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| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Amusing Ourselves to Death Neil Postman, 1986 Examines the effects of television culture on how we conduct our public affairs and how entertainment values corrupt the way we think. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Amusing Ourselves to Death Neil Postman, 2005-12-27 What happens when media and politics become forms of entertainment? As our world begins to look more and more like Orwell's 1984, Neil's Postman's essential guide to the modern media is more relevant than ever. It's unlikely that Trump has ever read Amusing Ourselves to Death, but his ascent would not have surprised Postman.” -CNN Originally published in 1985, Neil Postman’s groundbreaking polemic about the corrosive effects of television on our politics and public discourse has been hailed as a twenty-first-century book published in the twentieth century. Now, with television joined by more sophisticated electronic media—from the Internet to cell phones to DVDs—it has taken on even greater significance. Amusing Ourselves to Death is a prophetic look at what happens when politics, journalism, education, and even religion become subject to the demands of entertainment. It is also a blueprint for regaining control of our media, so that they can serve our highest goals. “A brilliant, powerful, and important book. This is an indictment that Postman has laid down and, so far as I can see, an irrefutable one.” –Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Building a Bridge to the 18th Century Neil Postman, 2000-10-10 In Building a Bridge to the 18th Century, acclaimed cultural critic Neil Postman offers a cure for the hysteria and hazy values of the postmodern world. Postman shows us how to reclaim that balance between mind and machine in a dazzling celebration of the accomplishments of the Enlightenment-from Jefferson's representative democracy to Locke's deductive reasoning to Rousseau's demand that the care and edification of children be considered an investment in our collective future. Here, too, is the bold assertion that Truth is invulnerable to fashion or the passing of time. Provocative and brilliantly argued, Building a Bridge to the 18th Century illuminates a navigable path through the Information Age-a byway whose signposts, it turns out, were there all along. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Teaching As a Subversive Activity Neil Postman, 2009-11-18 A no-holds-barred assault on outdated teaching methods—with dramatic and practical proposals on how education can be made relevant to today's world. Praise for Teaching As a Subversive Activity “A healthy dose of Postman and Weingartner is a good thing: if they make even a dent in the pious . . . American classroom, the book will be worthwhile.”—New York Times Book Review “Teaching and knowledge are subversive in that they necessarily substitute awareness for guesswork, and knowledge for experience. Experience is no use in the world of Apollo 8. It is simply necessary to know. However, it is also necessary to know the effect of Apollo 8 in creating a new Global Theatre in which student and teacher alike are looking for roles. Postman and Weingartner make excellent theatrical producers in the new Global Theatre.”—Marshall McLuhan “It will take courage to read this book . . . but those who are asking honest questions—what’s wrong with the worlds in which we live, how do we build communication bridges cross the Generation Gap, what do they want from us?—these people will squirm in the discovery that the answers are really within themselves.”—Saturday Review “Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner go beyond the now-familiar indictments of American education to propose basic ways of liberating both teachers and students from becoming personnel rather than people . . . the authors have created what may become a primer of ‘the new education’ Their book is intended for anyone, teacher or not, who is concerned with sanity and survival in a world of precipitously rapid change, and it’s worth your reading.”—Playboy “This challenging, liberating book can unlock not only teachers but anyone for whom language and learning are not dead.”—Nat Hentoff |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Amusing Ourselves to Death Neil Postman, 2005-12-27 What happens when media and politics become forms of entertainment? As our world begins to look more and more like Orwell's 1984, Neil's Postman's essential guide to the modern media is more relevant than ever. It's unlikely that Trump has ever read Amusing Ourselves to Death, but his ascent would not have surprised Postman.” -CNN Originally published in 1985, Neil Postman’s groundbreaking polemic about the corrosive effects of television on our politics and public discourse has been hailed as a twenty-first-century book published in the twentieth century. Now, with television joined by more sophisticated electronic media—from the Internet to cell phones to DVDs—it has taken on even greater significance. Amusing Ourselves to Death is a prophetic look at what happens when politics, journalism, education, and even religion become subject to the demands of entertainment. It is also a blueprint for regaining control of our media, so that they can serve our highest goals. “A brilliant, powerful, and important book. This is an indictment that Postman has laid down and, so far as I can see, an irrefutable one.” –Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk Neil Postman, 1976 Explains how to reduce ridiculous communication so that verbal behavior will not be an excessive burden. