mentions: The Quantum Economy - Saving the Mensch with Humanistic Capitalism Get James P. Carse's book: Finite and Infinite Games Get the book I mention: Time and The Art of Living by Robert Grudin Another reading recommendation: Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Check out The Singularity Paradox Read this: Law of Jante, a Scandinavian Code of Conduct Watch This is Pop: Click here and choose the episode "Stockholm Syndrome" Related Conversation: Episode 420: Daniel Coyle talks about The Culture Playbook Related Blog Post: The 3 Cs: How They Impact Your To Do List Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page.Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. You can subscribe on Spotify and also on Apple Podcasts. Not using either of those to get your podcasts? Just click on this link and then paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice.Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of A Productive Conversation, I sit down with Anders Indset, the renowned business philosopher and author of The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success. Known for his profound insights into leadership and technology, Anders shares a compelling exploration of how modern Vikings channel timeless values like collectivism and creativity to achieve high-performance outcomes. We dive into what makes Norwegian success so unique, why micro-ambitions are key to long-term achievements, and how balancing timely and timeless approaches can transform both personal and professional growth. Anders' expertise in bridging philosophy and leadership offers a refreshing take on thriving in a fast-paced, tech-driven world. Key Discussion Points What modern Viking culture teaches us about collectivism and creativity. The role of micro-ambitions in achieving long-term success. How values like "tugnad" (effort for others) are deeply embedded in Norwegian culture. The interplay between finite and infinite games in life and business. The dangers of prioritizing timely distractions over timeless principles. Anders' perspective on AI's potential to foster depth in our lives. Anders' insights are both timely and timeless, offering listeners tools to rethink their approach to leadership, progress, and collective well-being. I know you'll enjoy this productive conversation. Links Worth Exploring Connect with Anders: Website | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Get the book we discuss: The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success Get Anders' other book that he mentions: The Quantum Economy - Saving the Mensch with Humanistic Capitalism Get James P. Carse's book: Finite and Infinite Games Get the book I mention: Time and The Art of Living by Robert Grudin Another reading recommendation: Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Check out The Singularity Paradox Read this: Law of Jante, a Scandinavian Code of Conduct Watch This is Pop: Click here and choose the episode "Stockholm Syndrome" Related Conversation: Episode 420: Daniel Coyle talks about The Culture Playbook Related Blog Post: The 3 Cs: How They Impact Your To Do List Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. You can subscribe on Spotify and also on Apple Podcasts. Not using either of those to get your podcasts? Just click on this link and then paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's episode 206 and time for us to talk about the genre of Cultural Studies! We discuss bureaucracy, affluenza, dinosaurs, Dungeons & Dragons, Batman, The Fast and the Furious, and more! You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system. In this episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray

In this episode, Jerry and Stably discuss The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America by Daniel J. Boorstin, a book that explores the construction of unreality in American media and culture. Jerry introduces the book as his pick and notes its thematic resonance with previous discussions, particularly those around Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death. The hosts agree that Boorstin's work predates many of Postman's arguments and, in some ways, anticipates the cultural shift toward media-driven realities.Stably and Jerry unpack Boorstin's central argument that American culture increasingly operates within “mirrors upon mirrors of unreality,” where pseudo-events—artificial happenings staged for media consumption—dominate public perception. Boorstin, writing in the late 1950s and early 1960s, critiques how society becomes incentivized to embrace these fabricated realities, constructing what Jerry calls “castles in the air.” This critique extends across multiple facets of public life, including politics, advertising, and entertainment, all of which blur the line between authenticity and illusion.The discussion touches on Boorstin's seemingly conservative perspective, as he neither explicitly condemns the shift toward pseudo-events nor advocates for a return to a previous era. Instead, he opts to describe the phenomenon with striking clarity, allowing the implications to speak for themselves. This ambiguity prompts Jerry to reflect on Boorstin's ultimate goals or desired outcomes, noting that while the book is critical, it refrains from offering solutions or alternatives.Stably and Jerry also draw connections between Boorstin's work and Marshall McLuhan's theories on media, highlighting the shared observation of media as an environment that reshapes human experience. They discuss how Boorstin's observations remain relevant, despite the book's age, as contemporary media landscapes have only amplified the prevalence and impact of pseudo-events.Throughout the conversation, the hosts emphasize the enduring value of Boorstin's analysis, particularly in an era where digital media and social platforms further complicate notions of authenticity. They reflect on specific examples of pseudo-events in modern society, noting parallels to Boorstin's original case studies and illustrating how the themes of the book continue to manifest today.By the end of the episode, Jerry and Stably underscore the significance of The Image as a foundational critique of media culture. While Boorstin stops short of prescribing change, his work serves as a powerful lens for examining how societies construct and consume manufactured realities. The hosts conclude with a shared appreciation for Boorstin's prescient insights, leaving listeners with a deeper understanding of the book's arguments and their implications for contemporary life.

A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music!Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tourYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriberInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/ Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_ElliotSpotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4VSvC0SJYwku2U0awRaNAu?si=3ad0b2fbed2e4864Mein Kampf: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54270.Mein_Kampf?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ovwYMtecRX&rank=1The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61539.The_Structure_of_Scientific_Revolutions?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=e1URNvJNzt&rank=1 Amusing Ourselves to Death: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74034.Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=QflaH4J2oW&rank=1The Technological Society: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274827.The_Technological_Society?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=rgzFLjmZo6&rank=2Propaganda: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274826.Propaganda?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=MJ0Jt4z7sR&rank=1Taking the Risk out of Democracy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1120159.Taking_the_Risk_Out_of_Democracy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZxSDv6Pmbg&rank=1#Radio Free Dixie: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/448669.Radio_Free_Dixie?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=uGxfhd7aPn&rank=1Negroes with Guns: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/591966.Negroes_with_Guns?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wQCrsAZi9K&rank=1War is a Racket: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198259.War_is_a_Racket?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RlES4OU70M&rank=1Ordinary Men: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/647492.Ordinary_Men?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=25su7U5vdK&rank=1They Thought They Were Free: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/978689.They_Thought_They_Were_Free?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RWDbW6fePA&rank=1 The Art of War: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10534.The_Art_of_War?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ROLaW6yH3C&rank=1How Europe Underdeveloped Africa: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40630.How_Europe_Underdeveloped_Africa?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=AQAMpj0Euk&rank=1The Internationalists: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753784-the-internationalists?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=T6SzEBTOOH&rank=1My episode on the Internationalists: https://thefourthway.transistor.fm/episodes/draft-117-independence-day-grotius-and-the-internationalistsThe Dawn of Everything: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56269264-the-dawn-of-everything?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=kyjUybYn98&rank=1Sikes Picot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaPWlKv7n0YCongolese father stares at child's severed limbs: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/father-hand-belgian-congo-1904/Apotheosis of Washington: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apotheosis_of_WashingtonMarsh's Bonhoeffer: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18248389-strange-gloryBonhoeffer the Assassin: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17321394-bonhoeffer-the-assassin?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=azvmmkJ1uU&rank=1Metaxas's Bonhoeffer: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7501962-bonhoefferMetaxas: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/eric-metaxas-trump-bloodshed-american-apocalypse-live-not-by-lies/Bonhoeffer: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/02/22/the-nazi-mind/ Hijacking Bonhoeffer: https://www.christiancentury.org/reviews/2010-09/hijacking-bonhoeffer Moltke not wanting to assassinate Hitler: https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2020-01-26/ty-article/.premium/the-evangelical-who-was-part-of-the-german-resistance-against-hitler/0000017f-e0d6-d75c-a7ff-fcdfd6010000Bonhoeffer's "Behold the Man!": https://swordofthespirit.net/wp-content/bulwark/february2016p4.htmMy Previous Bonhoeffer Episode Part 1: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a9fa9d76My Previous Episode Part 2: https://dashboard.transistor.fm/shows/the-fourth-way/episodes/47-se5-bonhoeffer-pacifist-or-assassin/edit Thanks to our monthly supporters Laverne Miller Jesse Killion ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, Dr. Groothius discusses four influential books that shaped his philosophical perspective. "The God Who Is There" by Francis Schaeffer introduced him to the importance of Christian worldview and apologetics. Blaise Pascal's unfinished work, "Pensées," deepened his understanding of human nature and the Christian view of humanity. C.S. Lewis's "The Abolition of Man" emphasized the necessity of objective moral values. Lastly, Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death" highlighted the impact of media on culture. Royce emphasizes the integration of these works with the Bible in shaping his worldview. Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., is Distinguished University Research Professor of Apologetics and Christian Worldview at Cornerstone University and the author of twenty books, including Beyond the Wager: The Christian Brilliance of Blaise Pascal (InterVarsity, 2024). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On this episode of the Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy discuss the nuanced impacts of the election and cancel culture on our youth. We raise concerns about how some colleges are responding to election results, questioning whether these reactions might be hindering the development of resilience in students. By fostering respectful debates and exposing young people to multiple perspectives, we aim to nurture essential executive function skills. This episode is a call to action for parents and educators, encouraging them to guide children through political conversations without succumbing to the divisiveness that cancel culture breeds and without making assumptions that all youth are mourning the results. Join us in exploring some ways of navigating politics and media with kids. Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply curious about the intersection of politics and youth development, this conversation may leave you with plenty to ponder.Mentioned in this episode:Universities come under fire for canceling classes, providing safe spaces to students upset by Trump's victory Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman The Promise of Clinician-Delivered Cognitive Training for ADHD (with the ADHD cognitive profiles graph)CONNECT WITH US: Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com Email: info@TheBrainyMoms.com Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms Our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.comSandy's TikTok: @TheBrainTrainerLadyDr. Amy's brand new IG: @DrAmySaysGraceDr. Amy's website: www.AmyMoorePhD.com

Adam McKay is the Academy Award–winning screenwriter, director, and producer behind such movies as Don't Look Up, The Big Short, Vice, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and more. He is also the founder of Yellow Dot Studios, a nonprofit production studio that raises awareness and mobilizes action on the climate emergency. Adam joins us to discuss his career and the existential anxiety that led him to write and direct the star-studded Don't Look Up, one of the most successful Netflix movies of all time. We also hear about the books, films, and music that inspired him, and why humor is a useful tool for tackling serious subjects. Plus: Adam's relationship with driving, the power of visual storytelling, and why he thinks the age of the car is already over… even if most people don't know it yet. Thank you to Sheyd Bags and Cleverhood for their support. For the latest discount codes, listen to the episode. *** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, special bonus content, stickers, merch discounts, and more *** SHOW NOTES: Check out Car Commercial 419 and all the excellent work from Yellow Dot Studios. (Donate here!) Books, movies, and music mentioned in this episode: Generation Dread by Britt Wray; Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neal Postman; A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit; and The Vortex by Scott Carney & Jason Miklian The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); Dr. Strangelove (1964); and Dogtooth (2009) Public Enemy; LL Cool J; Kurtis Blow; Run-DMC; and Eric B. & Rakim ***** Pick up official podcast merch in our store. Purchase books from podcast guests at our Bookshop.org page. This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded by Kaden Pryor at Third Wheel Podcast Studio in Los Angeles. Transcriptions are by Russell Gragg. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Sound effects from the BBC Sound Effects Archives © 2024 BBC. TheWarOnCars.org  

