Disappearance of Childhood: Introduce, Discuss and Analyze Social Literacy
Neil Postman begins his book with the poignant statement, "Childrenare the living messages we send to a time we will not see" (Postman xi).Unfortunately, as the book consistently notes, childhood is rapidlydisappearing around the world. Postman often notes children are no longerallowed to be "children," they are products of a society based more andmore on the media, and the media presents an adult world of aggression,violence, sex, and adulthood that is pervasive and difficult to ignore. Inaddition to the media pressure to grow up quickly, there is increasingsocietal pressure for children to achieve, achieve, achieve at an earlyage. Tales of preschoolers hauled around from dance class, to art class,to reading class, and finally to swimming practice are no longer simplyurban tales of wealthy excess. They are the normal lifestyle for millionsof children, who no longer have time to be children. There are many factors in this disappearance of childhood, and Postmanmaintains one of the largest factors is the American media - especiallytelevision. Watching television has become more than a pastime. Harriedmothers use television, VHS tapes, and DVDs as a modern babysitter for
Turn on the television, and turn off the world, becausetelevision tends to alter or deny thinking. This is creating a lack of socialliteracy, and generations of non-readers who lack many traits of those whoengage in a more social literacy. Viewers simply watch what is on the screen and accept it,whether it is violence, aggression, death, or sex. Viewers suspend their beliefsand turn off their brains, as noted in class viewers cannot think the sameway when they watch television, for their brains do not function the sameway. Watch any freeway, and youwill see adults gesturing wildly, swearing, driving dangerously, speeding,and engaging in all sorts of unsafe driving, with their children in thecar. Social literacy is rapidlydisappearing, and the lack of social literacy, be it reading skills orshame for public outbursts is just as rapidly helping childhood todisappear. Children no longer knowhow to learn and discover on their own, they must be led by the media. Literacy also creates a strong foundation of knowledge and individualism -or creativity. They are not encouraged to think or discover,they are simply plopped in front of the television and urged to be quiet. They become passive watchersrather than active and interactive. Postman continues, "With thegradual decline of shame, there is, of course, a corresponding diminutionin the significance of manners" (Postman 88). Postman notes, "But if we consider broadcast commercial television as wepresently know it, we can see in it, quite clearly, a paradigm of andemerging social structure that must 'disappear' childhood" (Postman 74). Children spend mostof their time sedentary, in indoor pursuits.
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