While reading the tenth chapter of Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, the reader is manipulated. Television shows such as "Sesame Street," that are generally thought of as educational are portrayed as dentrimental to a child's conception of what is proper behavior in the educational enviroment. The problem is, Postman does not spend much, or any time explaining what the educational enviroment actually is. There are a variety of underlying assumptions that Postman makes without support or merrit, leading me to believe that Postman's arguements are baseless. These lack-luster arguements filled with his flimsy assumptions and poorly thought out rational is almost proof enough that there can be entertainment that is educational, and not just by the"television style of learning"(142). At the beginning of the chapter, the assumptions appear full force.
Postman writes that "Sesame Street relieved (parents) of the responsibility of teaching their pre-school children how to read"(142). This is just ridiculous. Who is to say that the parents are not right there watching the show with their child and helping them learn to read, write, count, make friends, etc., along with these warm and playful pupets? The show becomes a fun and usefull tool in assisting the easily distracted four or five year old in learning these most crucial lessons. This completely negates Postman's views of behavior and structure in the classroom. .
According to the author, "Sesame Street" is ruining what is thought to be the "traditional idea of schooling"(143). But what is this idea of schooling, and how did it become traditional? In fact, through Postman's writings the reader still does not know what learning truely is, or what is considered educational. Postman decides to leaves these crucial pieces of information out of his arguement. .
He also tries to explain that the setting in which the child is watching television involves "no concept of public decorum," and that in a class room "fun is never more than a mean to an ends"(143).