About us
CURRENT READING LIST: Google Spreadsheet
Welcome! As the name suggests, this group aims to explore the history of ideas through some of the most influential texts in science, philosophy and literature. Each month we will choose a text or topic to read/research and discuss. The group is open to everyone and is intended as an informal way of engaging with some of the key ideas that have shaped our societies and cultures down through the centuries. No prior understanding of any of the texts or ideas is required and newcomers are always welcome!
It is not a requirement to have read the assigned text to join in the discussion. For those with less time, I will post links to abridged versions, as well as short videos and podcasts providing a general overview of the topic.
Members are welcome to suggest texts/topics and share links to resources such as study guides, podcasts, documentaries, etc.
Upcoming events
1
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman discussion
Costigan's Pub, 11 Washington Street West, Cork, CO, IEOriginally published in 1985, Neil Postman’s groundbreaking polemic about the corrosive effects of television on our politics and public discourse has been hailed as a twenty-first-century book published in the twentieth century. Now, with television joined by more sophisticated electronic media—from the Internet to cell phones to DVDs—it has taken on even greater significance. Amusing Ourselves to Death is a prophetic look at what happens when politics, journalism, education, and even religion become subject to the demands of entertainment. It is also a blueprint for regaining control of our media, so that they can serve our highest goals.
Text…
- Various formats: https://archive.org/details/amusing-ourselves-to-death-public-discourse-in-the-age-of-neil-postman-neil-postman/
Videos…
- Jared Henderson: Why we can’t focus: https://youtu.be/6QltxZ-vPMc?si=OWHAnRdpidCx0nkk
Podcasts…
- Partially Examined Life, The: Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death”: https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2021/04/25/ep268-1-postman-amusing-ourselves-to-death/
- Sideways: Appetite for Distraction: https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/m00254cn
Other resources…
- Course Hero: Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (Study Guide) https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Amusing-Ourselves-to-Death-Public-Discourse-in-the-Age-of-Show-Business/
17 attendees
Past events
74
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