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Where Are We Heading? Ian Hodder, 2018-08-21 A theory of human evolution and history based on ever-increasing mutual dependency between humans and things In this engaging exploration, archaeologist Ian Hodder departs from the two prevailing modes of thought about human evolution: the older idea of constant advancement toward a civilized ideal and the newer one of a directionless process of natural selection. Instead, he proposes a theory of human evolution and history based on “entanglement,” the ever-increasing mutual dependency between humans and things. Not only do humans become dependent on things, Hodder asserts, but things become dependent on humans, requiring an endless succession of new innovations. It is this mutual dependency that creates the dominant trend in both cultural and genetic evolution. He selects a small number of cases, ranging in significance from the invention of the wheel down to Christmas tree lights, to show how entanglement has created webs of human-thing dependency that encircle the world and limit our responses to global crises. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Art of Steven Universe: The Movie Cartoon Network, 2020-03-03 Go behind the scenes of Cartoon Network's highly anticipated film with this unique art book! This magical deep-dive into Steven Universe The Movie is designed by Ryan Sands (Frontier) in conjunction with Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar! See preliminary character designs, witness the formation of settings and storyboards, and discover the art that shaped the full-length movie! It's a new kind of artistic adventure with with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and--of course--Steven. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Art of Controversy Victor S Navasky, 2013-04-09 A lavishly illustrated, witty, and original look at the awesome power of the political cartoon throughout history to enrage, provoke, and amuse. As a former editor of The New York Times Magazine and the longtime editor of The Nation, Victor S. Navasky knows just how transformative—and incendiary—cartoons can be. Here Navasky guides readers through some of the greatest cartoons ever created, including those by George Grosz, David Levine, Herblock, Honoré Daumier, and Ralph Steadman. He recounts how cartoonists and caricaturists have been censored, threatened, incarcerated, and even murdered for their art, and asks what makes this art form, too often dismissed as trivial, so uniquely poised to affect our minds and our hearts. Drawing on his own encounters with would-be censors, interviews with cartoonists, and historical archives from cartoon museums across the globe, Navasky examines the political cartoon as both art and polemic over the centuries. We see afresh images most celebrated for their artistic merit (Picasso's Guernica, Goya's Duendecitos), images that provoked outrage (the 2008 Barry Blitt New Yorker cover, which depicted the Obamas as a Muslim and a Black Power militant fist-bumping in the Oval Office), and those that have dictated public discourse (Herblock’s defining portraits of McCarthyism, the Nazi periodical Der Stürmer’s anti-Semitic caricatures). Navasky ties together these and other superlative genre examples to reveal how political cartoons have been not only capturing the zeitgeist throughout history but shaping it as well—and how the most powerful cartoons retain the ability to shock, gall, and inspire long after their creation. Here Victor S. Navasky brilliantly illuminates the true power of one of our most enduringly vital forms of artistic expression. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer Wendell Berry, 2021-02-09 A brief meditation on the role of technology in his own life and how it has changed the landscape of the United States from America's greatest philosopher on sustainable life and living (Chicago Tribune). A number of people, by now, have told me that I could greatly improve things by buying a computer. My answer is that I am not going to do it. I have several reasons, and they are good ones. Wendell Berry first challenged the idea that our advanced technological age is a good thing when he penned Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer in the late 1980s for Harper's Magazine, galvanizing a critical reaction eclipsing any the magazine had seen before. He followed by responding with Feminism, the Body, and the Machine. Both essays are collected in one short volume for the first time. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Future Shock Alvin Toffler, 2022-01-11 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The classic work that predicted the anxieties of a world upended by rapidly emerging technologies—and now provides a road map to solving many of our most pressing crises. “Explosive . . . brilliantly formulated.” —The Wall Street Journal Future Shock is the classic that changed our view of tomorrow. Its startling insights into accelerating change led a president to ask his advisers for a special report, inspired composers to write symphonies and rock music, gave a powerful new concept to social science, and added a phrase to our language. Published in over fifty countries, Future Shock is the most important study of change and adaptation in our time. In many ways, Future Shock is about the present. It is about what is happening today to people and groups who are overwhelmed by change. Change affects our products, communities, organizations—even our patterns of friendship and love. But Future Shock also illuminates the world of tomorrow by exploding countless clichés about today. It vividly describes the emerging global civilization: the rise of new businesses, subcultures, lifestyles, and human relationships—all of them temporary. Future Shock will intrigue, provoke, frighten, encourage, and, above all, change everyone who reads it. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: UnSelfie Michele Borba, 2017-05-23 Includes a Touchstone reading group guide in unnumbered pages at end of work. