Matthew Syed examines our collective addiction to entertainment, asking if weve been oppressed by mindless content and how we might break free
Forty years ago, Neil Postmans landmark book Amusing Ourselves to Death compared two dystopian visions those of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley and concluded that the latter had proved most prescient. Rather than oppression by Big Brother, humanity was in danger of being overcome by our appetite for distractions: technologies that tap into our basest instincts, taking away our ability to think and destroying our critical faculties.
Postmans bestseller keyed into societys fears in the age of cable TV so how much worse have things got in the age of streaming, Twitter, TikTok and the Metaverse? In this series, broadcaster and award-winning author Matthew Syed explores how were now overwhelmed by content and information, and wonders if it is making us less educated and more stupid.
Finding the earliest examples of a fear of distraction in ancient texts, historic treatises and archive sound, Matthew compares todays predicament with solutions from the past, questioning whether our current era really does represent the culmination of Postman and Huxleys prophecy. If the medium is the message, is the smartphone the most lethal medium weve had? He analyses how consumers, content creators and tech giants contribute to our information overload, and considers why it is in their interest to keep the tap turned on to full. Syed also looks at why our brains reach for escapist content and whats happening to our bodies when we do so and asks if its possible for us to consume less, but better.
Blending provocative analysis with philosophy, storytelling and rigorous journalism, this fascinating series swaps doom-mongering for thoughtful solutions, contemplating the benefits and drawbacks of our technological enhancements and pointing towards a wiser future.
Produced by Sam Peach
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