Ever noticed how the politicians today are more focused on providing a negative view of the other man, the other party, than they are about talking about ideas and ideals? This is part of what Postman wants to borrow from the 18th century. It was mentally invigorating, like his others. But I feel like more time could have been given to addressing the evils of the 18th century(slavery, child labor, etc) and some of it was repeated from earlier books. Hence the 4 stars. ( )

value of ideals of the enlightenment

Neil Postman is always an incredible author. His treatise here on how the 18th Century has a great deal to offer by way of rationality in the 21st was a fascinating, and informative, read.

Neil Postman's various theses in terms of what the 21st Century looks like it will be lacking (i.e. Common Sense, Rationality, a fundamental belief in Reason and Scientific thinking) was truly prophetic of where we find ourselves today. Although we have not yet fully disposed of Childhood (one of the last chapters of his text) we seem to be fast on the way to fulfilling what it was that he preached over 10 years ago.

Postman's text should be a mandatory read for anyone entering the teaching profession. His text was informative without being boring, insightful without becoming truly pedagogic. I would recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in improving their own life and person. Beyond this, I would recommend it to anyone with a true interest in improving their perspective and that of this country as a whole. Postman should be listened to far more than he actually is. ( )

A rehash of the author's ideas, held together rather loosely and perfunctorily by the conceit of referring back to the Enlightenment as a guide to the future. All of this has been said better, elsewhere, including by Postman. ( )

The premise of this book is that the Enlightenment guys, the post-modernists notwithstanding, got it mostly right: about children, language, education, narrative and democracy. The Enlightenment can provide a roadmap or guide to helping build a rational society for the 21th century. A FaceBook review is not the place to a length critique, but allow me to say that I mostly like what he has to say, with the following caveats. I agree with him about post-modernism: it is a belief system that is adrift without a compass on just about every subject it addresses. I was amused to see that, while he distanced himself from any religious belief, he feels strongly that comparative religion needs to be taught in our schools and that faith should be part of our national "narrative" *as if* it were true!? He even cites C. S. Lewis "Abolition of Man", which presents in part the moral argument for the existence of God: without accountability to God there is no moral standard; might makes right. Postman sees the validity of this, but doesn't want to be seen as giving "religious narrative" any legitimacy. But he admits the necessity for religion's role in creating a consensus for moral judgments. But unless one believes that *in reality* one is accountable to God for one's conduct, how can that "narrative" be at all influence one's actions? The reader who is not familiar with the Enlightenment's great figures and writers will be at somewhat of a loss to follow the arguments. By necessity he must pass over them in brief. But overall, Postman is asking important questions, questions which will be answered by default if not addressed intentionally by our society. The distinction between knowledge and information and the role of the media in a digital age is especially cogent for us today.