Paris Marx is joined by Karl Bode to discuss how Mark Zuckerberg's makeover and the PR campaign that's accompanied it shouldn't distract from the ongoing harms of his company.Karl Bode is a freelance tech journalist and consumer rights reporter.Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.Also mentioned in this episode:Paris wrote about the problem with the “Zuckessance” for Disconnect.The New York Times published an article about the political evolution of Mark Zuckerberg.Facebook's Free Basics was widely called out for being a form of digital colonialism.Joel Kaplan was a key figure within Facebook defending right-wing content from effective moderation.Neil Postman wrote the book Amusing Ourselves to Death in 1985.Support the show

In the debut episode of RatSec 2.1, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Kevin Frazier, Eugenia Lostri, and Benjamin Wittes to talk over the week's big national security news, including:“I Have Concepts of a Segment Topic.” On Tuesday, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced off in what might end up being the only presidential debate between the two candidates in the 2024 election. What did it tell us about how national security is figuring into this election? “Running Political Interference Interference.” The Justice Department has been very busy these past few weeks, bringing an array of indictments and enforcement actions against various Russian actors and their proxies for spreading misinformation, surreptitiously funding political commentary, and otherwise attempting to interfere in the upcoming 2024 elections. What explains this sudden wave of activity so close to the election? And what threats are still hanging out there?“Never Forgot.” Twenty-three years have passed since the unprecedented terrorist attacks of 9/11. In many ways, they redefined the trajectory of U.S. national security policy (and politics) for decades. But today, the United States has shifted focus to a very different set of challenges. What is the legacy of 9/11 more than two decades after the attacks? For object lessons, Kevin readied our listeners for depression before recommending Neil Postman's new book, “Amusing Ourselves to Death.” Ben endorsed the documentary Man on Wire as his favorite movie about 9/11, in part because it has nothing to do with 9/11. Scott urged D.C.-area residents not to sleep on the sublime joys of an outdoor show at Wolf Trap while the weather is still nice. And Eugenia shed her video game label to throw her support behind James Cameron's latest maritime adventure, the (weirdly mutant-free) sea exploration documentary series OceanXplorers.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the debut episode of RatSec 2.1, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Kevin Frazier, Eugenia Lostri, and Benjamin Wittes to talk over the week's big national security news, including:“I Have Concepts of a Segment Topic.” On Tuesday, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced off in what might end up being the only presidential debate between the two candidates in the 2024 election. What did it tell us about how national security is figuring into this election? “Running Political Interference Interference.” The Justice Department has been very busy these past few weeks, bringing an array of indictments and enforcement actions against various Russian actors and their proxies for spreading misinformation, surreptitiously funding political commentary, and otherwise attempting to interfere in the upcoming 2024 elections. What explains this sudden wave of activity so close to the election? And what threats are still hanging out there?“Never Forgot.” Twenty-three years have passed since the unprecedented terrorist attacks of 9/11. In many ways, they redefined the trajectory of U.S. national security policy (and politics) for decades. But today, the United States has shifted focus to a very different set of challenges. What is the legacy of 9/11 more than two decades after the attacks? For object lessons, Kevin readied our listeners for depression before recommending Neil Postman's new book, “Amusing Ourselves to Death.” Ben endorsed the documentary Man on Wire as his favorite movie about 9/11, in part because it has nothing to do with 9/11. Scott urged D.C.-area residents not to sleep on the sublime joys of an outdoor show at Wolf Trap while the weather is still nice. And Eugenia shed her video game label to throw her support behind James Cameron's latest maritime adventure, the (weirdly mutant-free) sea exploration documentary series OceanXplorers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Major Garrett is chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, and as he told me in our conversation, he is an "accidental television journalist" who "never imagined" working in TV and "never wanted it." He was a print reporter for 17 years before entering the world of television. Since then, he's proven to be one of the most formidable, best prepared interviewers in journalism. This dude is rigorous, smart, and fun! And you know what? Damn it, he cares. Major is the host of The Takeout podcast and author of five books, including The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of the Big Lie, and Mr. Trump's Wild Ride: The Thrills, Chills, Screams, and Occasional Blackouts of an Extraordinary Presidency. Major read Amusing Ourselves to Death in the 1990's. He then soon after became a TV reporter for CNN, where he spent two years before moving to the then-nascent Fox News, where he became a Washington fixture as White House correspondent. That's where he was when I met him during my time as a White House correspondent for The Washington Times. I was glad, as I told him, that Major has a textured view of Postman's work. I didn't want a cheerleader. But Major talks about the impact of the work on him, his views of its shortcomings, and its lasting value.

Visit our website BeautifulIllusions.org for a complete set of show notes and links to almost everything discussed in this episodeSelected References:2:25 - “The State of the Culture, 2024” by Ted Gioia (The Honest Broker, 2024)4:10 - Gioia cites Huxley's Brave New World, which takes place in a future dystopia where the populace is essentially oppressed by their addiction to amusement, as the more likely outcome than the oppressive government control depicted in Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. See “Pleasures” - a 1923 essay by Huxley published in Vanity Fair for more on his thoughts regarding the problematic ease of entertainment in the early 20th century.6:15 - See Gioia's “fish” model8:16 - See “The Tiktokification of Everything” (Single Grain) and “The ‘TikTokification' of the next generation” (Empoword Journalism, 2023)11:33 - Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985) by Neil Postman13:06 - “The medium is the message” is a phrase and chapter title that comes from a 1964 book by Marshall McLuhan called Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, and it posits that that a communication medium itself, not the messages it carries, needs to be carefully considered because while the content of the medium is a message that can be easily grasped, the character of the medium is another message which can be easily overlooked, and it is this message that ultimately shapes “the scale and form of human action.”13:50 - Listen to Beautiful Illusions Episode 32 - We Read So We Can Talk from April 202421:53 - Dopamine Nation (2021) by Anna Lembke, MD explores the interconnection of pleasure and pain in the brain and helps explain addictive behaviors — not just to drugs and alcohol, but also to food, sex, and smartphones. For more see “In 'Dopamine Nation,' Overabundance Keeps Us Craving More” (NPR, 2021) and watch Dr. Lembke discuss the science behind the book in a YouTube clip.22:01 - See the “Anhedonia” Wikipedia entry23:24 - The Anxious Generation (2024) by Jonathan Haidt23:38 - Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It  (2022) by Richard Reeves27:53 - See “Skim reading is the new normal. The effect on society is profound.” by Maryanne Wolf (The Guardian, 2018) and her book Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World28:10 - Reading in the Brain by Stanislas Dehaene33:04 - See “TikTok's ‘Roman Empire' Meme, Explained” (Forbes, 2023)34:30 - Read “Tradition and the Individual Talent” by T.S. Eliot (Poetry Foundation)34:52 - Watch the “8 Led Zeppelin Songs That 'Rip Off' Other Songs” YouTube video37:07 - The Righteous Mind (2012) by Jonathan Haidt37:48 - Ready Player One (book, 2011) by Ernest Cline and movie (2018)38:14 - Listen to Beautiful Illusions Episode 16 - Partisan Pizza from July 202141:48 - See “Humans can barely distinguish AI-generated content from human-created content” (The Decoder, 2024)42:22 - See “Socrates on the Invention of Writing and the Relationship of Writing to Memory” and “Socrates on the Forgetfulness that Comes with Writing”46:50 - See “Boredom: A History of Western Philosophical Perspectives”  (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) and “Heidegger's “Profound Boredom”: using boredom to cultivate the soul” (blog post from Eric Hyde)This episode was recorded in April 2024The “Beautiful Illusions Theme” was performed by Darron Vigliotti (guitar) and Joseph Vigliotti (drums), and was written and recorded by Darron Vigliotti

Robert Vernooy in gesprek met filosofen Thijs Lijster en Marian Donner over het denken van Herbert Marcuse. Bronnen en links bij deze uitzending: - Bestel hier het boek 'De grote weigering' van Donner: https://uitgeverijprometheus.nl/boeken/grote-weigering-paperback/ - Bestel hier het boek 'De eendimensionale mens' van Marcuse: https://www.singeluitgeverijen.nl/athenaeum/boek/de-eendimensionale-mens/ - Bestel hier het boek 'Amusing Ourselves to Death' van Postman: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/297276/amusing-ourselves-to-death-by-neil-postman/ - Bestel hier het boek 'Wat we gemeen hebben' van Lijster: https://uitgeverijprometheus.nl/boeken/grote-weigering-paperback/ - Meer over Marcuses denken (Engelstalig): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marcuse/ --

Are we more strict with our kids in the real world than we are in the digital world? First book talk of the summer, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt where he addresses that question. Citing stats of the decline of mental health among teens beginning with the advent of smartphones and social media, Coach brings not just the problems Haidt addresses but also one of his solutions...a return to the play based childhood. Along the way Coach calls Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death prophetic and offers insight into what he sees in the classroom in light of Haidt insights. The Anxious Generation is a must read for parents and teachers alike. Professor Haidt's endorsed website mentioned in the episode https://letgrow.org . --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ptcpodcast/message

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Rejecting Television, published by Declan Molony on April 23, 2024 on LessWrong. I didn't use to be, but now I'm part of the 2% of U.S. households without a television. With its near ubiquity, why reject this technology? The Beginning of my Disillusionment Neil Postman's book Amusing Ourselves to Death radically changed my perspective on television and its place in our culture. Here's one illuminating passage: We are no longer fascinated or perplexed by [TV's] machinery. We do not tell stories of its wonders. We do not confine our TV sets to special rooms. We do not doubt the reality of what we see on TV [and] are largely unaware of the special angle of vision it affords. Even the question of how television affects us has receded into the background. The question itself may strike some of us as strange, as if one were to ask how having ears and eyes affects us. [In the 1960s], the question "Does television shape culture or merely reflect it?" held considerable interest for scholars and social critics. The question has largely disappeared as television has gradually become our culture. This means that we rarely talk about television, only what is on television - that is, about its content. Postman wrote this in 1985 and unmasked the gorilla in the room - a culture that has acquiesced to the institution of television. Having grown up with one in my family home since birth, I took its presence for granted. I didn't question it anymore than I might have questioned any other utility such as running water or electricity. So who would be crazy enough in the 21st century to forego television? A Man who was Crazy Enough One day while exploring YouTube, I came across an obscure 2003 interview with author David Foster Wallace. Interviewer: "Do you watch TV?" Wallace: "I don't have TV because if I have a TV, I will watch it all the time. So there is my little confession about how strong I am at resisting stuff." He elaborates further in the interview here: "One of the reasons I can't own a TV is…I've become convinced there's something really good on another channel and that I'm missing it. So instead of watching, I'm scanning anxiously back and forth. Now all you have to do is [motions clicking a remote] - you don't even have to get up now to change [the channel]! That's when we were screwed." Wallace said this twenty years ago. And while younger generations aren't watching cable television as much, they are instead watching YouTube and TikTok which are proxies; you can just as easily change the 'channel' by skipping to a different video. (For the remainder of this post I'll use the word 'television' to also refer to these types of video content). But maybe Wallace was just a weak-willed person? Why should I abstain? I would need a mountain of evidence to quit watching television - an activity I had been engaging in for the better part of two decades. A Mountain of Evidence Had I been looking, I would have seen it all around me: the late nights of sacrificing sleep for "just one more episode", the YouTube rabbit holes that started in the name of learning that inevitably ended in brain-rotting videos, and the ever-increasing number of porn videos I needed to stimulate my tired dopamine receptors that had been bludgeoned by years of binging. But, of course, this is just anecdotal evidence. For my skeptical mind I would need more. And that evidence came in the form of author Deirdre Barrett's book Supernormal Stimuli: How Primal Urges Overran Their Evolutionary Purpose. She writes "The most sinister aspect of TV lies in the medium itself. There's a growing body of research on what it does to our brain." Television, she explains, activates the orienting response. Orienting Response: the basic instinct to pay attention to any sudden or novel stimulus such as movement or sound. It evo...

