Blog #4

The debate between Neil Postman and Camille Paglia reflected the intellectual “struggle for preeminence between words and pictures.” While both intellectuals presented strong arguments, I felt the television perspective taken by Paglia was superior to Postman’s counter-argument for print. The successful integration of historical context into the modern day strengthened many talking points. This was shown when Paglia referenced the function of entertainment in the dialogue of Plato and Socrates. Additionally, I was able to identify with many of Paglia’s perspectives. This could be due to the fact that I was born after WWII and was therefore “formed by television.” It is difficult to remain unbiased when I was born in a generation that was defended and promoted by one debater, and scrutinized by the other. This bias however is not enough to deter my personal support for Paglia when her views simply make more sense.

A large criticism of Postman was the discontinuity of reality in television, and how it affected emotional responses. He felt that television breaks the habits of logic and thinking. Paglia however, felt that this “madness” was the same madness that is experienced everyday, therefore making television a better reflection of reality. This is the stronger argument because life is uncontrollable and random. We may plan ahead, however unexpected events often arise, revising our plans. The success of the “sitcom,” or situational comedy, is in the humorous portrayal of the unexpected. It takes the random events of everyday life and emphasizes their absurdity and often irony. In one episode of Seinfeld, a regular game of “risk” escalates into an intense competition between two characters. It ends when a Ukrainian man assaults the two on a subway because Kramer taunted Newman by saying “the Ukraine is weak.” This entertaining resolution stemmed from the over-competitive nature that is often encountered within life. Life is therefore random, it can be humorous, unfortunate, ironic, or privileged, but we continue. The discontinuity of television can be comprehended in the same manner as reality to create logic.

The remainder of this argument was how discontinuity affected a viewer’s emotional response. Postman argued that during a news report a viewer is told of a tragic earthquake, and then, five seconds later, the viewer is watching an add for soap. He felt this emotional transition was dangerous to development. Paglia however, believed that this shift required maturity. Sympathizing with every disaster would leave a person emotionally crippled. Everyday we are reminded that there is death and destruction in the world. Detachment is a necessary tool to prevent insanity and promote learning. Paglia defined wisdom as, “philosophical detachment from life’s disasters.” This detachment is the foundation for knowledge, even if it does take the form of a soap ad.

Postman argued that reading was a method of conditioning children to sit still. This would prove beneficial in the classroom by enhance learning, particularly in the areas of science and engineering. The opposing argument emphasized the changing sensory responses of children. Those who grew up with television have been programmed to access different parts of the brain when required. There are different levels to which people are naturally disposed to a sedentary lifestyle. Some are more active then others, physically, and cognitively. Those born in later generations are more cognitively active then those born prior to WWII. They exhibit “multi-layered thinking,” or the ability to apply a certain emphasis on one task while passively doing others. I am engaging in this practice currently, listening to the Goo Goo Dolls while I am writing this blog.

Both Paglia and Postman had presented their views on the way we process knowledge. It is important however, to also examine the most efficient means for presenting this knowledge. Among all the conflicting perspectives there was one point of agreement. Both thinkers felt that there is a need to, “reinforce logo centric and Apollonian sides of our culture in the schools. It is time for enlightened repression of the children.” Essentially, schools must emphasize the features of ancient Greek mythology, and the systems of thought produced by the enlightenment. Truth is currently repressed rather then objectified through logic.

The educational system of today hardly reflects the teachings of early philosophers. Higher education is far too narrowly focused in the disciplines. The standards of society have risen so that a college diploma is the equivalence of the high school diploma ten years ago. In order to excel in a field a master’s diploma is almost required. As we are more educated however, I think we lose sight of life’s discontinuity. The more specific knowledge is, the lesser the chance of encountering a different disciplinary perspective. I agree in that society should emphasize the cognitive structure of history’s greatest thinkers, and reproduce it. I fear that as society’s standards increase, the more we are simply reading a book from left to right, and going through the motions. The box that we are supposed to think outside of is simply getting bigger. Innovation and critical thinking are compromised with specialization. It is the unexpected obstacle that teaches us most efficiently.