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Yawn Mary Mann, 2017-05-16 The incisive and often hilarious story of one of our most interesting cultural phenomena: boredom It’s the feeling your grandma told you was only experienced by boring people. Some people say they’re dying of it; others claim to have killed because of it. It’s a key component of depression, creativity, and sex-toy advertisements. It’s boredom, the subject of Yawn, a delightful and at times moving take on the oft-derided emotion and how we deal with it. Deftly wrought from interviews, research, and personal experience, Yawn follows Mary Mann’s search through history for the truth about boredom, spanning the globe, introducing a varied cast of characters. The Desert Fathers—fourth-century Christian monks who made their homes far from civilization—offer the first recorded accounts of lethargy; Thomas Cook, grandfather of the tourism industry, provided escape from the mundane for England’s working class; and contemporarily, we meet couples who are disenchanted by monogamous sex, deployed soldiers who seek entertainment and connection in porn, and prisoners held in solitary confinement, for whom boredom is a punishment for crimes they may or may not have committed. With sharp wit and impressive historical acumen, Mann tells the unexpected story of the hunt for a deeper understanding of boredom, in all its absurd, irritating, and inspiring splendor. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Conscientious Objections Neil Postman, 2011-06-08 In a series of feisty and ultimately hopeful essays, one of America's sharpest social critics casts a shrewd eye over contemporary culture to reveal the worst -- and the best -- of our habits of discourse, tendencies in education, and obsessions with technological novelty. Readers will find themselves rethinking many of their bedrock assumptions: Should education transmit culture or defend us against it? Is technological innovation progress or a peculiarly American addiction? When everyone watches the same television programs -- and television producers don't discriminate between the audiences for Sesame Street and Dynasty -- is childhood anything more than a sentimental concept? Writing in the traditions of Orwell and H.L. Mencken, Neil Postman sends shock waves of wit and critical intelligence through the cultural wasteland. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The End of Education Neil Postman, 2011-06-01 In this comprehensive response to the education crisis, the author of Teaching as a Subversive Activity returns to the subject that established his reputation as one of our most insightful social critics. Postman presents useful models with which schools can restore a sense of purpose, tolerance, and a respect for learning. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Creative Curve Allen Gannett, 2018-06-12 Big data entrepreneur Allen Gannett overturns the mythology around creative genius, and reveals the science and secrets behind achieving breakout commercial success in any field. We have been spoon-fed the notion that creativity is the province of genius -- of those favored, brilliant few whose moments of insight arrive in unpredictable flashes of divine inspiration. And if we are not a genius, we might as well pack it in and give up. Either we have that gift, or we don’t. But Allen shows that simply isn’t true. Recent research has shown that there is a predictable science behind achieving commercial success in any creative endeavor, from writing a popular novel to starting up a successful company to creating an effective marketing campaign. As the world’s most creative people have discovered, we are enticed by the novel and the familiar. By understanding the mechanics of what Gannett calls “the creative curve” – the point of optimal tension between the novel and the familiar – everyone can better engineer mainstream success. In a thoroughly entertaining book that describes the stories and insights of everyone from the Broadway team behind Dear Evan Hansen, to the founder of Reddit, from the Chief Content Officer of Netflix to Michelin star chefs, Gannett reveals the four laws of creative success and identifies the common patterns behind their achievement. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Media Literacy in Action Renee Hobbs, 2024-10-14 There’s never been a more important time for students to develop media literacy competencies. When students ask critical questions about the media they consume, they develop fundamental knowledge and critical thinking skills that prepare them for life, work, and meaningful citizenship. Media Literacy in Action addresses learners who are simultaneously active as both creators and consumers of media messages. At the same time, the book recognizes that everyone is vulnerable to media influence because of our dependence on the instant gratification and feelings of connectedness that digital platforms provide. To thrive in a media-saturated society, people need to ask critical questions about what we watch, see, listen to, read, and use. This book gives students those tools. Key features of the second edition: Critical examination of AI technologies, algorithmic personalization, data privacy and surveillance, and the increased global regulation of digital platforms Attention to media literacy for empowerment and protectionInquiry-oriented approach to learning that cultivates intellectual curiosity and creative expressionFull-color presentation with figures and photos to increase student engagement Each chapter includes: Media Literacy Trailblazers: Profiles of key thinkers and their theories connect students with the discipline of media literacyMedia Literacy DISCourse (NEW): Visual representations of media literacy theoretical principles help learners internalize the practice of asking critical questions as they respond to specific media examplesLearning in Action (NEW): Summary and vocabulary sections combine with Analyze, Create, Reflect, and Act activities to empower students to apply ideas from each chapter.Supplemental Materials available at www.mlaction.com: Students can review key ideas, learn about more Media Literacy Trailblazers, and watch videos aligned with each chapterInstructors can access a Teacher’s Guide of best practices, in-class activities, homework, and projects. Also available are chapter summaries, lecture slides, YouTube playlists, and test materials. