hackertube.io

College Lecture Series - Neil Postman - "The Surrender of Culture to Technology"

College of DuPage · lecture · Watch on YouTube

Futurism & technology and societyMedia, journalism & propagandaPhilosophy & ethics

What it is

Neil Postman's 1997 lecture at College of DuPage, based on his book, argues that Americans treat technology as a national religion and depend on it to solve larger human problems. It includes audience questions.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it to engineers as a skeptical counterweight to technology boosterism, especially for those building AI and consumer tech features.

  • 5 people recommended it
  • 5 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2014, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “I suggest the people working on those features watch Neil Postman's "The Surrender of Culture to Technology"”

    Suggested viewing for engineers building Chrome AI features.

    jackdoe, 2025-09 · Strong recommendation · in “Chrome's New AI Features”

  2. “There's a related video from a March, 1997 lecture, in which Postman discusses the questions.”

    Postman lecture and Q&A on information not being the problem.

    dredmorbius, 2014-05 · Recommendation · in “Neil Postman: Things We Need to Know About Technological Change (1998) [pdf]”

  3. “It specifically mentions education and how the "wiring up to the information super highway" was misguided.”

    Postman on why wiring up schools to the information superhighway was misguided.

    fkooman, 2016-06 · Recommendation · in “The Moral Economy of Tech”

  4. “if you enjoy questioning the value of technology and the impact on our society, check out Neil Postman's”

    For those questioning technology's value and societal impact.

    zulgan, 2020-03 · Recommendation · in “Ted Kaczynski's Manifesto [pdf]”

  5. “Here's Neil Postman on using technology to solve problems that no one has, linked to start at 20:03”

    Postman on technology solving problems no one has.

    blueridge, 2023-09 · Recommendation · in “Like privacy? Then smart devices are a dumb idea”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: neil postman, technopoly, media criticism, technology critique, education

Also recommended by the same people