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. As modern people we are good at spotting external oppression. We can see a despot coming miles away. However, we often miss the more subtle oppression of our own desires manipulating us, and, unfortunately, in a techno-consumeristic society like our own, this is a far greater threat. As the late thinker Neil Postman put it: “Everything in our background has prepared us to know and resist a prison when the gates begin to close around us… But …[w]ho is prepared to take arms against a sea of amusements?” In his short but powerful book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Postman contrasts the competing dystopias of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell: “Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley [Brave New World] and Orwell [1984] did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required…. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think. …Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance…. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny ‘failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions.' In 1984…people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we desire will ruin us. …Huxley, not Orwell, was right.” ~Neil Postman (1931-2003), in his classic Amusing Ourselves to Death And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”~Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV)

The Ant and the Slug Thank you to Coleman for his sermon last week on integrity and slander, and flattery, among other things. I listened to it a few days ago. Very well done! And I'm not trying to flatter him. Well, as we've gone through the book of Proverbs, one of the amazing things is how timeless the proverbs are. I think you would agree. This book was written almost 3000 years ago… But no matter whether you lived back then or you live today, the human condition is the same. It's just manifested in different ways. This morning we're considering the theme of sloth or idleness compared to diligence. In fact, it's one of the more prominent themes in Proverbs. Clearly in King Solomon's day, it was a significant issue. And I think that it's also one of our struggles today. Please take out your Proverbs reading insert. You'll see that we are starting with a few verses from chapter 6 this morning. The first half of chapter 6 was the only portion of Solomon's opening lessons that we saved for later. So we're coming back to part of it now and in a few weeks, we'll consider the rest of it. If you would like to read those first verses from you Bible, please turn to Proverbs 6. Please stand for the reading of God's Word. Reading of Proverbs 6:6-11 and selected proverbs------------------------------------------Proverbs 6:6-11 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.Without having any chief, officer, or ruler,    she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?A little sleep, a little slumber, a  little folding of the hands to rest,    and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. 10:4-5 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,     but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.10:26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,     so is the sluggard to those who send him.12:11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,     but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule,     while the slothful will be put to forced labor.12:27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,     but the diligent man will get precious wealth.13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,     while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,     but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.15:19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,     but the path of the upright is a level highway.16:26 A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.18:9 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.19:24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish     and will not even bring it back to his mouth.20:4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;     he will seek at harvest and have nothing.20:13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;     open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;     he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.21:25-26 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves,     but the righteous gives and does not hold back.22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!”22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?     He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.24:27 Prepare your work outside;     get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.24:30-34 I passed by the field of a sluggard,     by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,     and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;     the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.     A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,     and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.25:13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest     is a faithful messenger to those who send him;     he refreshes the soul of his masters.26:13-16 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!     There is a lion in the streets!” As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;     it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.27:18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,     and he who guards his master will be honored.28:19-20 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,     but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. A faithful man will abound with blessings,     but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.------------------------------------------ Prayer A few years ago, ESPN hosted a contest which they called the “Ultimate Couch Potato.” The goal was to see who could last the longest in a recliner watching ESPN. The rules allowed only one stretch per hour. You were not allowed to sleep… and you could only take a bathroom break once every 8 hours. Oh, and they provided all the food and soft drinks you wanted. The winner went 72 hours. Can you believe that? The guy received a new TV, a new recliner, and the coveted Ultimate Couch Potato trophy. By the way, it was the third year in a row this guy won. I suspect that's why they discontinued the contest. Our culture glorifies and enables laziness. Here are some statistics. Americans spend, on average, 3 hours and 9 minutes a day streaming video content. On average, we spend 4 hours and 25 minutes on our phones every day. And weekly, we average 8-12 hours playing video games. To quote the title of Neil Postman's prophetic book, we are Amusing Ourselves to Death. He wrote that in 1985. Imagine what he would say today. And social media and games are only one of the paths today to an idle and slothful lifestyle. As we read, Proverbs speaks to this. It warns against this. The problem is, such a life does not reflect the goodness of God's creation in you, nor does it reflect God's call for your life. Let me say that again, a slothful lifestyle does not reflect the goodness of God's creation in you, nor does it reflect God's call for you life. That's basically the summary for today. Let me tell you how we're going to work that out. 1. First, we'll analyze Proverb's account of the slothful and the diligent. What it says 2. Next, we'll look at the consequences. What it warns. 3. Third, it's very important to consider the cause. And let me say, there are some difficult things in life that can contribute to idleness. 4. And fourth, last, we'll talk through the cure. So, the account, the consequences, the cause, and the cure. That's where we're headed. 1. The account: The Sloth and the Diligent Number 1. How do these verses account for the slothful and the diligent? The first thing is that there's word here used over and over. It's the word “sluggard.” It's used 14 times here. Now, in English, the word “sluggard” is a derivative of the word “slug.” Slug, meaning, of course those slimy little creatures that move so slowly. In the Hebrew language, the word for sluggard and slug are totally different words, but the idea is similar. The Hebrew meaning of sluggard is someone who is slow to take action - someone habitually lazy with no discipline or initiative in his life. That's very similar to the second word used here. The word slothful… used 3 times. It's someone who constantly refuses work. He is the opposite of diligent. And we see these definitions worked out all through these verses. ·      First, a sluggard loves to sleep! As a door turns on it's hinge, so a sluggard on his bed. Or as we read a couple of times, “a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest” He even sleeps during the harvest, it says. By the way, we all need sleep… but this is different. The sluggard wins the couch potato award. ·      Second, the one who is slothful is mere talk. That's how Proverbs 14:23 describes him. “Mere talk tends only to poverty.” He'll say something like, “Oh, I'll get to that tomorrow.” But tomorrow never comes. He talks a big talk, but never follows through. ·      Next, he also makes excuses. Like in 26:13 – This is a funny one… “There's a lion in the road!” In other words, “I can't go out there to work.” There are murder hornets out there! Or, the dog ate my homework. If you lived in our house, that could actually happen. ·      And a fourth description are his worthless pursuits. That phrase is there in Proverb 28:19. “…he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.” That's pretty descriptive of us today. We get sucked into the vortex of social media. Name your favorite – Tick Tok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. We get pulled into the articles, pictures, videos, and reading the comments. Then all of a sudden, hours have passed! Has that happened to you? It's happened to me. ·      There are some other descriptions in here as well. For example, work is drudgery to the slothful. Also he ignores the severity of his situation. So, he loves his lazy-boy recliner or his bed, always procrastinates, talks a big talk, pursues the unimportant, and cares not about working or his situation. Now, no one here that fits that full description. But I think we can each identify slothful areas or lazy tendencies, perhaps even significant ones, in our lives. The contrast here is with the diligent. That word means someone who is industrious in his work and focused. It's not just that he is diligent to do something, he is also thoughtful and intentional in his tasks. Look at Proverbs 27:24, you'll see that sense of priorities. “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.” The diligent understand when it's time to plant seed and when it's time to harvest. It's in between those times, that's when he will build or maintain his house. And, of course, the illustration is the ant. Now, at the time in Israel, one of the more common types of ants was the harvester ant. It was known to store kernels of grain during the harvest, which would last them the whole year. At other times of the year, these ants would expand their nest and care for the young. So likely, Solomon had these in mind. It's a picture of diligence and preparedness in the tasks at hand. You see, the diligent don't need a task master to keep them going, rather they understand and can accomplish their responsibilities. Kids, if your mom or dad are always reminding you, every day, to do your school work, then likely you are acting more like a slug than an ant. It's time to become like an ant. 2. The Consequences Ok, point #2. The consequences. All throughout these verses, we're given consequences. Let me say, these are generalities, not formulas. When the Proverbs speak about immediate consequences, it's not giving us a formula. We can't say, if you are diligent, the result will always be blessing and security. No, those Proverbs are rules of thumb. Look at Proverbs 10:4. “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Is it the case that a sluggard will always find himself in self-inflicted poverty? No? Is it the case that the diligent will always have financial security? No. External circumstances can change the outcome. But the principal is generally true. It's important to understand that. For the sluggard, in many many cases, his carelessness and laziness will lead to poverty. Some of the language used here is “suffer hunger” or “have nothing” or he'll “be put into forced labor.” Or he'll have “plenty of poverty.” On the other hand, the diligent will in many many cases “reap a harvest” or “will have plenty of bread” or “will abound in blessing.” That's the language here. You can see the contrast – poverty versus plenty. Let me highlight another consequence. Being around a sluggard is no fun. Especially if you are responsible for him or her. This last week, Amy, Caleb, and I were in the kitchen, and Caleb said, “Mom, do you remember when you made us take a mouthful of vinegar and then you read us that Proverb?” Amy and I both laughed because little did Caleb know at the time, but that Proverb is on the list for today. Look down at Proverbs 10:26. “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.” This was several years ago. The kids were all having one of those days. They weren't listening. They were not following through on chores or assignments. They didn't want to do anything. Parents, you know what I'm talking about. So Amy brought them out on our deck. She gave them each a little cup of vinegar, and made them swish it around in their mouths … and then she read Proverbs 10:26. Her point was this: That bitter and sour taste in your mouth is what it's like to those around you when you disobey and are lazy. Now, to be sure, Amy didn't make them swallow the vinegar, so please don't call family services. By the way, some of the other consequences listed here are similar. A sluggard brings shame and the diligent brings honor. To summarize: the consequence for the slothful include self-inflicted poverty, difficulty working with him, and often shame to his family. And for the diligent? Stability, security, leadership even, and honor. #3 The causes At this point, let's transition to the causes and the cure. We're going to focus on idleness and sloth. Now, is it possible that our diligence can become a problem? Yes! Absolutely. Work can become an idol. What I'm saying is that you should not use these verses to justify working 60, 70, or 80 hours a week at the expense of your family. Nor should you use these verses to turn work into your identity. Those are problems, for sure… but what these verses focus on is laziness. Also, I also want to acknowledge that there are difficult things in life which can lead to struggles with motivation. Grief is one of them. When you lose a family member or dear friend, some days it's hard to even get up out of bed. Depression is similar. Depression can be caused by many things. And I want to say, in those two situations, it's important to get help – that may be Godly counselling or other kinds of help. If that's your struggle, please reach out for help and guidance. I also want to say that idleness is different than rest. We all need rest. God has given us the pattern and focus of our rest. That's a topic for another day. What many of these verses speak to is the sin of laziness. It's being a dead weight on your family or friends or at work. It's when you are not contributing with your God given skills and gifts to labor. Let me add, this is not just about a career. Rather, we all have lowercase “c” callings. That may be a paid job. It may be caring for someone or a family. It may be serving the needs in the church or community. For example, children, at this point in your life, your responsibility is to be diligent in your schoolwork. On the other hand, if you are one of our older members and struggling with heath issues, your calling may be prayer. Whatever it is, we're to pursue it with diligence. But the problem is that sin has affected everything. That includes affecting our motivations and our work. And this goes way back to Genesis 3. Part of God's curse on all creation is that the ground will produce “thorns and thistles.” And as it also says, “by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.” Because of that, we often don't want to work. We don't want to deal with the struggles of whatever calling we have. And those thorns and thistles can come in many forms. And so, we cave in. We don't want to put in the effort. We distract ourselves and we make all kinds of excuses. But at the heart of it all, the heart of our laziness in whatever area of our life… is our sin. We don't want to recognize that part of God's call for us is to work. Again, work in a broad sense of our daily callings. You see, we were created to work. Every one of us. We read that earlier in the service from Genesis 1 and 2. Part of God creating man in his image, is the inherent responsibility to labor in this world… which is patterned after God and his work in creating all things. In other words, work is not a result of the fall. No, the toil of work is the result. And in our selfishness and pride, we would rather distract ourselves with mind numbing activities or a lazy lifestyle, than follow through on the gift of God in our callings. To summarize, what are the primary causes of our sloth? Sin in the world and the sin in our hearts. Let me add one more cause. And I'd like to use CS Lewis for this one. Some of you have read his book Screwtape Letters. It's a fiction and it's really unique. It's a series of letters written by Screwtape, who is a senior demon in the devil's army. Screwtape, the demon, is writing to his demon apprentice, Wormwood. Screwtape's goal is to get Wormwood to effectively distract his human patient from God and instead direct him to sin. His tactics are many including exploiting personal weaknesses, stirring up anger and strife, undermining prayer and the church, promoting despair and apathy, and elevating the patient's pride. Let me read what Screwtape writes in letter 12: “My dear Wormwood… You no longer need a good book, which he really likes, to keep him from his prayers or his work or his sleep; a column of advertisements in yesterday's paper will do. [or should I add, “a little screen time”]  You can make him waste his time… [by doing] nothing at all for long periods… you can keep him up late at night… staring at a dead fire…. Nothing is very strong -  strong enough to steal away a man's best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why in the gratification of curiosity so feeble the man is only half aware of them… You will say that these are very small sins… [but] it does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.” He wrote that 85 years ago. You see, the devil has many lies and tactics and one of them is complacency or sloth. He wants to exploit your sin and the fallen world around you…  He wants you to retreat into the world of idle nothingness and away from God. #4 The Cure So, where does that lead us? Well, it leads us to the cure. This is point number 4. The good news is that God is at work. He's at work redeeming. And one of the things that he's redeeming… is he's redeeming our labors. We don't often think about redemption being applied to our daily callings. Do we? Rather, when we think about redemption, we think about how Christ has redeemed us from the eternal consequences of our sin. Or we think about how we are reconciled to God through Jesus' atoning sacrifice. Or we think about how the resurrection gives us hope for eternity. Or we consider the grace that God gives us through Christ in forgiving us for the sins that we actively commit. Those are all amazing things. But we should also consider that God's redemption applies to our passive sins like sloth… and we should consider how God is redeeming our labors. Whatever you're called to do in this life. Many of you know I spent almost 20 years in a different career. I experienced the highs and lows of any job – difficult situations, demanding responsibilities. At times, I struggled with motivation. But at other time, I experienced joy in my work. And I will say, these last 10 years as a pastor, there have been highs and lows. Times of discouragement and times sensing the joy and passion of this calling. I'm thankful to God that most often it's been the later. Let me share four things I've learned over the years: ·      First, when we intentionally seek to honor God in our work, God often gives us a desire to work and a satisfaction in our work. That's the first one. By the way, I'll restate them at the end. ·      Second, when we recognize that part of what it means to be created in God's image is being created to work… when we recognize that, God often gives us purpose and meaning in our work. ·      Third, when we recognize that God's work of redemption includes our work, we are able with his help to endure the thorns and thistles. ·      And fourth, when we realize that God's grace in Christ through the cross includes forgiving us for our sloth, then we can be renewed to diligence… as we pursue our daily callings. Let me says those again. (1) Pursuing God's glory in what we do, often gives us desire and satisfaction in our callings (2) Remembering that we are created in God's image gives us purpose in our callings (3) God is redeeming our work which helps us persevere through trials in our callings and (4) God's grace covers all our sin, including our idleness. When we come to him with it, he will help renew our hearts in our callings. As we come to a close, let's consider one more thing - work in this life compared to eternity. You see, in this life, each one of us struggles or will struggle in our daily callings. That may include a struggle of apathy. You may have days or weeks or months where you are fighting to regain motivation and fighting against idleness. But beloved, if you are in Christ, there will be a day when work will no longer be a chore. A day when you will be in the presence of your Savior with all the saints. A day when you will enter his rest. His eternal rest. But it won't be a rest without work. No, it will be an eternal rest from the thorns and thistles… an eternal rest from any and all temptations to sin. Yes, we will be worshiping forever, but we'll also be working in some way. But our labors and service will be fully redeemed, with no toil or struggle. Whatever it is like, at every moment it will be fully satisfying to us and fully glorifying to God. May God give us an eternal motivation and perspective, as we labor in this life. My we forsake our sloth and idleness and instead hear the call to diligence – not for our glory, but for God. Amen? 