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Bastard Out of Carolina Dorothy Allison, 2005-09-06 A profound portrait of family dynamics in the rural South and “an essential novel” (The New Yorker) “As close to flawless as any reader could ask for . . . The living language [Allison] has created is as exact and innovative as the language of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye.” —The New York Times Book Review One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years The publication of Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina was a landmark event that won the author a National Book Award nomination and launched her into the literary spotlight. Critics have likened Allison to Harper Lee, naming her the first writer of her generation to dramatize the lives and language of poor whites in the South. Since its appearance, the novel has inspired an award-winning film and has been banned from libraries and classrooms, championed by fans, and defended by critics. Greenville County, South Carolina, is a wild, lush place that is home to the Boatwright family—a tight-knit clan of rough-hewn, hard-drinking men who shoot up each other’s trucks, and indomitable women who get married young and age too quickly. At the heart of this story is Ruth Anne Boatwright, known simply as Bone, a bastard child who observes the world around her with a mercilessly keen perspective. When her stepfather Daddy Glen, “cold as death, mean as a snake,” becomes increasingly more vicious toward her, Bone finds herself caught in a family triangle that tests the loyalty of her mother, Anney—and leads to a final, harrowing encounter from which there can be no turning back. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Giver Lois Lowry, 2014 The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. This movie tie-in edition features cover art from the movie and exclusive Q&A with members of the cast, including Taylor Swift, Brenton Thwaites and Cameron Monaghan. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: How to Survive a Plague David France, 2016-11-29 One of The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2016 KOBO Best of the Year From the creator of the seminal documentary of the same name, an Oscar finalist, the definitive history of the successful battle to halt the AIDS epidemic, and the powerful, heroic stories of the gay activists who refused to die without a fight. Shortly after David France arrived in New York in 1978, the newspaper articles announcing a new cancer specific to gay men seemed more a jab at his new community than a genuine warning. Just three years later, he was reporting on the first signs of what would become an epidemic. Intimately reported, suspenseful, devastating, and finally, inspiring, this is the story of the men and women who watched their friends and lovers fall, ignored by public officials, religious leaders, and the nation at large. Confronted with shame and hatred, they chose to fight, starting protests, rallying a diverse community that had just begun to taste liberation in order to demand their right to live. We witness the founding of ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group), the rise of an underground drug market in opposition to the prohibitively expensive (and sometimes toxic) AZT, and the gradual movement toward a lifesaving medical breakthrough. Throughout, France's unparalleled access to this community immerses us in the lives of extraordinary characters, including the closeted Wall Street trader turned activist; the prominent NIH immunologist with a contentious but enduring relationship with ACT UP; the French high school dropout who finds purpose battling pharmaceutical giants in New York; and the South African physician who helped establish the first officially recognized buyers' club at the height of the epidemic. Expansive yet richly detailed, How to Survive a Plague is an insider's account of a pivotal moment in the history of civil rights. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: You Are Awesome Neil Pasricha, 2019-11-05 #1 international bestseller Publishers Weekly bestseller The Globe and Mail (Toronto) The Toronto Star bestseller The Vancouver Sun bestseller From Neil Pasricha—New York Times, million-copy bestselling author of The Book of Awesome series and The Happiness Equation, thought leader for the next generation, and one of the most popular TED speakers in the world—comes a revelatory and inspiring book that will change the way we view failure and help us build resilience. We are lucky. For most of us, famine, plague, economic depression, and other life-threatening catastrophes are the stuff of history books. We’re living in an era with the highest-ever rates of longevity, education, and wealth. Cars drive us home as our phones entertain us before we arrive to food delivered to the front door. We have it all! But there’s just one side effect. We no longer have the tools to handle failure...or even perceived failure. When we fall, we lie on the sidewalk crying. When we spill, we splatter. When we crack, we shatter. We are turning into an army of porcelain dolls. A rude email from the boss means calling in sick. Only two likes on our post means we don’t have friends. Cell phones show us we’re never good enough. Yesterday’s butterflies are tomorrow’s panic attacks. Record numbers of students have clinical anxiety. And what about depression, loneliness, and suicide? All rising! What do we desperately need to learn? RESILIENCE. And we need to learn it fast. Read You Are Awesome to learn: • The single word that keeps your options open after failure • What every commencement speech gets wrong • 3 ways to dramatically accelerate your ability to learn and adapt • The 2-minute morning practice that helps eliminate worry • Why you need an Untouchable Day (and how to get one) • and much, much more... Because the truth is, you really are awesome. