Communication Archives

The Form and Content of Television Is Changing Society

In what ways are form and content co-dependent? How are television and other forms of content hastening the death of our culture? According to Neil Postman, the author of Amusing Ourselves to Death, we are allowing the form (television and other forms of media) to dictate the content of our public discourse. In essence, television is redefining public life, and by extension, our culture and society. Here are some examples of how form dictates content and what it means for our culture.

How to Critique a Book the Mortimer Adler Way

Want to know how to critique a book the right way? Why is it important to critique the books you read? According to Mortimer Adler, the author of How to Read a Book, your job as a reader is to determine which of her problems the author has solved, which she has not, and decide if the author knew she had failed to solve them— because there is no book that is free of fault. This is how you properly critique a book according to Adler.

History of the Telegraph: How It Eliminated Relevance

How did the invention of the electronic telegraph undermine print-based discourse? How did the inclusion of photography add to the telegraph’s assault on print culture? The electronic telegraph was invented to send messages over long distances and create the opportunity for a national conversation. But in the process, the relevance of information was undermined and newspapers started printing decontextualized information. Keep reading to learn about the history of the telegraph and how it paved the way for the entertainment era.

Project Estimation Techniques in Software Engineering

What are the different project estimation techniques in software engineering? What are some things you should take into account when estimating the completion deadline of a software development project? When you’re programming something for someone, they always want to know when it will be done. Most of the time, you won’t know exactly how long something will take, so you’ll provide an estimate instead of a guarantee. There are many methods you can use to give your managers and clients an estimation, and we’ll cover three of the options.

Print Culture vs. Modern Media: The Tides of Change

How did the print culture of previous centuries differ from the entertainment and media culture of today? How has our approach to media consumption changed over the years? The print-centered discourse of 18th and 19th century America was rational, substantive, and serious. In comparison, the entertainment culture of today is shallow, prioritizing entertainment over intelligence. Here’s how the age of print culture differed from our current-day society.

Is There Truth in the Media Anymore? Postman’s Take

Is there any truth in media? Is society so focused on entertainment that it’s removed epistemology? How has the form of culture’s media changed throughout history? As society moved from the print era to the television era, serious news has become drowned in trivial nonsense. This is worrisome because it is creating a society where the general public would rather be entertained than well-informed. Continue below for examples of truth in media from the past and an analysis of the effects of television on media.

Testing in Software Development: What’s It For?

What’s the role of testing in software development? How do developers make sure that they correctly understand clients’ requirements? In software development, testing ensures that a system works, but that’s a bonus, not their main purpose. The most important purpose of a test is to communicate, specify, and document how a system is supposed to work and how it actually works. In this article, we’ll first look at acceptance testing, which is the main type of testing in software development. Then, we’ll look at how acceptance tests fit into the broader discipline of testing.

Assertive and Aggressive: Know the Difference

What is the difference between assertive and aggressive communication? What can you do to avoid being aggressive? How can this help you to avoid conflict? The difference between assertive and aggressive communication is whether you are in control of your emotions. Another key difference between assertive and aggressive communication is how you present your message. In The Chimp Paradox, Steve Peters says that aggressive behavior is caused by your emotional inner Chimp taking over. Read on to find out the key differences between assertive and aggressive communication and what this has to do with your inner Chimp.

Inspectional Reading: Understanding Key Points

How can inspectional reading help you comprehend a book better? How do you read inspectionally? Mortimer Adler’s book How to Read a Book describes inspectional reading as the second level of reading. At this level, a reader can understand the main concepts of the book by skimming it and reading its high-level content. Learn how you can understand a book in just 15 minutes with inspectional reading.

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Quotes by Neil Postman

What are the best Amusing Ourselves to Death quotes by Neil Postman? Do Postman’s observations from 1985 still hold true today? Although Postman’s book Amusing Ourselves to Death was published over thirty years ago, the messages still hold true today, if not more than ever. Postman warns us of a world that is more focused on entertainment than truth and value. Continue reading for some of Neil Postman’s quotes from Amusing Ourselves to Death.