The transition from high school to college or from college to career, is an exciting one. Yet, it can also cause uncertainty, especially when those transitions change relationships within our families. Society would suggest that transitioning into adulthood precludes and even exempts us from responsibility to family. Is that really true? What role does family play in our lives as we become more independent? And are there any lessons we can learn as we contemplate starting a family of our own? We are joined by Josh Pauling this week to answer these questions and more!Josh Pauling is a contributing editor at Salvo Magazine, a columnist at Modern Reformation Magazine, and a frequent guest on Issues, Etc. Mr. Pauling previously taught history in a public school setting prior to becoming a Classical Lutheran Educator. Josh also runs his own business making custom furniture and restoring vintage machinery. He and his family attend All Saints Lutheran Church where he serves as head elder.Amusing  Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil PostmanLearn more about being a Gospel-motivated voice 4 LIFE at Y4Life.org.

The Space Shot Links- Subscribe to The Space Shot on Substack for emails delivered directly to your inbox. Check it out here (https://thespaceshot.substack.com/p/coming-soon?r=5tgvq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=copy) Let me know if you have any questions, email me at john@thespaceshot.com. You can also call 720-772-7988 if you'd like to ask a question for the show. Send questions, ideas, or comments, and I will be sure to respond to you! Thanks for reaching out! Do me a favor and leave a review for the podcast if you enjoy listening each day. Screenshot your review and send it to @johnmulnix or john@thespaceshot.com and I will send you a Space Shot sticker and a thank you! Episode Links: After Babel (https://jonathanhaidt.substack.com) Books- I forgot to mention it in the episode since the book is experienced more than it is read. Apollo Remastered (https://www.apolloremastered.com)by Andy Saunders is a visual delight. 1000% recommend picking up a copy. "Soviets in Space" (https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/S/bo184798413.html) by Colin Burgess "Space Craze" (https://www.smithsonianbooks.com/store/aviation-military-history/space-craze-americas-enduring-fascination-with-real-and-imagined-spaceflight/)by Margaret Weitekamp "The Space Shuttle" by Roland Miller (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/roland-miller/the-space-shuttle/9781648291357/) "Son of Apollo" by Christopher Roosa (https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496233349/) "The New Guys" by Meredith Bagby (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-new-guys-meredith-bagby?variant=41058530328610) "The Map that Changed the World" by Simon Winchester (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-map-that-changed-the-world-simon-winchester?variant=32207411019810) "Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens" by Andrea Wulf (https://www.andreawulf.com/andrea-wulf/about-chasing-venus-how-science-turned-global-in-the-eighteenth-century-to-be-published-in-the-uk-us.html) "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" by Neil Postman (https://www.amazon.com/Amusing-Ourselves-Death-Discourse-Business/dp/014303653X) "Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America" by Brendan Ballou (https://www.plunderthebook.com) "Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World" (https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691181202/timefulness)by Marcia Bjornerud "Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology" by Neil Postman (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/technopoly-neil-postman/1100623453) "Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives" (https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250284297/cobaltred) by Siddarth Kara "Technology and the American Way of War Since 1945" by Thomas G. Mahnken (https://www.amazon.com/Technology-American-Way-Since-1945/dp/023112337X) "The Winged Gospel" by Joseph Corn (https://www.amazon.com/Winged-Gospel-Americas-Romance-Aviation/dp/0801869625) "Wichita: Where Aviation Took Wing" by the Greteman Group (https://wichitaaviationhistory.com/product/wichita-where-aviation-took-wing-book/) "The Arsenal of Democracy" by A.J. Baime (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-arsenal-of-democracy-a-j-baime?variant=39935376916514) "Farnsworth's Classical English Style" by Ward Farnsworth (https://www.amazon.com/Farnsworths-Classical-English-Style-Farnsworth/dp/1567926657) "The Practicing Stoic" by Ward Farnsworth (https://www.amazon.com/Practicing-Stoic-Philosophical-Users-Manual/dp/1567926118) "The Daily Stoic" by Ryan Holiday (https://www.thepaintedporch.com/products/ryan4?_pos=3&_sid=0ea9d25aa&_ss=r) "The Daily Dad" by Ryan Holiday (https://www.thepaintedporch.com/products/the-daily-dad-366-meditations-on-parenting-love-and-raising-great-kids-pre-order-release-may-2nd?_pos=1&_sid=519dd7cdf&_ss=r) "Code Red" by Vince Flynn/Kyle Mills (https://www.vinceflynn.com/code-red) "And on that Bombshell" by Richard Porter (https://www.amazon.com/That-Bombshell-Inside-Madness-Genius/dp/1409165078) "Nuts and Bolts" by Roma Agrawal (https://mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9781324021520) "Come Fly with Me: The Rise and Fall of TWA" by Daniel L. Rust and Alan B. Hoffman (https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/C/bo207659745.html) "Hands of Time" by Rebecca Struthers (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/hands-of-time-rebecca-struthers?variant=40861027598370)

Spiritual formation, becoming more like Jesus Christ in thought and deed, requires a renewed mind (Romans 12:2) that avoids worldliness (1 John 2:15-17) and pursues godliness (Matthew 5:1-18). Our sanctification through the Holy Spirit requires an ongoing dependency on God wherein we grow in the knowledge of God, how his Kingdom operates (Matthew 6:33), ourselves (James 1:25), and our place in the church (1 Corinthians 12-14) and broader culture (1 Chronicles 12:32). To this end, here are some principles and recommendations in how to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Remain faithful in the reading and studying of the Bible (Psalm 119; 2 Timothy 3:14-17). Consider using one or more study Bibles. Discern your calling as a Christian if you have not done so. See Os Guinness, The Call and John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life. Be involved in a Bible-believing church. Develop your skills as a writer and speaker. See Elements of Style by Stunk and White and Stand like Lincoln, Speak like Churchill by James Humes. Read thoughtful Christian classics by writers such as Augustine and Pascal, as well as modern writers such as C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, John Stott, J. I. Packer, Francis Schaeffer, James Sire, and Os Guinness. Read periodicals such as Christianity Today, First Things, Modern Age, and The Christian Research Journal. Be aware of non-Christian culture through The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harpers, Atlantic Monthly, and other magazines. Carefully and prayerfully consider your use of electronic communications media. See Douglas Groothuis, The Soul in Cyberspace and Quentin Schultz, Habits of the High Tech Heart as well as Neil Postman, Technopoly and Amusing Ourselves to Death and William Powers, Hamlet's Blackberry. Listen to thoughtful radio programs and podcasts, such as Denis Prager, those on The Daily Wire as well as the Christian interviews done by Ken Myers on Mars Hill Audio. Take periodic times for silence and reflection (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I chat with Doug Smith, author of "Unintentional," about propaganda and discipleship. 0:00 - My Intro4:00 - Doug's Intro8:30 - Importance of ecumenicism15:40 - Shaping our desires23:50 - How to shape our desires35:15 - Postman, Huxley, and Orwell40:50 - Self-created purpose46:10 - Anti-propaganda w/out God50:15 - Desire as identity55:00 - Convert vs. Disciple1:03:15 - Jesus is King1:10:45 - Is discipleship propaganda?1:16:20 - Closing thoughts A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music! Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tour YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/  Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/ My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_Elliot Propaganda Season Outline: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xa4MhYMAg2Ohc5Nvya4g9MHxXWlxo6haT2Nj8Hlws8M/edit?usp=sharing  Episode Outline/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mNdEtM0-0GIorXTsurQLPfmuP1GGpO-Ero5QlcShnH8/edit?usp=sharing Video Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4VJ1hKiCIQ Unintentional: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42794462-un-intentional?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_24 Corporations Colonize the Mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUTbnjIHfkg Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50611052-the-rise-and-triumph-of-the-modern-self?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17 Jonathan Haidt: https://jonathanhaidt.com/ Amusing Ourselves to Death: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74034.Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_26 Brave New World: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5129.Brave_New_World?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_15 Salvation by Allegiance Alone: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30259209-salvation-by-allegiance-alone?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Mig9yUctuV&rank=1 Gospel Allegiance: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44000714-gospel-allegiance?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=4QJUdaO8z0&rank=1 Thanks to our monthly supporters Laverne Miller Jesse Killion ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