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Harry Potter and the Millennials Anthony Gierzynski, 2013-08-15 A national survey of college students reveals connections between political opinion and popular culture. Without a doubt the Harry Potter series has had a powerful effect on the Millennial Generation. Millions of children grew up immersed in the world of the boy wizard—reading the books, dressing up in costume to attend midnight book release parties, watching the movies, and even creating and competing in Quidditch tournaments. Beyond what we know of the popularity of the series, however, nothing has been published on the question of the Harry Potter effect on the politics of its young readers—now voting adults. Looking to engage his students in exploring the connections between political opinion and popular culture, Anthony Gierzynski conducted a national survey of more than 1,100 college students and examined these connections as well as Millennial politics. Harry Potter and the Millennials tells the fascinating story of how the team designed the study and gathered results, explains what conclusions can and cannot be drawn, and reveals the challenges social scientists face in studying political science, sociology, and mass communication. Specifically, the evidence indicates that Harry Potter fans are more open to diversity and are more politically tolerant than nonfans; fans are also less authoritarian, less likely to support the use of deadly force or torture, more politically active, and more likely to have had a negative view of the Bush administration. Furthermore, these differences do not disappear when controlling for other important predictors of these perspectives, lending support to the argument that the series indeed had an independent effect on its audience. In this clear and cogent account, Gierzynski demonstrates how social scientists develop and design research questions and studies. An appendix of questions and resulting data, including graphs and diagrams, will appeal especially to instructors seeking to explain the nuances of political socialization. Gierzynski’s captivating analysis of media’s impact on political views, combined with the enjoyable Potter story details, makes for an irresistible project that social scientists can use to work a little magic in their classrooms. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Scrolling Ourselves to Death Brett McCracken, Ivan Mesa, 2025-03-31 Christian Wisdom for Our Tech-Saturated Age The rapid advance of digital technology is reshaping our world and warping our minds. The onslaught of social media and smartphones has brought an appetite for distraction, an epidemic of loneliness, and increased rates of mental unhealth. For Christians, the digital revolution has profound implications for spiritual formation and mission. How should believers respond to the theological and discipleship challenges of scrolling life? On the 40th anniversary of Neil Postman's prophetic book Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985), Scrolling Ourselves to Death gathers today's most incisive writers to think critically about the shaping power of contemporary technology. This book explores Postman's insights, connects them to the challenges facing Christians today, and turns difficult challenges into life-giving opportunities for the church. Stepping back from their screens, readers will be equipped to live faithfully, and grow spiritually, in a scrolling ourselves to death world. Practical: Includes action steps readers can use to reclaim a healthy life in a tech-saturated world Wise: Helps readers become more discerning in the way they think about and utilize technology Perfect for Small Groups: Includes discussion questions at the end of every chapter Useful for Church Leaders or Ministry Staff: Perfect for those who want to help those they lead think more carefully about technology Expert Contributors: Features insights from a wide variety of leading Christian thinkers on technology, faith, and culture |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: 7 Men Who Rule the World from the Grave Dave Breese, 1992-03 Noted lecturer Dave Breese unearths the deadly influence on our society of seven key historical figures, from the well-known Darwin and Marx to the lesser-known Dewey and Welhausen. A lively, challenging critique that prepares you to recognize and defend yourself against philosophies that just won't die. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Image Daniel Joseph Boorstin, 1964 |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Dark Money Jane Mayer, 2017-01-24 NATIONAL BESTSELLER ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR Who are the immensely wealthy right-wing ideologues shaping the fate of America today? From the bestselling author of The Dark Side, an electrifying work of investigative journalism that uncovers the agenda of this powerful group. In her new preface, Jane Mayer discusses the results of the most recent election and Donald Trump's victory, and how, despite much discussion to the contrary, this was a huge victory for the billionaires who have been pouring money in the American political system. Why is America living in an age of profound and widening economic inequality? Why have even modest attempts to address climate change been defeated again and again? Why do hedge-fund billionaires pay a far lower tax rate than middle-class workers? In a riveting and indelible feat of reporting, Jane Mayer illuminates the history of an elite cadre of plutocrats—headed by the Kochs, the Scaifes, the Olins, and the Bradleys—who have bankrolled a systematic plan to fundamentally alter the American political system. Mayer traces a byzantine trail of billions of dollars spent by the network, revealing a staggering conglomeration of think tanks, academic institutions, media groups, courthouses, and government allies that have fallen under their sphere of influence. Drawing from hundreds of exclusive interviews, as well as extensive scrutiny of public records, private papers, and court proceedings, Mayer provides vivid portraits of the secretive figures behind the new American oligarchy and a searing look at the carefully concealed agendas steering the nation. Dark Money is an essential book for anyone who cares about the future of American