Plaid Van

There is no shortage of critics who have observed and recorded the dissolution of public discourse in America and its conversion into the arts of show business. But most of them, I believe, have barely begun to tell the story of the origin and meaning of this descent into a vast triviality. Those who have written vigorously on the matter tell us for example, that what is happening is the residue of an exhausted capitalism; or, on the contrary, that it is the tasteless fruit of the maturing capitalism; or that it is the neurotic aftermath of the age of Freud; or the retribution of our allowing God to perish; or that it all comes from old stand bys, greed and ambition.

- excerpt from Amusing Ourselves To Death by Neil Postman WRITTEN IN 1985! If only he knew what a prophet he became.



For the record: I enjoy both these shows immensely.