At Veritas Academy, we read books. We use chalkboards. We sit around tables with students and have in-depth discussions. We get our Grammar School students to retain information by moving and shouting to chants and songs. We write essays - with pencils and paper. And we require all high school students' phones to remain in their lockers for the duration of the school day. Veritas - like most classical Christian schools around the country - is decidedly a "low-tech" kind of school. Are we doing our children a disservice by sending them into a high-tech world woefully unprepared to use the latest technology? In this podcast, Head of School Ty Fischer begs this question to our guests - Graham Dennis, Veritas Dean of Students, and John Hayward, Veritas alumni, former Upper School Dean at Covenant Christian Academy in Harrisburg, and senior pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Their discussion leads to the resounding conclusion that, no, we most certainly are not impeding our children's ability to thrive in our modern world by limiting their use of technology. In fact, the opposite holds true: we are uniquely preparing them to flourish in their careers, communities, and families by cultivating virtues and skills that many of their peers may sorely be missing. Listen in to get some thoughtful perspectives, and be inspired on the benefits of a low-tech education! Resources mentioned in this podcast: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age by Tony Reinke

September 24, 2023 Topical Sermons of 2023 Amusing Ourselves to Death Mark 12:29-31 Pastor Jim Rutherford

Chapter 1 What's Amusing Ourselves to Death"Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" is a book written by Neil Postman and published in 1985. In this book, Postman examines how the introduction of television and other forms of visual media have shaped the way we consume information and the impact it has had on public discourse and politics. He argues that television, being a medium focused on entertainment rather than education or critical thinking, has reduced the quality of public discourse and has led to a society that is more concerned with amusement and spectacle than with rational discussion and analysis. Postman's book is a critique of the effects of media and its consequential implications on our culture and society.Chapter 2 Why is Amusing Ourselves to Death Worth ReadAmusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman is a highly influential book that explores the impact of television and media on society. Published in 1985, it remains relevant today and has garnered praise for its insight and analysis. Here are some reasons why it is worth reading:1. Thought-provoking analysis: Postman provides a thought-provoking critique of the effect of television on public discourse and culture. He argues that the medium of television, due to its emphasis on entertainment and brevity, favors emotionalism and superficiality over rational and meaningful discourse. Postman's analysis encourages readers to question the nature of media and its influence on society.2. Historical examination: The book explores the historical context of media and the shift from print culture to television culture. Postman traces the evolution of media and discusses how it has shaped public discourse over time. This historical perspective helps readers better understand the influence of media on society today.3. Prophecy and foresight: Many readers appreciate Postman's ability to predict and anticipate the impact of television and media on social and political life. With the rise of 24-hour news cycles, reality TV, and the influence of social media, Postman's warnings about the erosion of public discourse and the dominance of entertainment-oriented media have proved prescient.4. Engaging writing style: Despite discussing serious and complex topics, Postman's writing is engaging and accessible. He uses vivid examples, anecdotes, and cultural references to illustrate his arguments, making it an enjoyable read for anyone interested in media, culture, and society.5. Relevance to contemporary society: While written in the 1980s, Amusing Ourselves to Death remains highly relevant in the digital age. The book raises important questions about the role and influence of media on society, particularly regarding the internet, social media platforms, and the digitalization of information. Its central arguments continue to resonate and prompt reflection on the impact of media on cultural and public life.Overall, Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death is worth reading for its enduring relevance, compelling analysis, and engaging writing style. It offers critical insights into the influence of media on society and encourages readers to critically examine their media consumption and its effects.Chapter 3 Amusing Ourselves to Death Summary"Amusing Ourselves to Death" is a book by Neil Postman that argues how communication media has transformed public discourse and influenced the way society thinks and behaves.Postman begins by comparing two dystopian visions portrayed in novels: George Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World." While Orwell's novel depicts a society controlled by an oppressive government, Huxley's novel portrays a society...

Last week I went through ten authors and a number of books that have shaped my life and thinking. I include the full list below. This quote from Neil Postman highlights the significance of reading. One must begin, I think, by pointing to the obvious fact that the written word, and an oratory based upon it, has a content: a semantic, paraphrasable, propositional content. This may sound odd, but since I shall be arguing soon enough that much of our discourse today has only a marginal propositional content, I must stress the point here. Whenever language is the principal medium of communication—especially language controlled by the rigors of print—an idea, a fact, a claim is the inevitable result. The idea may be banal, the fact irrelevant, the claim false, but there is no escape from meaning when language is the instrument guiding one's thought. Though one may accomplish it from time to time, it is very hard to say nothing when employing a written English sentence. What else is exposition good for? Words have very little to recommend them except as carriers of meaning. The shapes of written words are not especially interesting to look at. Even the sounds of sentences of spoken words are rarely engaging except when composed by those with extraordinary poetic gifts. If a sentence refuses to issue forth a fact, a request, a question, an assertion, an explanation, it is nonsense, a mere grammatical shell. As a consequence a language-centered discourse such as was characteristic of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century America tends to be both content-laden and serious, all the more so when it takes its form from print. [Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (pp. 49-50). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.] Books and Authors W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy and The Pursuit of God. Blaise Pascal, Pensées, many editions. I prefer the Penguin ed. See also the collection The Mind on Fire. Carl F. H. Henry, God, Revelation, and Authority, 6 vols. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Abolition of Man, Miracles, God in the Dock, Screwtape Letters. Francis Schaeffer, all of his books, but especially The God Who is There, He is there and He is not Silent, How Should We Then Live?, True Spirituality, and Whatever Happened to the Human Race? K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man. Harold Netland, Dissonant Voices and Encountering Religious Pluralism Harry Blamires, The Christian Mind. I. Packer, Knowing God and Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. P. Moreland, Scaling the Secular City and Love Your God With All Your Mind. James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalogue, Habits of the Mind, and Scripture Twisting: Twenty Ways Cults Misinterpret the Bible. John Calvin, The Institutes. John Stott, The Cross of Christ and Basic Christianity. Ken Myers, All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Popular Culture. Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: Extensions of Man. Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Technopoly, and The End of Education. Os Guinness, The Dust of Death, God in the Dark, Prophetic Untimeliness, A Time for Truth, The Call, and all the rest. J. Rushdoony, Institutes of Biblical Law, The Messianic Character of American Education, This Independent Republic, The Nature of the American System, The Politics of Guilt and Pity, and many more. Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, Women Caught in the Conflict and Good News for Women. Richard John Neuhaus, The Naked Public Square. Augustine, The Confessions. Thomas Sowell, The Politics and Economics of Race and A Conflict of Visions. Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Given the strike of Hollywood actors and writers, it is an apt time to reflect on our use of media and entertainment. A quote from Neil Postman's class book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, can guide us. "Our politics, religion, news, athletics, education and commerce have been transformed into congenial adjuncts of show business, largely without protest or even much popular notice. The result is that we are a people on the verge of amusing ourselves to death." [Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death (pp. 3-4). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.] We may want to pull away from entertainment, especially focusing on the moving image, and immerse ourselves in reading unelectrified books in pursuit of a more Christian mind and way of taking in the world. As Paul exhorts us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2). Consider the biblical warnings about images, as discussed by Postman.  "In studying the Bible as a young man, I found intimations of the idea that forms of media favor particular kinds of content and therefore are capable of taking command of a culture. I refer specifically to the Decalogue [Exodus 20:1-18], the Second Commandment of which prohibits the Israelites from making concrete images of anything. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water beneath the earth.” I wondered then, as so many others have, as to why the God of these people would have included instructions on how they were to symbolize, or not symbolize, their experience. It is a strange injunction to include as part of an ethical system unless its author assumed a connection between forms of human communication and the quality of a culture. We may hazard a guess that a people who are being asked to embrace an abstract, universal deity would be rendered unfit to do so by the habit of drawing pictures or making statues or depicting their ideas in any concrete, iconographic forms. The God of the Jews was to exist in the Word and through the Word, an unprecedented conception requiring the highest order of abstract thinking. Iconography thus became blasphemy so that a new kind of God could enter a culture. People like ourselves who are in the process of converting their culture from word-centered to image-centered might profit by reflecting on this Mosaic injunction. But even if I am wrong in these conjectures, it is, I believe, a wise and particularly relevant supposition that the media of communication available to a culture are a dominant influence on the formation of the culture's intellectual and social preoccupations." [Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death (p. 9). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.] Recommended reading1.    Douglas Groothuis, “Television: Agent of Truth Decay,” Truth Decay (InterVarsity, 2000).2.    Jacques Ellul, The Humiliation of the Word (Eerdmans, 1985).3.    Herman Melville, Moby Dick.4.    Kenneth Myers, All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes: Christians and Popular Culture (Crossway, 1989).5.    Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (Penguin, 1985)6.    Francis Schaeffer, The God Who is There (InterVarsity, 1968). Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., is Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary and the author of nineteen books, including Fire in the Streets (a critique of critical race theory or wokeness) and Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. Find more from Dr. Groothuis at www.DouglasGroothuis.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In the 20th century, two books were written to predict our future: "A Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley in 1931 and "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell in 1949. Both books had different ideas about how our future could be grim. Neil Postman compared these books in his work "Amusing Ourselves to Death," where he said Orwell feared the truth would be hidden and people would be controlled by pain, while Huxley feared the truth would be lost in irrelevance and people would be controlled by pleasure. In the book of Revelation, some people read it like "Nineteen Eighty-Four," seeing evil events happening through force and obvious tactics. Others read it like "A Brave New World," where evil systems and powers subtly deceive and seduce us away from Jesus. Revelation 17 talks about a Prostitute, representing a seductive force in the world. Babylon in the Bible is like a city without God, and it symbolizes any place that goes against God. The Prostitute in Revelation seduces people by making sin seem normal and by rewarding strategies that go against what Jesus taught. But we can choose not to be a part of Babylon's ways by turning towards Jesus and living a different way. We can be citizens of heaven, not of Babylon.

In the 20th century, two books were written to predict our future: "A Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley in 1931 and "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell in 1949. Both books had different ideas about how our future could be grim. Neil Postman compared these books in his work "Amusing Ourselves to Death," where he said Orwell feared the truth would be hidden and people would be controlled by pain, while Huxley feared the truth would be lost in irrelevance and people would be controlled by pleasure.In the book of Revelation, some people read it like "Nineteen Eighty-Four," seeing evil events happening through force and obvious tactics. Others read it like "A Brave New World," where evil systems and powers subtly deceive and seduce us away from Jesus. Revelation 17 talks about a Prostitute, representing a seductive force in the world.Babylon in the Bible is like a city without God, and it symbolizes any place that goes against God. The Prostitute in Revelation seduces people by making sin seem normal and by rewarding strategies that go against what Jesus taught. But we can choose not to be a part of Babylon's ways by turning towards Jesus and living a different way. We can be citizens of heaven, not of Babylon.