democracy. National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist LA Times Book Prize Finalist PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Finalist Shortlisted for the Lukas Prize |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: American Gods Neil Gaiman, 2002-04-30 Shadow is a man with a past. But now he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with his wife and stay out of trouble. Until he learns that she's been killed in a terrible accident. Flying home for the funeral, as a violent storm rocks the plane, a strange man in the seat next to him introduces himself. The man calls himself Mr. Wednesday, and he knows more about Shadow than is possible. He warns Shadow that a far bigger storm is coming. And from that moment on, nothing will ever he the same... |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Sophie's World Jostein Gaarder, 1994 The protagonists are Sophie Amundsen, a 14-year-old girl, and Alberto Knox, her philosophy teacher. The novel chronicles their metaphysical relationship as they study Western philosophy from its beginnings to the present. A bestseller in Norway. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Essential McLuhan Eric McLuhan, 2005-12-03 Brings together the key writings of Marshall McLuhan. In a communications environment transformed by the rapid spread of electronic media, McLuhans insights are fresher and even more applicable than when first written. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Teaching as a Subversive Activity Neil Postman, Charles Weingartner, 1971 |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Wild. Film Tie-In Cheryl Strayed, James Roxburgh, 2015-01 A Journey From Lost to Found. At 26, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's rapid death from cancer, her family disbanded and her marriage crumbled. With nothing to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to walk eleven-hundred miles of the west coast of America - from the Mojave Desert, through California and Oregon, and into Washington State - and to do it alone. She had no experience of long-distance hiking and the journey was nothing more than a line on the map. This account captures the agonies - both mental and physical - of her incredible journey. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Philosophy Gym Stephen Law, 2004 Where did the universe come from? Is time travel possible? Are genetically designed babies morally acceptable? If you have ever asked yourself such questions, then you have already begun to think philosophically. This book is for those who want to take the next step. Stephen Law poses questions about some of the most important philosophical issues of today - and of yesterday. Light-hearted questions about whether a pickled sheep is really art rub shoulders with more profound and time-honoured fears about whether God exists. In this radically new way of looking at philosophy, Stephen Law illustrates the problem with a story then lets both sides of the argument battle it out in clear, easily digestible and intelligent prose. And, by separating each issue into a distinct section, it is possible to dip in and out of in any order and at any time you like! |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Sex and the City and Us Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, 2019-05-07 The bestselling author of Seinfeldia offers a fascinating retrospective of the iconic and award-winning television series, Sex and the City, in a “bubbly, yet fierce cultural dissection of the groundbreaking show” (Chicago Tribune). This is the story of how a columnist, two gay men, and a writers’ room full of women used their own poignant, hilarious, and humiliating stories to launch a cultural phenomenon. They endured shock, slut-shaming, and a slew of nasty reviews on their way to eventual—if still often begrudging—respect. The show wasn’t perfect, but it revolutionized television for women. When Candace Bushnell began writing for the New York Observer, she didn’t think anyone beyond the Upper East Side would care about her adventures among the Hamptons-hopping media elite. But her struggles with singlehood struck a chord. Beverly Hills, 90210 creator Darren Star brought her vision to an even wider audience when he adapted the column for HBO. Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha launched a barrage of trends, forever branded the actresses that took on the roles, redefined women’s relationship to sex and elevated the perception of singlehood. Featuring exclusive new interviews with the cast and writers, including star Sarah Jessica Parker, creator Darren Star, executive producer Michael Patrick King, and author Candace Bushnell, “Jennifer Keishin Armstrong brings readers inside the writers’ room and into the scribes’ lives…The writing is fizzy and funny, but she still manages an in-depth look at a show that’s been analyzed for decades, giving readers a retrospective as enjoyable as a $20 pink cocktail” (The Washington Post). Sex and the City and Us is both a critical and nostalgic behind-the-scenes look at a television series that changed the way women see themselves. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: On the Question of Truth in the Era of Trump , 2020-04-28 Using a range of critical perspectives, On the Question of Truth in the Era of Trump closely examines notions of “truth in crisis” leading up to and after the election of Donald Trump. The authors explore how truth is constructed along the lines of race, social class, and gender as filtered through the self-referential characteristics of social media in particular. The authors assert that the US left has shown itself inadequate to the task of confronting right wing ideologies, which have only intensified since the 2016 election, resulting in increased mobilization of white supremacist and nationalist groups. Whether underestimating Trump by downplaying the threat of his candidacy during the primaries, trivializing the concerns of women and minorities as “identity politics,” or rushing to prioritize the free speech rights of the far-right, left academics and the media have found themselves unable to use their traditional arsenal of evidence, rational discourse, and appeals to diversity of viewpoints. The authors assert that political resistance to the right is not a matter of playful use of signs and symbols or discourse alone and has to be fought directly and in solidarity. At this point, it is clear that Trump and his supporters have not just deployed relativism as a form of strategy, but have fully weaponized it against their perceived enemies: women, immigrants, minorities, LGBTQ people along with educational, scientific, and journalistic institutions. It is hoped that this in-depth, critical dissection of truth in the current political reality will assist in the project of resistance. Contributors are: Faith Agostinone-Wilson, Mike Cole, Jeremy T. Godwin, Jones Irwin, Austin Pickup, Daniel Ian Rubin, and Eric C. Sheffield. