With fall political ads still fresh in my mind, I found Postman's observations apt despite the time lapse of his writing. Certainly his comment on page 133 that "Although it may go too far to say that the politician-as-celebrity has, by itself, made political parties irrelevant, there is certainly a conspicuous correlation between the rise of the former and the decline of the latter." B. O'bama IS the "politician-as-celebrity!" (2009 product) Thinking of some of the campaign ads with a focus on the persuasive techniques we discussed today, I can find evidence of symbols (American flags stand out), hyperbole (used by both candidates), and rhetorical questions ("Who do you want to answer the 2:00 A.M. phone call?) to list just a few.
The articles? I admit I come away from them muttering to myself, "Doesn't anyone value their privacy?" If Twitter and similar technology "fundamentally changes the rules of engagement," I ask, "at what cost?" More and more tools are being added, and as an educator I'm seeing more and more students who cannot concentrate, show addictive behaviors, and who try to emulate reality TV! So, one key is media education. Help folks see the media in all its forms in a clearer, more realistic light. Use the tools wisely, but keep a balance. Got it.
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