In the 20th century, two books were written to predict our future: "A Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley in 1931 and "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell in 1949. Both books had different ideas about how our future could be grim. Neil Postman compared these books in his work "Amusing Ourselves to Death," where he said Orwell feared the truth would be hidden and people would be controlled by pain, while Huxley feared the truth would be lost in irrelevance and people would be controlled by pleasure.In the book of Revelation, some people read it like "Nineteen Eighty-Four," seeing evil events happening through force and obvious tactics. Others read it like "A Brave New World," where evil systems and powers subtly deceive and seduce us away from Jesus. Revelation 17 talks about a Prostitute, representing a seductive force in the world.Babylon in the Bible is like a city without God, and it symbolizes any place that goes against God. The Prostitute in Revelation seduces people by making sin seem normal and by rewarding strategies that go against what Jesus taught. But we can choose not to be a part of Babylon's ways by turning towards Jesus and living a different way. We can be citizens of heaven, not of Babylon.

Every message is shaped by the mechanics of media. Whether it's a tweet, a TikTok video, a news article, or a movie, the characteristics of the medium determine how it's made, how it's consumed, and whether it spreads. If you understand the mechanics of media, you can more effectively communicate in a wide variety of mediums, and protect yourself from being manipulated by media. The message is the mechanics of media As media theorist Marshall McLuhan said, “The medium is the message.” In Understanding Media, he wrote: The medium is the message. This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium...results from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs.... In other words, it's not the content of the medium we should be worried about, but the way the characteristics of that medium determine its content – the mechanics of media. The five characteristics of media I propose that there are five characteristics present in any medium, which determine these mechanics. These characteristics affect the creation, consumption, and distribution of media. (In other words, what message is delivered, how that message is received, and whether or not that message spreads.) Those five characteristics are: Incentive Sensory Physical Social Psychological The mechanics of media are so complex, these characteristics naturally interact with one another. I'll give a brief introduction of each, then show how these characteristics work in the popular mediums of podcasts, Twitter, and TikTok. 1. Incentive The Incentive characteristics of a medium are sources of motivation, whether money or otherwise, that shape the creation, consumption, and distribution of messages in that medium. The creator of a piece of media is motivated by various incentives, such as money and relationships. Whether or not someone is able to consume a piece of media depends upon whether its affordable or otherwise accessible. Whether or not a piece of media spreads depends upon whether incentives are aligned for the distribution platform to allow it to spread. So, a journalist may be motivated to write a story that gets page views, because that's how they're paid. That's how they're paid, because the newspaper doesn't have paying subscribers and thus relies upon ad revenue. The stories with click-bait headlines spread and get more page views because they increase engagement for the social media platform they're shared on, which increases the social media platform's ad revenue. 2. Sensory The Sensory characteristics of a medium are the ways in which the medium engages senses such as sight, hearing, and touch. Marshall McLuhan wrote about how so-called “sense ratios” were engaged by a medium. Sensory characteristics primarily affect the consumption of the medium, but those effects overlap with creation and distribution. Written content, for example, can be absorbed at a reader's own pace. As Neil Postman pointed out in Amusing Ourselves to Death, the written word is especially well-suited to careful review and comparison, which makes it easier to convey the truth. Audio content can be replayed to be reviewed, but it's more work than simply moving your eyes back over the content. 3. Physical The Physical characteristics of a medium are the ways in which the medium engages the body. The subtitle of Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media is Extensions of Man. As a medium extends our abilities, it also removes or “amputates” abilities. When you listen to a podcast, your entire body is free to do other things. You may be cooking, showering, or fighting your way to the exit of a crowded subway car. So, audio with dense content may not be absorbed as well as if the same content were printed in a paper book – which can still be read on a subway car, but not likely while walking. Podcasts became distributed more widely as they became easier to download on smartphones, which people physically carry around. 4. Social The Social characteristics of a medium are the ways in which the medium facilitates interactions amongst people. In the age of social media, these interactions affect creation, consumption, and distribution, in concert. Algorithms that drive distribution on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are designed to distribute a piece of content based upon its engagement. Much of that engagement is social. If you comment on, like, or share a piece of content, that social interaction leads to further distribution. Additionally, the level of privacy involved in consuming or sharing content has social consequences. You may be reluctant to even “like” certain content, for fear of who might see. But you might share the same content with a close friend through a text message – so-called “dark social” – or even a dinner conversation. 5. Psychological The psychological characteristics of a medium are the ways in which a medium interacts with human psychology. Cognitive biases affect the way people interpret a piece of media, and media platforms are designed to exploit these biases. For example, variable rewards make social media platforms habit-forming for both consumers and creators. You never know when you'll find something incredibly valuable during a social media session, and as a creator, you're always checking to see if you've gotten more comments and views. To go back to our example of a journalist paid by the page view, incentives may motivate them or the newspaper at which they work to cover more natural disasters, shark attacks, and terrorist attacks, which grab people's attention as a result of the availability heuristic. Here's a sampling of how these five characteristics shape various mediums. Podcasts 1. Incentive There are two main ways podcast creators make money: either have a lot of listeners and sell sponsorship, or have few listeners, but make money on some kind of “back-end” business. It's very hard to get new listeners for a podcast, for reasons that will be clear when we analyze the other mechanics, so this motivates many podcast hosts to do “swaps,” wherein hosts interview one another on each other's podcasts. 2. Sensory Many listeners listen to podcasts alone, through headphones. Audio can't be rewound as easily as someone can re-read, so the content should present simple ideas with simple language, and storytelling can keep the listener engaged. 3. Physical Listening to a podcast doesn't engage much of your physical body, so listeners may be doing nearly anything while listening. They could be driving, showering, or doing household chores. With AirPods, they could even be hitting golf balls. Listeners may be in distracting situations, so again, the mechanics of the podcast medium lend themselves to simple ideas presented through simple language, and strong storytelling. 4. Social A podcast host makes an intimate connection with a listener because they're often talking right into the listener's ear, often while they're alone. In this way, the host becomes like the internal monologue of the listener. This is part of why there are so many podcasts despite it being so hard to attract new listeners. This intimate connection can attract new customers and clients for high-ticket items, and advertisers are willing to pay a lot per listener, especially when the host reads the ads. It's hard to attract new listeners to podcasts, because podcasts don't lend themselves well to social consumption and distribution. Podcast listeners are usually physically occupied when listening, and unlikely to engage through likes, shares, and comments. These features aren't available in most podcast-listening apps, since podcasts are distributed through decentralized feeds that can be captured by one of many such apps. Podcast content can be several hours long, with the information presented in the disorganized form of a conversation. Even when pieces of a podcast are presented as clips on social media, there are a few formidable barriers to such clips attracting listeners: Editing long-form content to be interesting in short-form is difficult, audio content has trouble competing with other content on social media feeds, and social media is often consumed in contexts in which it's not convenient to download and listen to a podcast. 5. Psychological Podcast producers take advantage of the ways in which audio content can affect the psychology of the listener. Narrative podcasts use music and storytelling to manipulate listeners' emotions and build suspense and engagement. Compelling podcast interviewees know how to talk passionately and persuasively in a way that will excite listeners. Still other podcast hosts deliberately speak in an unpolished way, to make their shows feel more like listening to a friend. Twitter 1. Incentive On Twitter, journalists can build followings, which can help them get more page views, which can help them either get paid more, or not rely on their employers at all. Entrepreneurs can grow their businesses. Writers, such as myself, can test out ideas. People, generally, can be entertained, or feel as if they're heard. Twitter is still primarily an ad-supported platform, so more engagement with the platform means more ad revenue. While I presented above an example of a social media platform presenting articles with click-bait headlines, the incentive characteristics of Twitter also work against this. If you were to click on a link, you would leave Twitter, where you could no longer be served ads. So tweets that are just links get less distribution. 2. Sensory Twitter is primarily text, which is supposed to be the form of media most-capable of communicating the truth. Yet anyone who has used Twitter has noticed there is a lot of sensational content, with lots of arguing and fighting amongst tribes. How can this be? Since Twitter is mostly a collection of snippets of text, which can be easily skimmed, it puts people in a “hunting” mode. Unlike reading a book, where the sensory experience locks you into the progression of ideas presented by the author, on the Twitter timeline, the sensory experience is like scanning the landscape for the gazelle in the grass, or the tiger in the bush. 3. Physical Many Twitter users consume its content on their phones. They're looking at their hands, often slouched over with neck craned downward. This is a posture that makes you more close-minded and negative, as opposed to say, standing up, with a monitor at eye-level, and shoulders back while typing on a split keyboard. Users can be in a variety of settings, such as on public transport, or even crossing the street. On Twitter, consumption and creation can be physically the same, which lends itself to off-the-cuff and often reactionary or poorly-thought-out content. So content creators on Twitter who do the majority of their thinking away from the app, and put intention into their creation process, are essentially practicing attention arbitrage. 4. Social Twitter has followed the lead of platforms such as TikTok, and decoupled the distribution of content from the follower relationship, in lieu of a feed driven by engagement or relevance of topic. Still, the number of followers greatly influences distribution on Twitter. Thus, savvy Twitter creators know they have to be active “reply guys” – replying to tweets on related accounts – until they gain a following. Besides followers and the ever-more-rare retweet, the biggest driver of distribution on Twitter is replies. Therefore, tweets that drive conversation get more distribution. Ironically, if a tweet is clear and factual, it won't get as much distribution as if it is unclear and controversial. So, creators who are either unintelligent in a lucky way, or savvy and machiavellian enough to feign ignorance, see great distribution through “fake takes,” or expressing with great confidence a simplistic opinion people will argue over in the replies. 5. Psychological Almost all activity on Twitter is public by default, so this creates a media environment with a bias toward behavior that's either prosocial or tribal. There can be social consequences for merely following someone or liking one of their tweets. There's a lot of what Timur Kuran calls “preference falsification” on Twitter, to signal that one is part of a tribe. The only characteristic that counters this is that expanding a tweet or media within a tweet is private, so this private engagement can help somewhat the distribution of content people may not be comfortable supporting publicly. TikTok 1. Incentive Many creators are attracted to TikTok because it's a platform where it's possible to have a lot of success very quickly, and seemingly for no good reason. You can get tens of millions of views just dancing in front of your bathroom mirror. TikTok is an ad-supported platform, so the platform distributes content that will overall increase the time spent on the platform. Yet TikTok overall has a more-positive vibe than Twitter. We'll get to why. 2. Sensory If the sensory experience of Twitter puts the viewer into “hunting” mode, the sensory experience of TikTok is more like the campfire. You're not skimming a vast sea of text. Instead, you're immersed entirely in a video – at least for a moment. You're often face-to-face with a person talking. It's harder to get angry with someone when you're looking right at them. This campfire instead of hunting experience makes content on TikTok more positive than on Twitter. But you're not immersed in that video for long. Users can quickly swipe and be immersed in the next video. So, there is a lot of pressure for creators to create content that grabs the attention of the viewer. It's not unusual, when looking at an engagement graph on a TikTok video you've created, to see a note informing you there was a drop in viewership at the one second mark. This is part of why TikTok has a reputation for being all about looks. Indeed their new “Bold Glamour Filter” reshapes women's faces to an astounding degree (yet they still have nothing for my gray beard hairs). 3. Physical TikTok, like all social media, is primarily consumed on a mobile phone. So consumers may be in any of a variety of settings, including highly distracting environments where they don't have control over sound. So, TikTok videos present simple ideas, presented quickly, and videos with captions perform better, as viewers may have audio off. However, there is some incentive for creators to present complex data associated with their simple ideas. If you flash a data-rich graphic in a TikTok video, viewers will try to pause it, which is a signal of engagement for the TikTok algorithm. You'll do even better if the graphic flashes so quickly it can't be paused the first time. The viewer will have to let the video play again, to once again attempt to pause at the right time. For example: @davidkadavy Time multiplying helps you create more time. Credit: Rory Vaden #timemanagement #timemanagementhacks #timemanagementskills #xkcd ? original sound - ???David Kadavy 4. Social Since pausing or rewatching a video signals engagement to TikTok, dance videos have performed well on the platform. Consumers can become creators and post “duets”, in which they perform a dance next to its originator. Of course you have to watch the video many times to get your dance moves right, which signals engagement. This physical bias towards dance videos, helped along by the social characteristics of TikTok, may also contribute to its more-positive vibe. Like anywhere many humans congregate, there is still some negativity on TikTok. But if you're going to be explicitly negative, you're going to have to show your face. Comments are limited to 150 characters. Beyond that, you can make a reply video, a “duet” – such as in dance videos, or a “stitch,” where you place your video at the end of the video you're responding to. 5. Psychological Because simple videos that viewers re-watch get more distribution, videos on TikTok resist the sense of closure humans have been used to since at least the time of Homer. If you summarize what you've covered at the end of a video, your engagement will drop and you'll get fewer views. So videos don't have the satisfying end we're used to. Some creators make their videos “loop,” wherein the final thing said connects to the first thing, which hypnotizes the viewer into watching again. This being an article, it's not bad for me to take the time to present a conclusion. That's my overview of what I believe to be the five characteristics that shape the mechanics of media, and how those mechanics shape the mediums of podcasts, Twitter, and TikTok. The next time you're creating something for a medium, or feeling highly-persuaded by a piece of media, take time to think about the five characteristics that shape the mechanics of media. Image: Painting 1930, by Patrick Henry Bruce Thank you for having me on your show! Thank you for having me on your podcasts. Thank you to Rachel Roth at The Rachel Roth Show. As always, you can find interviews of me on my interviews page. 300 episodes! This is the 300th episode of Love Your Work. Something I haven't asked in years: Can you please rate the show on Apple Podcasts? About Your Host, David Kadavy David Kadavy is author of Mind Management, Not Time Management, The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast, his Love Mondays newsletter, and self-publishing coaching David helps you make it as a creative. Follow David on: Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Subscribe to Love Your Work Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Stitcher YouTube RSS Email Support the show on Patreon Put your money where your mind is. Patreon lets you support independent creators like me. Support now on Patreon »       Show notes: https://kadavy.net/blog/posts/mechanics-of-media/