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Death of Truth Michiko Kakutani, 2019-08-13 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the Pulitzer Prize–winning critic comes an impassioned critique of America’s retreat from reason We live in a time when the very idea of objective truth is mocked and discounted by the occupants of the White House. Discredited conspiracy theories and ideologies have resurfaced, proven science is once more up for debate, and Russian propaganda floods our screens. The wisdom of the crowd has usurped research and expertise, and we are each left clinging to the beliefs that best confirm our biases. How did truth become an endangered species in contemporary America? This decline began decades ago, and in The Death of Truth, former New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani takes a penetrating look at the cultural forces that contributed to this gathering storm. In social media and literature, television, academia, and politics, Kakutani identifies the trends—originating on both the right and the left—that have combined to elevate subjectivity over factuality, science, and common values. And she returns us to the words of the great critics of authoritarianism, writers like George Orwell and Hannah Arendt, whose work is newly and eerily relevant. With remarkable erudition and insight, Kakutani offers a provocative diagnosis of our current condition and points toward a new path for our truth-challenged times. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: Speaking to Teenagers Doug Fields, Duffy Robbins, 2008-11-04 Get ready for a crash course in effective communication. More than just a book on how to do talks, Speaking to Teenagers combines the experience and wisdom of two veteran youth ministry speakers, along with insightful research and practical tools, to help you develop messages that engage students with the love of Christ and the power of his Word.Whether you1re crafting a five-minute devotional or a 30-minute sermon, Speaking to Teenagers is essential to understanding and preparing great messages.Together, Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins show you how they craft their own messages and give you the tools to do it yourself. They'll guide you, step-by-step, through the process of preparing and delivering meaningful messages that effectively communicate to your students.Fields and Robbins walk you through three dimensions of a message - the speaker, the listener, and the message itself‹and introduce you to the concept and principles of inductive communication. You1ll also get helpful tips on finding illustrations for your talk and using them for maximum impact, as well as insights on reading your audience and effective body language.As Speaking to Teenagers guides you toward becoming a more effective communicator, you'll find that this book's practical principles will positively impact the way you view, treat, and communicate to teenagers. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Selling of the President Joe MacGinniss, 1972 |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy , 2013-07-26 Savor moments of Zen like never before, with our Senior Philosophical Correspondents The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy is revised, expanded, and updated to probe deeper than ever before the philosophical significance of the quintessential “fake” news show of the 21st century. Features significant revisions and updates from the first 2007 edition Includes discussion of both The Daily Show and its spin-off, The Colbert Report Reveals why and how The Daily Show is philosophically engaging and significant Showcases philosophers at their best, discussing truth, knowledge, reality, and the American Way Faces head on tough and surprisingly funny questions about politics, religion, and power |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: The Magazine Century David E. Sumner, 2010 The future of magazines? Murky. Their past? Glorious. How we got from there to here is told in this compelling history. It's thrilling, funny, disturbing, sad, and ultimately inspiring. And in these pages are broad and helpful hints on how we can return to glorious.---Richard B. Stolley, Founding Editor, People, and Senior Editorial Adviser, Time Inc. --Book Jacket. |
| amusing ourselves to death 20th anniversary edition: A Practical Guide to Culture John Stonestreet, Brett Kunkle, 2017-06-01 We don’t have to lose the next generation to culture. In this practical guide, John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkle explore questions including: What unseen undercurrents are shaping twenty-first-century youth culture? Why do so many kids struggle with identity? How do we talk to kids about same-sex marriage and transgenderism? How can leaders steer kids away from substance abuse and other addictions? How can we ground students in the biblical story and empower them to change the world? With biblical clarity, this is the practical go-to manual to equip kids to rise above the culture. |
AMUSING Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
May 31, 2012 · The meaning of AMUSING is giving amusement : diverting. How to use amusing in a sentence.
