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A review by elizlizabeth
The Disappearance of Childhood by Neil Postman
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
This was a bit dissapointing since I read Technopoly and liked the insights on that one a lot. Here I feel like he takes strong arguments and somehow manages to get to the wrong conclussions. Most of the last half had me dying with laughter at how immature and superficial it was, but I would eventually like to annotate and dissect this book further because there's definitely something if I can only get behind the reactionary attitude and the USAmerican occidentalism.
Despite the arguments practically leading him to it, Postman refuses to acknowledge how the socioeconomic patterns dictate social constructs like CHILDHOOD which he spent so many pages proving to be one. At one point he concludes that "American culture is [the enemy of childhood] but it's not a forthright enemy in the sense that one might say for example, that America is against communism". Dude. My brother in christ I'm begging you to see what the opposite of communism is.
Despite the arguments practically leading him to it, Postman refuses to acknowledge how the socioeconomic patterns dictate social constructs like CHILDHOOD which he spent so many pages proving to be one. At one point he concludes that "American culture is [the enemy of childhood] but it's not a forthright enemy in the sense that one might say for example, that America is against communism". Dude. My brother in christ I'm begging you to see what the opposite of communism is.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and Misogyny
At a couple of points the author mentions lesbianism and homosexuality as taboos that must be kept from the children until they are of age.
He concludes that protecting childhood is ultimately a responsibility not of the family but of the women since they are the most apt to care and educate for children.