*This episode is releasing on April 9, 2023, at dawn, Berlin time. This is in commemoration of the execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a man who stood up to the lies and deception of Hitler, and who paid for it with his life. He died at dawn exactly 77 years ago from this moment. I dig into Hitler's "Mein Kampf" to explore the mind of an early master propagandist, and how we might avoid being bewitched by another iteration of him in the future. 0:00 - Bonhoeffer Introduction15:00 - Our aversion to reading Hitler21:45 - How this episode connects with the season23:30 - Hitler's/Germany's struggle: injustice and imperialism33:00 - Racial ideology38:00 - Hitler's moral lens42:45 - Hitler's grounding of authority49:00 - Hitler the progressive51:15 - Why focus on the masses?53:30 - How to propagandize the masses59:30 - The elite are disconnected from the masses1:06:00 - How the elite propagandize the masses like Hitler1:12:30 - Ellul and Hitler's overlap1:13:45 - Importance of truth at the core of propaganda1:16:00 - Importance of polarizing groups and issues1:20:10 - Mithridatism and saturation1:20:50 - Vary forms of propaganda1:21:25 - Propaganda aims at effectiveness1:22:00 - Concluding thoughts*Correction to Holmes's quote. It is "three generations of imbeciles is enough," not one generation.  A huge thanks to Seth White for the awesome music! Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thewayfourth/?modal=admin_todo_tour YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3KlRte86eG9U40ncZ4XA?view_as=subscriber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theway4th/  Kingdom Outpost: https://kingdomoutpost.org/ My Reading List Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21940220.J_G_Elliot Propaganda Season Outline: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xa4MhYMAg2Ohc5Nvya4g9MHxXWlxo6haT2Nj8Hlws8M/edit?usp=sharing  Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4VSvC0SJYwku2U0awRaNAu?si=3ad0b2fbed2e4864 Episode Outline/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fu9uSiLBr_UZIu69_szJmJVN_TyMQBk0Lq-rtneqtBg/edit?usp=sharing  Mein Kampf: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54270.Mein_Kampf?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ovwYMtecRX&rank=1 The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61539.The_Structure_of_Scientific_Revolutions?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=e1URNvJNzt&rank=1  Amusing Ourselves to Death: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74034.Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=QflaH4J2oW&rank=1 The Technological Society: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274827.The_Technological_Society?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=rgzFLjmZo6&rank=2 Propaganda: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/274826.Propaganda?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=MJ0Jt4z7sR&rank=1 Taking the Risk out of Democracy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1120159.Taking_the_Risk_Out_of_Democracy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZxSDv6Pmbg&rank=1# Radio Free Dixie: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/448669.Radio_Free_Dixie?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=uGxfhd7aPn&rank=1 Negroes with Guns: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/591966.Negroes_with_Guns?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wQCrsAZi9K&rank=1 War is a Racket: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198259.War_is_a_Racket?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RlES4OU70M&rank=1 Ordinary Men: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/647492.Ordinary_Men?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=25su7U5vdK&rank=1 They Thought They Were Free: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/978689.They_Thought_They_Were_Free?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RWDbW6fePA&rank=1  The Art of War: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10534.The_Art_of_War?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ROLaW6yH3C&rank=1 How Europe Underdeveloped Africa: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40630.How_Europe_Underdeveloped_Africa?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=AQAMpj0Euk&rank=1 The Internationalists: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753784-the-internationalists?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=T6SzEBTOOH&rank=1 My episode on the Internationalists: https://thefourthway.transistor.fm/episodes/draft-117-independence-day-grotius-and-the-internationalists The Dawn of Everything: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56269264-the-dawn-of-everything?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=kyjUybYn98&rank=1 Sikes Picot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaPWlKv7n0Y Congolese father stares at child's severed limbs: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/father-hand-belgian-congo-1904/ Apotheosis of Washington: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apotheosis_of_Washington Marsh's Bonhoeffer: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18248389-strange-glory Bonhoeffer the Assassin: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17321394-bonhoeffer-the-assassin?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=azvmmkJ1uU&rank=1 Metaxas's Bonhoeffer: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7501962-bonhoeffer Metaxas: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/eric-metaxas-trump-bloodshed-american-apocalypse-live-not-by-lies/ Bonhoeffer: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/02/22/the-nazi-mind/  Hijacking Bonhoeffer: https://www.christiancentury.org/reviews/2010-09/hijacking-bonhoeffer  Moltke not wanting to assassinate Hitler: https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/2020-01-26/ty-article/.premium/the-evangelical-who-was-part-of-the-german-resistance-against-hitler/0000017f-e0d6-d75c-a7ff-fcdfd6010000 Bonhoeffer's "Behold the Man!": https://swordofthespirit.net/wp-content/bulwark/february2016p4.htm My Previous Bonhoeffer Episode Part 1: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a9fa9d76 My Previous Episode Part 2: https://dashboard.transistor.fm/shows/the-fourth-way/episodes/47-se5-bonhoeffer-pacifist-or-assassin/edit Thanks to our monthly supporters Michael de Nijs ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Original Air Date 1/15/2022 Today we take a look at tradeoffs that are becoming ever more evident between the advancement of mass communication and social media technologies and the ways in which those advancements contribute to the degradation of social cohesion. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Re-musing Ourselves - On the Media - Air Date 3-3-06 The late media critic Neil Postman argued in his seminal book "Amusing Ourselves to Death," that as TV prevailed over the printed word, it impaired our ability to make sense of a world of information. Jay Rosen writes the blog, PressThink. Ch. 2: Neil Postman Technopoly - C-Span Book TV - Air Date 7-10-92 Neil Postman, author of Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, spoke on the theme of his book which noted the dependence of Americans on technological advances for their own security. Ch. 3: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 1 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 The dystopian best-seller 1984 was published exactly seventy years ago. Its influence has been profound. But does it really speak to today's politico-cultural environment? Scott Stephens believes Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is a closer match. Ch. 4: The Trouble With Reality - On The Media - Air Date 5-17-17 This is a conversation between Brooke Gladstone, author of "The Trouble with Reality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time," and WNYC morning show host Brian Lehrer. Ch. 5: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 2 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 Ch. 6: Neil Postman on Cyberspace - The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour - Air Date 7-25-95 Charlene Hunter-Gault interviews media theorist and cultural critic Neil Postman on PBS' The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1995. Postman discusses new media and the "Faustian bargain" of technological change in the context of the "Information Superhighway." Ch. 7: Alexa, What's Amazon Doing Inside My Home? - Land of the Giants - Air Date 7-30-19 What's the downside to letting Alexa run your entire home? And why is Amazon making a microwave oven powered by Alexa? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on Faustian Bargains MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

On this episode: Nate and Aaron discuss the truths behind the 1985 book: Amusing Ourselves to Death. Our guest: Sathiya Sam, coach, author, podcaster, preacher's kid. “If you are unaware, you cannot repair.” There's no faith without unbelief. Knowledge is potential; knowledge with action is where real power comes from. He who is most vulnerable, heals the quickest. Learning to articulate your inner life. Prevention: confess a temptation before needing to confess a mistake. Community doesn't bring change, it sustains it. Links: The Last Relapse Book Unleash The Man Within Podcast: Podbean, Apple   If you have thoughts or questions that you'd like the guys to address in upcoming episodes or suggestions for future guests, please drop a note to piratemonkpodcast@gmail.com.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.  Support for the women in our lives who have been impacted by our choices is available at sarahsociety.com. The Pirate Monk Podcast is provided by Samson Society, a ministry of Samson House, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. To enjoy future Pirate Monk podcasts, please consider a contribution to Samson House.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.”~Saint AugustineRecord Company Executive: “Your fans are gospel folk, Johnny. They're Christians, and they don't wanna hear you singing to a bunch of murderers and rapists, tryin' to cheer ‘em up.” Johnny Cash: “Then they ain't Christians.”~From Walk the Line“I believe I am not mistaken in saying that Christianity is a demanding and serious religion. When it is delivered as easy and amusing, it is another kind of religion altogether.”~Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death“Our faith, and our discipleship, do not rest upon an oddity, but upon the rock-solid plan of the Lord of History. When we grasp the cross, we are not clutching at a straw but standing upon a rock.”~N.T. Wright, Following Jesus“Our whole being by its very nature is one vast need; incomplete, preparatory, empty yet cluttered, crying out for Him who can untie things that are now knotted together and tie up things that are still dangling loose.”~C.S.Lewis, The Four Loves“And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mobWho are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they've gotWhen they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that crossThen what about the times when even followers get lost?‘Cause we all get lost sometimes...”~Andrew Peterson, “The Silence of God”SERMON PASSAGEJohn 18:12-27 (ESV)1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

