PAC Final Exam – Sims (Questions With Complete
Answers)
Neil Postman
wrote "amusing ourselves to death"
Thesis of "Amusing Ourselves to Death"
a. The Medium of our conversations drives the content of our culture. As the
predominant medium changes, our culture changes.
b. As our medium changed away from the printed word and toward the visual imagery of
television, our culture has changed.
c. Due to the impact of television in all phases of our culture, what we know is no
necessarily related to decision-making in our daily lives.
d. What we do know is so disjointed and incomplete that what we are left with is best fit
for amusement, not for rational thought or argument.
e. Hence, we are amusing ourselves to death.
"Smoke Signals"
these can illustrate the concept that the new modern mediums are not designed to bring
about deep thought
The "news of the day"
Fragmented information that takes our attention but causes us to be concerned about
things outside our sphere of influence
How do we study culture?
idk
Media's impact on epistemology
As new media technologies come into the picture, the different ways to believe
something shift ranks (seeing, saying, reading, counting)
"Typographic America"
idk
"Peek-a-boo" culture
A culture that "makes one neighborhood of everybody" when we all see something from
far away through media
Impacts of inventions on the idea of context
The telegraph and photograph allowed information to be passed without contextual
explanation, thus capable of causing issues. Similar to newspapers and television
Entertainment
The main mode of conversation on television
"Good" television
Television that uses effective audio and visuals to draw one in
TV's influence on religion
Our expectations for worship and church have changed based on services we see on
television
Political Candidates and Television
Political candidates thrive when they are "quick and snappy", display their typical life as
a citizen, and appeal to the emotion of the viewer
, Christian response to politics & media
Use discernment with Scripture to evaluate political candidates
Ideology
A belief system, or underlying psychological structure that:
1. Some individuals use to understand political issues and develop and opinion on those
issues
2. Allows individuals to relate issues to one another and form opinions that are
consistent across issues
3. Serves as a motivation for behavior that is rationally related to the ideology itself
Economic Conservatism
Government tries to do too many things that should be left to the private sector
Social Conservatism
Government power should be used to uphold traditional values
Economic Liberalism
Government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their own
economic needs
Social Liberalism
Government should play no, or little role, in defining values and that policy should allow
for new and unconventional values to emerge without discrimination
Libertarianism
Government should be small both economically and socially
Populism
Government should be active for economic assistance and active in the promotion of
traditional values
Examples of Modern Liberalism
1. Woodrow Wilson's "The New Freedom"
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt's Economic Bill of Rights
a. Now expecting rights to a job, income, wages, trade, health care, protection, and
education
-A movement away from the founding
-A recognition that things must change
-Liberty redefined as the freedom to operate within a guaranteed set of economic
outcomes
Examples of Modern Conservatism
1. Ronald Reagan: The New Freedom II
a. We strive toward the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with an orderly society.
-The New Freedom will allow the individual to achieve whatever they wish to achieve,
without interference from government, and for the betterment of mankind.
Examples of Libertarianism
1. Murray Rothbard, For a New Liberty, 1973
a. Liberty is key
Tenets:
1) Each person owns himself, therefore "In a free society, individuals may not initiate the
use of force against any other individual or group.
2) "People in a free society may not be impeded from engaging in voluntary and
informed transactions"
Answers)
Neil Postman
wrote "amusing ourselves to death"
Thesis of "Amusing Ourselves to Death"
a. The Medium of our conversations drives the content of our culture. As the
predominant medium changes, our culture changes.
b. As our medium changed away from the printed word and toward the visual imagery of
television, our culture has changed.
c. Due to the impact of television in all phases of our culture, what we know is no
necessarily related to decision-making in our daily lives.
d. What we do know is so disjointed and incomplete that what we are left with is best fit
for amusement, not for rational thought or argument.
e. Hence, we are amusing ourselves to death.
"Smoke Signals"
these can illustrate the concept that the new modern mediums are not designed to bring
about deep thought
The "news of the day"
Fragmented information that takes our attention but causes us to be concerned about
things outside our sphere of influence
How do we study culture?
idk
Media's impact on epistemology
As new media technologies come into the picture, the different ways to believe
something shift ranks (seeing, saying, reading, counting)
"Typographic America"
idk
"Peek-a-boo" culture
A culture that "makes one neighborhood of everybody" when we all see something from
far away through media
Impacts of inventions on the idea of context
The telegraph and photograph allowed information to be passed without contextual
explanation, thus capable of causing issues. Similar to newspapers and television
Entertainment
The main mode of conversation on television
"Good" television
Television that uses effective audio and visuals to draw one in
TV's influence on religion
Our expectations for worship and church have changed based on services we see on
television
Political Candidates and Television
Political candidates thrive when they are "quick and snappy", display their typical life as
a citizen, and appeal to the emotion of the viewer
, Christian response to politics & media
Use discernment with Scripture to evaluate political candidates
Ideology
A belief system, or underlying psychological structure that:
1. Some individuals use to understand political issues and develop and opinion on those
issues
2. Allows individuals to relate issues to one another and form opinions that are
consistent across issues
3. Serves as a motivation for behavior that is rationally related to the ideology itself
Economic Conservatism
Government tries to do too many things that should be left to the private sector
Social Conservatism
Government power should be used to uphold traditional values
Economic Liberalism
Government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their own
economic needs
Social Liberalism
Government should play no, or little role, in defining values and that policy should allow
for new and unconventional values to emerge without discrimination
Libertarianism
Government should be small both economically and socially
Populism
Government should be active for economic assistance and active in the promotion of
traditional values
Examples of Modern Liberalism
1. Woodrow Wilson's "The New Freedom"
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt's Economic Bill of Rights
a. Now expecting rights to a job, income, wages, trade, health care, protection, and
education
-A movement away from the founding
-A recognition that things must change
-Liberty redefined as the freedom to operate within a guaranteed set of economic
outcomes
Examples of Modern Conservatism
1. Ronald Reagan: The New Freedom II
a. We strive toward the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with an orderly society.
-The New Freedom will allow the individual to achieve whatever they wish to achieve,
without interference from government, and for the betterment of mankind.
Examples of Libertarianism
1. Murray Rothbard, For a New Liberty, 1973
a. Liberty is key
Tenets:
1) Each person owns himself, therefore "In a free society, individuals may not initiate the
use of force against any other individual or group.
2) "People in a free society may not be impeded from engaging in voluntary and
informed transactions"
