Postman's Rhetorical Devices

Amusing Ourselves to Death may seem a small and harmless book, however if its contents were displayed on public television, it’s undeniable that chaos would result. The contents of this book are both riveting and relevant to today’s society. By focusing on the rhetorical devices Neil Postman used will help audiences better understand the intent of this book.
First and foremost, Neil Postman’s primary mode of persuasion was logos. Logos are ways of providing logical support for arguments using facts or appeal to reason. Clearly, this book was filled with facts, ranging from statistics (example on page 152), quotes (example on page 59), references to philosophers (example of Plato on page 6), and a clear description of historical events (example pages 66-67). Neil Postman clearly had the expertise to write intelligently, he was a professor and wrote an approximate 20 books in his lifetime.
Despite his obvious expertise of this cultural satire, he failed to inform the audience of his credentials, also referred to as ethos. In his 163 pages, the only mentioning of his credentials were found on page 124 where he referenced a group he was a part of, the Commission on Theology, Education and the Electric Media of the National Council of the Churches of Christ. Upon dissecting the name of the organization we can establish Neil Postman is an active Protestant man, which gives him the greatest right to expose the effects on TV on religion. However, despite his complete lack of ethos, he is still able to establish claims without a questioning of his authority.
Pathos is a device that calls out to the emotional senses of the audience. They are frequently used at the conclusion of persuasive pieces to move the audience to action. This book essentially doesn’t use pathos, based upon my analysis. However, it is of the up most importance to note that this book’s content revolves largely around human emotions and their reactions to the media.
Neil Postman was very aware of the rhetorical devices he uses. On page 74 he explains his deliberate choice of the word “assault.” Postman is very conscious of his word choice. Word choice may not be deemed an official scheme or trope, however it plays a huge role in the persuasion of audiences. In this satire, Postman doesn’t use excessive words; he uses words that say exactly what he means. This is something he should be applauded for, since his precision allows for better understanding. Postman also refers to hyperbole on page 105, which again demonstrates his apparent knowledge of rhetorical devices.
Imagery is another common literary technique Postman utilizes. Although imagery may often be associated with flowery and exquisite views, this book uses imagery in a different fashion. Imagery is used to convey his images with the audience, so they have a thorough comprehension of what he is explaining.
Antithesis is used on page 143 when Postman is exemplifying the difference between Sesame Street “learning” and school “education.” A sampling of this passage is as follows: “ Whereas in a classroom, one may ask a teacher questions, one can ask nothing of a television screen. Whereas school is centered on the development of language, television demands attention to images.”
As the audience can now clearly see, Neil Postman used a variety of rhetorical devices to convey his message. He used persuasive skills centered on logic, not emotion. His awareness of his techniques gave the reader a heightened understanding of his work. In sum, Postman’s book was filled with rhetorical devices to gently lead the readers through his complex and applicable exposition.