books-august-2025

August 2025 Reading Wrap-up

This month I’ve read:

• Technopoly, by Neal Postman
• Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neal Postman

I’ve started reading:

• War and Peace, by Lev Tolstoi

Technopoly, by Neal Postman

A book about the influence of technology on culture.

It’s premise is that, while in the past, or other cultures, it happens that a culture defines what technologies are available and allowed, in the western world it has reversed. Technology, its use and its relentless improvement has become the main culture of society.

We have replaced strong moral, religious, cultural and family values with technology.

One idea I’ve found very interesting is that technology is never neutral in its moral and social impact. For example, the invention of fire implies Man’s control over nature. The invention of the printing press led to individual empowerment and free speech. The invention of TV led to the elevation of the entretainment culture and shortened attention spans.

Very interesting read, and, despite its age, very in-line with our current tech environment.

8/10

Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neal Postman

I’ve been on a Neal Postman binge :) because it is fascinating how his books from the past century apply so correctly to current events and culture.

This book is fascinating: it describes the consequences of TV in American culture in the last decades of the 20th century.

These consequences are shortened attention spans, a culture that values entretainment higher than knowledge, and its implications on democracy and education.

It gives reasons to why popularity and short clips matter more to elections than the ideological content of each candidate. It explains why children can’t focus. It explains why we are so hooked on video-based social networks. It explains how we are Amusing Ourselves to Death.

Again, the paralels with current reality are fascinating. Beautifull read.

9/10

War and Peace

8th August

Just started reading an edition of this book that has a very long introduction to the author and historical context of the book. Apparently, lots of people consider this the best novel ever written and this introduction is really hyping me up to it, let’s see if it’s so good :)