AMDG. Who am I, what is excellence, and what am I called to do here? These are three foundational questions here at Kolbe. Today homeschool graduate and entertainment professional Peter Atkinson of Relevant Radio's The Merry Beggars visits with Bonnie and Steven about his experience, his calling, and his direction. Peter shares how growing up homeschooled nurtured him an atmosphere of creativity, discovery, and wonder; what his college transition was like; and how he lives out his wonder and love of education today as a young husband, father, and professional. Turning to his current projects with The Merry Beggars, Peter reflects on the danger of measuring success by external accomplishments, the unexpected road of divine providence, and his focus on inspiring lives of virtue and showing families that virtue is lively.    Links mentioned and relevant: https://www.onthenighttrain.com/ Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death Kolbecast ep 49 Revealed through Story with Joseph Pearce Aardman Studios, creators of Wallace & Gromit   Kolbecast episodes cover a range of topics relating to school at home, the life of faith, and Catholic education. Using the filters on our website, you can sort the episodes to find just what you're looking for. If you listen to the Kolbecast via a podcast app/player, we'd be so grateful to you for leaving a rating and review. That helps us reach more listeners. However you listen, please spread the word about the Kolbecast! What questions do you have about homeschooling, the life of faith, or the intersection of the two? Send your questions to podcast@kolbe.org and stay tuned for answers. You may hear them answered in an upcoming Kolbecast episode! Interested in Kolbe Academy's offerings? Visit kolbe.org

A new study shows that “affective polarization” is on the upswing: negative feelings about enemy parties is on the increase, even if policy positions and ideology are not. What's the main drive behind the increase? Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy joins to discuss the primary factor in partisan rancor.  Morris Fiorina: The Country Isn't Polarized https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/ep-28-the-country-isnt-polarized-guest-morris-fiorina-0  Tim Carney: Loneliness is Worse for Cities Than Godzilla https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/ep-109-loneliness-is-worse-for-cities-than-godzilla/id1439837349?i=1000436493673  Amusing Ourselves to Death https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/amusing-ourselves-to-death  “The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States” https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-polisci-051117-073034  Heaton on Andrea's show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-kKDkeauj4&list=PLoGqAxLE0kqxeilRQgba67-b45UCE9tQw&index=18 

Sean Illing talks with Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan about his new book The Paradox of Democracy, which he co-authored with media studies professor Zac Gershberg. Sean and Margaret discuss the relationship between free expression and democratic society, talk about whether or not the January 6th hearings are doing anything at all politically, and discuss some potential ways to bolster democratic values in the media ecology of the present. This was originally released as an episode of Vox Conversations in July. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox Guest: Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview), media columnist, Washington Post References:  The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion by Zac Gershberg and Sean Illing (Chicago; 2022) Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy by Margaret Sullivan (Columbia Global Reports; 2020) "Four reasons the Jan. 6 hearings have conquered the news cycle" by Margaret Sullivan (Washington Post; July 22) Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan (1964) Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman (1985) Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life by Margaret Sullivan (St. Martin's; Oct. 2022) Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Gray Area by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by:  Producer: Erikk Geannikis Editor: Amy Drozdowska Engineer: Patrick Boyd Senior Producer: Katelyn Bogucki Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's that time again: We've reached The Dispatch's third birthday, and to celebrate, Jonah invites Steve Hayes back to the Remnant to discuss the state of the institution. With water in hand rather than alcohol, they reflect on The Dispatch's internal growth, its departure from Substack, and some of the most memorable events of the past year. Then, they preview some exciting plans for the future while addressing a few important questions: What sets The Dispatch apart? Will the fabled Dispatch app ever be invented? And how optimistic should we be about American political life?Show Notes:- The Dispatch's manifesto- The Morning Dispatch walks you through the new Dispatch website- Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death- James Stewart's Follow the Story- David Freedlander: “Why Republicans Stopped Talking to the Press”

What should a newsroom report on? Does journalism know its own purpose? Do we? What ethics should we live by, and why? Samarth Bansal joins Amit Varma in episode 299 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about living the examined life, and asking the fundamental questions. (For full linked show notes, go to SeenUnseen.in.) Also check out: 1. Samarth Bansal on Twitter and his own website. 2. The Interval -- Samarth Bansal's newsletter. 3. Truth Be Told -- Samarth Bansal's Food and Fitness newsletter with Shashank Mehta and others. 4. Journalists refer to themselves as storytellers. Is that a mistake? -- Samarth Bansal. 5. Why the event-oriented structure of news doesn't help in understanding how the world works -- Samarth Bansal. 6. A different way to think about Indian media -- Samarth Bansal. 7. Sugar-coated conspiracies: How ‘publication bias' amplifies half-truths -- Samarth Bansal. 8. How I approach and manage my freelance journalism career -- Samarth Bansal. 9. Thoughts and observations on data journalism in India -- Samarth Bansal. 10. Why I am relearning statistics -- Samarth Bansal. 11. The Wire's TekFog investigation: A futile search for evidence -- Samarth Bansal. 12. Indian pollsters are doing fine. Here is how forecasts work -- Samarth Bansal. 13. Lessons learnt from my 52-week workout streak -- Samarth Bansal. 14. The pursuit of truth with Samarth Bansal -- An interview by In Old News. 15. The Prem Panicker Files -- Episode 217 of The Seen and the Unseen. 16. Amitava Kumar Finds the Breath of Life — Episode 265 of The Seen and the Unseen. 17. Chandrahas Choudhury's Country of Literature -- Episode 288 of The Seen and the Unseen. 18. Rukmini Sees India's Multitudes -- Episode 261 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rukmini S). 19. The Importance of Data Journalism — Episode 196 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rukmini S). 20. Pramit Bhattacharya Believes in Just One Ism — Episode 256 of The Seen and the Unseen. 21. The Importance of the 1991 Reforms -- Episode 237 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Rajagopalan and Ajay Shah). 22. Strangers Drowning -- Larissa MacFarquhar. 23. Larissa MacFarquhar on Getting Inside Someone's Head -- Episode 58 of Conversations With Tyler. 24. Dil Dhadakne Do -- Zoya Akhtar. 25. Kapoor & Sons -- Shakun Batra. 26. Why are India's housewives killing themselves? -- Soutik Biswas. 27. Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho -- Jagjit Singh's ghazal from Arth. 28. Alice Evans Studies the Great Gender Divergence -- Episode 297 of The Seen and the Unseen. 29. Amit Varma's tweet on winning the Asian Championships of Match Poker. 30. Wanting — Luke Burgis. 31. The Life and Times of Nilanjana Roy -- Episode 284 of The Seen and the Unseen. 32. Dead Poets Society -- Peter Weir. 33. Amusing Ourselves to Death — Neil Postman. 34. Deep Work — Cal Newport. 35. Ira Glass on the Creative Process. 36. The Parable of the Pottery Class. 37. Behave -- Robert Sapolsky. 38. The Biology of Good and Evil -- Robert Sapolsky speaks to Sam Harris in episode 91 of The Making Sense Podcast. 39. Robert Sapolsky's biology lectures on YouTube. 40. The Confidence Gap — Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. 41. The Overconfidence Game -- Episode 6 of Against the Rules with Michael Lewis. 42. Men Explain Things to Me -- Rebecca Solnit. 43. ‘Let Me Interrupt Your Expertise With My Confidence' — New Yorker cartoon by Jason Adam Katzenstein. 44. Free Will on Wikipedia, Brittanica and Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 45. Free Will -- Sam Harris. 46. The Blind Watchmaker -- Richard Dawkins. 47. The CBS 60 Minutes documentary on the Indian Institute of Technology. 48. Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address. 49. A Student's Guide to Startups -- Paul Graham. 50. Paul Graham's essays. 51. Coursera and Udacity. 52. The Last Lecture -- Randy Pausch. 53. The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect. 54. The Blank Slate — Steven Pinker. 55. The Moral Animal -- Robert Wright. 56. Ezra Klein Interviews Noam Chomsky. 57. Dhanya Rajendran Fights the Gaze -- Episode 267 of The Seen and the Unseen. 58. Tamasha -- Imtiaz Ali. 59. The Turn of the Tortoise -- TN Ninan. 60. Bad Blood -- John Carreyrou. 61. Narendra Modi takes a Great Leap Backwards — Amit Varma (on Demonetisation). 62. Enabled by technology, young Indians show what it means to be a citizen -- Amit Varma. 63. Episodes of The Seen and the Unseen with Aakar Patel: 1, 2. 64. Adults in the Room -- Yanis Varoufakis. 65. Larry Summers at Harvard, Wikipedia, Twitter and his own website. 66. India's 50 Most Powerful People of 2009 -- List by Business Week including, heh, Amit Varma. 67. The theory of the interlocking public. 68. CRISPR gene editing. 69. Genetic Engineering -- Episode 165 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shambhavi Naik). 70. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz -- Brian Knappenberger. 71. I Hate the News -- Aaron Swartz. 72. Everybody Loves a Good Drought -- P Sainath. 73. Why everyone hates the mainstream media -- Andrew Potter. 74. Income Tax department raids Dainik Bhaskar premises across the country -- The Hindu. 75. Apar Gupta and Internet Freedom Foundation. 76. The Revolt of the Public -- Martin Gurri. 77. The best stats you've ever seen -- Hans Rosling. 79. Lessons from an Ankhon Dekhi Prime Minister — Amit Varma. 80. Introduction to the Human Brain -- Nancy Kanwisher. 81. Future Shock -- Alvin Toffler. 82. The Trial of the Chicago 7 -- Aaron Sorkin. Check out Amit's online course, The Art of Clear Writing. And subscribe to The India Uncut Newsletter. It's free! Episode art: ‘Reflection' by Simahina.

Sean Illing talks with Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan about his new book The Paradox of Democracy, which he co-authored with media studies professor Zac Gershberg. Sean and Margaret discuss the relationship between free expression and democratic society, talk about whether or not the January 6th hearings are doing anything at all politically, and discuss some potential ways to bolster democratic values in the media ecology of the present. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox Guest: Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview), media columnist, Washington Post References:  The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion by Zac Gershberg and Sean Illing (Chicago; 2022) Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy by Margaret Sullivan (Columbia Global Reports; 2020) "Four reasons the Jan. 6 hearings have conquered the news cycle" by Margaret Sullivan (Washington Post; July 22) Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan (1964) Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman (1985) Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life by Margaret Sullivan (St. Martin's; Oct. 2022) Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by:  Producer: Erikk Geannikis Editor: Amy Drozdowska Engineer: Patrick Boyd Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Podcasting 2.0 for April 29th 2022 Episode 83: "Pushin' Paper" Download the mp3 Podcast Feed PodcastIndex.org Preservepodcasting.com Check out the podcasting 2.0 apps and services newpodcastapps.com Support us with your Time Talent and Treasure Positioning Boost Bait ShowNotes Put us in your value split 03ae9f91a0cb8ff43840e3c322c4c61f019d8c1c3cea15a25cfc425ac605e61a4a Two very tired men Live item fuck ups Boostbot TOS hell Sovereign feeds kicking ass Hypecatcher studio ramping up Maps.fm email Podcast Standard conversation The Zen TV Experiment - adam.nz Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business: Postman, Neil, Postman, Andrew Elon Twitter authentication AVB & fire Spotify launches new fund to support independent open source projects | TechCrunch Torcon VII Announcing the Spotify FOSS Fund : Spotify Engineering Agora project Last Modified 04/29/2022 20:45:53 by Freedom Controller