AMUSING | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
He told one or two amusing anecdotes about his years as a policeman. I was listening to an amusing programme on the radio , which made me laugh out loud . Some people seem to find …
AMUSING definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Someone or something that is amusing makes you laugh or smile. He had a terrific sense of humour and could be very amusing. Mildly entertaining; pleasantly diverting; causing a smile …
AMUSING Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com
causing laughter or mirth; humorously entertaining. an amusing joke. Amusing, comical, droll describe that which causes mirth. That which is amusing is quietly humorous or funny in a …
Amusing - definition of amusing by The Free Dictionary
1. pleasantly entertaining or diverting. 2. causing laughter or mirth: an amusing joke. a•mus′ing•ness, n. syn: amusing, comical, droll describe that which causes mirth. That which …
amusing adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage …
Amusing is the most general of these words because it includes the idea of being fun as well as making people laugh and can be used to describe events, activities and occasions: an …
Amusing - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com
The adjective amusing describes someone or something that makes you laugh. Something that you find amusing, like your favorite stand up comic, might be less amusing to your easily …
Amusing Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
There are some amusing [= funny] twists to the story. He's one of the most amusing people I know. It was amusing to hear her tell the story.
amusing - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
May 1, 2025 · amusing (comparative more amusing or amusinger, superlative most amusing or amusingest) Entertaining. The film has some amusing moments, but it is unlikely to make you …
AMUSING Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words - Merriam-Webster
Synonyms for AMUSING: fun, enjoyable, delightful, entertaining, funny, exciting, pleasurable, nice; Antonyms of AMUSING: tedious, boring, uninteresting, tiresome, dull, monotonous, …
AMUSING Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
May 31, 2012 · The meaning of AMUSING is giving amusement : diverting. How to use amusing in a sentence.
AMUSING | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
He told one or two amusing anecdotes about his years as a policeman. I was listening to an amusing programme on the radio , which made me laugh out loud . Some people seem to find …
AMUSING definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Someone or something that is amusing makes you laugh or smile. He had a terrific sense of humour and could be very amusing. Mildly entertaining; pleasantly diverting; causing a smile …
AMUSING Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com
causing laughter or mirth; humorously entertaining. an amusing joke. Amusing, comical, droll describe that which causes mirth. That which is amusing is quietly humorous or funny in a …
Amusing - definition of amusing by The Free Dictionary
1. pleasantly entertaining or diverting. 2. causing laughter or mirth: an amusing joke. a•mus′ing•ness, n. syn: amusing, comical, droll describe that which causes mirth. That which …
amusing adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage …
Amusing is the most general of these words because it includes the idea of being fun as well as making people laugh and can be used to describe events, activities and occasions: an …
Amusing - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com
The adjective amusing describes someone or something that makes you laugh. Something that you find amusing, like your favorite stand up comic, might be less amusing to your easily …
Amusing Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
There are some amusing [= funny] twists to the story. He's one of the most amusing people I know. It was amusing to hear her tell the story.
amusing - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
May 1, 2025 · amusing (comparative more amusing or amusinger, superlative most amusing or amusingest) Entertaining. The film has some amusing moments, but it is unlikely to make you …
AMUSING Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words - Merriam-Webster
Synonyms for AMUSING: fun, enjoyable, delightful, entertaining, funny, exciting, pleasurable, nice; Antonyms of AMUSING: tedious, boring, uninteresting, tiresome, dull, monotonous, …
