The Human Modes Of Communication - 2108 Words

For Postman, the human modes of communication play an important role in terms of shaping discourse. If one can understand the role that methods of communication play in shaping culture and discourse, one can better understand how communication impacts the development and subsequent spread of culture and knowledge. Therefore, constructing an understanding of human epistemology requires an analysis of the prevalent mediums of communication within society. Postman argues that the unique nature of each form of communication controls, â€Å"†¦what kind of content can issue from such forms.†1 (p. 6) He gives the example of smoke signals utilized by Native Americans. These smoke signals could be used to convey short messages, but it is safe to assume†¦show more content†¦(p. 65) The invention of the telegraph brought about discourse for the sake of discourse, and thus, â€Å"†¦it would require the content of that conversation to be different from what Typographic Man was accustomed to.†5 (p. 65) As the telegraph rose to prevalence, so too did the spread of useless information. Information became a commodity, something that served no purpose other than to inform. Information no longer needed to serve any sort of relevance—be it social or political—it became a novelty intended to entertain and satisfy curiosity. The implication of such a shift in medium cannot be underestimated. To Postman, â€Å"By generating an abundance of irrelevant information, it [the telegraph] dramatically altered what may be called the information-action ratio.6 (p. 68) The problem with this is that society has slowly become complacent with their impotency in terms of acting with regards to the news. The news that one hears no longer has the ability to guide one’s actions, as it is irrelevant. The telegraph created a culture in which rapid, readily replaced information is desirable; and it is this shift in discourse that has created the cul tural idea that intelligence is, â€Å"†¦meant knowing of lots of things, not knowing about them.†7 (p. 70) Question IV Postman begins his analysis of the written word by giving a historical context of typography within America. Education in the American colonies was an â€Å"intellectualShow MoreRelatedTrust, Communication And The Modes Of Existence Essay1652 Words   |  7 PagesTrust, Communication and the Modes of Existence Trust is had by Agariya and Singh (2011) as the variable most used in research to explain the construction of the buyer-seller relationship, basis of relationship marketing. Authors show that trust is fully perceived by the consumer when there is a perfect alignment of competence and goodwill (benevolence) by the representative of the organization, like a employee (Crosby et al., 1990; Ganesan, 1994; Morgan and Hunt, 1994; Doney and Canon, 1997). ThatRead MoreThe Global Integration of Business Functions1134 Words   |  5 Pagescontinuously changed for improvements and innovations. The earth is not huge enough to limit human interactions. People are shifting from a world in which national economies were isolated from each other by barriers and cultures to cross border trade and investments. 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