WORKS CITED:

Paglia, C. and N. Postman. 1991. Two Cultures-Television verses Print: Communication in History. United States: Pearson Education Inc.

Political Blog #3

The most exciting moment of any competition is that when a winner is decided. The presidential election is no exception. In order to gain the presidency, a candidate must gain a total of 270 electoral votes. Many times however, networks attempt to “call” a projected winner prior to acquiring these votes. There are many consequences to this early projection, primarily voter discouragement. If voters have not yet gone to the polls when a winner is supposedly decided, they simply will stay home. This was the case in the 1980 election when networks projected Ronald Reagan was to defeat Jimmy Carter. The numbers were based on poll results from eastern states, while the western polls had not yet closed. Consequently, there was an estimated loss of 2 percent of Californian voters (Steinberg 2008). In addition to the presidential ballot, there are other important elements of legislation on the ticket. One such example would be the vote for slot machines in the state of Maryland. If voter turn out was reduced there would be a substantial loss in votes that could have shifted legislation one way or the other.

When CNN was first founded its large success grew from the 24 hour news cycle. Continuous information was being brought into the home. The network’s ability to bring the most up-to-date information appealed to the masses. Competition then developed between stations to bring breaking stories to viewers first, before all other networks. This competition has infiltrated recent elections by encouraging networks to be the first to project a winner. An early decision can create positive and negative possibilities for the network. A network’s image and prestige could be easily compromised by calling the wrong candidate. While at the same time, they could appear to have the most updated information. In the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, networks incorrectly projected the state of Florida to be awarded to Gore. A large controversy then ensued that resulted in a presidential victory for Bush. The networks were therefore wrong and have since taken steps to ensure accuracy in projecting a winner.

An article in the New York Times analyzed when network producers felt it was appropriate to share projection information with the public. All networks were having debates about how relying too heavily on exit polls could be costly. The senior vice president of CBS news stated that, “meeting the minimum threshold of electoral votes could be clear as soon as 8 p.m. At such a moment, the network could share its preliminary projection with viewers” (Steinberg 2008). ABC felt that the network might have an indication early however there is a difference between feeling and reporting that indication. NBC stated very clearly that, “When a candidate gets 270 electoral votes, they’re the next president” (Steinberg 2008). It is clear that Networks wanted to make a projection off facts, rather then assumptions, and that is just what happened.

Barack Obama obtained a commanding lead in electoral votes by gaining key states such as Pennsylvania and especially Ohio. No Republican president has ever won the office without winning Ohio, and the 2008 election was no exception (CNN 2008). The 20 electoral votes gained from this state were an important push toward the 270 required for victory. This was crucial because Ohio was a republican state that turned democratic this election, while no democratic states had turned over to McCain. The Obama victory in Ohio was projected at 9:38pm however the official winner was not announced until 11:00pm, when the 270 electoral votes were officially in. Networks displayed more responsibility in 2008 with winner/state projections. The distinction between “too close to call,” and “too early to call” was made on NBC. This allowed viewers to stay informed with many state’s numbers and make individual assumptions, without the networks providing misinformation.

There are similarities and differences that exist between the elections of today and those of our founding fathers. Election Day is in November because in rural times, crops were already harvested. Also, Tuesday was the chosen day to vote because people needed time to travel to the polls. Sunday was reserved for worship, therefore Monday was the travel day and elections took place on Tuesday. This election date has remained constant for hundreds of years. The way in which we vote however has dramatically changed. Hand written ballots have been replaced with punch cards, which were then replaced by touch screens. Technology allowed for projections to be calculated much earlier in the 2008 election. There are often “kinks” that result from using new technology. The Networks seem to have worked them out in past elections, and are now more cautious. Thankfully, this can only benefit the legislative process.



WORKS CITED:

CNN. 2008. Election Center. CNNPolitics. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ (accessed November 4, 2008).

Steinberg, Jacques. 2008. Networks May Call Race Before Voting Is Complete. The New York Times, November 3, 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/us/politics/04network.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss (accessed November 4, 2008).