Most interesting, Oleg, just a little bit long… Have you ever read Neil Postman’s book “Amusing ourselves to death”, written in 1985? It is all about that. And there was only television at the time!! One can only imagine his dismay if he could see where mankind has got to since then. But he certainly predicted it. One thing that completely amazed me, among many incredible facts in the book, was to learn that in mid-19th century America, a presidential candidate could hold the floor (and the audience’s attention, presumably) for something like FOUR hours at a stretch, before giving his opponent his turn, who would then go on for a similar amount of time. This is what people were expecting. These marathons certainly are a reflection on the intellectual aptitudes of the time. It’s like we have become a different species. And we think that we are so ‘evolved’! Well done for bringing it up.
Attention span is one thing, but instant gratification and the inability to wait are another problem: when can I see your next video????
Most interesting, Oleg, just a little bit long… Have you ever read Neil Postman’s book “Amusing ourselves to death”, written in 1985? It is all about that. And there was only television at the time!! One can only imagine his dismay if he could see where mankind has got to since then. But he certainly predicted it. One thing that completely amazed me, among many incredible facts in the book, was to learn that in mid-19th century America, a presidential candidate could hold the floor (and the audience’s attention, presumably) for something like FOUR hours at a stretch, before giving his opponent his turn, who would then go on for a similar amount of time. This is what people were expecting. These marathons certainly are a reflection on the intellectual aptitudes of the time. It’s like we have become a different species. And we think that we are so ‘evolved’! Well done for bringing it up.