Rating: 
Summary: In the end, it's worth reading
Review: Postman at times presents some very weak arguements, but he does cause the reader to think, and at the end of the book, he finally comes across as a rational man with a worthy cause. I highly recommend this book. Postman makes great use of the english language, and his point is worth pondering.
Rating: 
Summary: What would Postman say on this subject today?
Review: Postman discusses "technopoly", as technology's totalitarian grip on our culture. His arguments are sensical if not all convincing, and in buying technology's ills he tends to discount its advantages. He urges readers to "maintain an epistemological and psychic distance from any technology, so that it always appears somewhat strange, never inevitable, never natural." With humans endowed with large brains,keen eyesight,and hands with opposible thumbs, I cannot see how the evolution from tools to today's advanced technologies, is anything but inevitable and natural. In Postman's advice to educate focusing on the continuity of culture, he appears inflexible to the communications revolution where perhaps people have more venues to escape alienation and discontinuity of everyday life.Nonetheless, I enjoyed the read, and would recommend it for those wishing to explore the connections between technology and culture. What would Postman say on this subject today?
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting ideas that have little to do with technology
Review: Postman discusses things that he finds wrong with the world, but there is very little connection between these ideas and technology. However, if you're interested in these things, then parts of this book might be a good read: * why opinion polls are not useful (Chapters 5, 8); * why efficiency and progress are not worthy goals (Ch. 3); * why human qualities cannot be ranked or measured (Ch. 1, 8); * why statistics do not often reflect reality (Ch. 8); * whether or not social science is really a science (Ch. 9); * why you should distrust medical doctors (Ch. 6); * why traditions and religious narratives should not be thrown away (Ch. 3, 9, 10); and * how education could improve society (Ch. 11).
Rating:
Summary: Some good ideas
Review: Postman has written two hand-wringing books about the impact of technology on culture--this one and his earlier Amusing Ourselves to Death. This book extends his thesis from just television to other media and includes some additional material, such as a chapter on Scientism (criticizing too much faith in science as the answer to every question) and a chapter on The Great Symbol Drain (about the cheapening of our sacred symbols, as for example, using a reference to God to sell Kosher hot dogs). There are a number of good points in the book, but if you will read Amusing Ourselves to Death for the "technology determines culture" argument and David Shenk's Data Smog for the current look at infoglut, you'll have a more interesting and perhaps more informative experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Refutation of our sold-out on technology culture
Review: Postman is an amazing, independent thinker and reflector on our culture. From education to media to technology, Postman is impressive in his insight into the trends and movements that pervades our times. This volume focuses on science and technology taking over much of culture. It's an easy transition of our times to assume that someone that is brilliant enough to make a rocket engine is capable of rendering educational decisions and spiritual ones. Postman thus becomes as he states: "a dissenting voice .. to moderate the din made by enthusiastic multitudes." This will lead many on to further thought and investigation on a key aspect of our times which should not be overlooked.
Rating:
Summary: He's well versed and funny, but I wouldn't read this.
Review: Postman's Technopoly has some very interesting, well written ideas, but the problem with Postman is his refusal to recognize the advantages of technology, he's simply too one sided to be useful. When reading Postman, you get this feeling that he really wants everyone to go back to the Stone Age. It also rubbed me the wrong way when he talks about how technology has unexpected consequences, and then makes a huge deal about how we should restrict technology because of that reason. The flaw in this peticular argument is that everything has unexpected consequences. It's like saying you shouldn't leave your house because you might die in a car accident as an unexpected consequence.
In conclusion, he has some interesting ideas, but this guy isn't to be taken too seriously. His logic is questionable in some places and he's way too one sided to be useful.
Rating:
Summary: Technology is not enough
Review: Technology can be a blessing but it can also be a curse. Neil Postman explains why, in a quite sophisticated and honest way. The book is easy reading and very interesting. It makes you think a lot about important social, cultural, and psychological issues.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry people nothing to see here!
Review: Technopoly is very disappointing. I read Amusing Ourselves to Death and immediately loving it, I ordered everything else I could find by Neil Postman. Im sorry I did it, and I will never order other books by an author based on what I read in one book again. In this book you will find such craziness as why the medical profession would be better off with less technology because it ruins the doctor-patient relationship. Well, next time Neil Postman needs a triple bypass he can go and worry about it somewhere with poor technology in order to enjoy his friendly doctor-patient relationship. The technology of the world has done plenty of harm to the world, but this book will not tell you many legitimate reasons why or how. Stick with Amusing Ourselves to Death and save yourself some money and a few hours you will never get back.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Analysis of Technology Usage
Review: The best thing to understand about this book is that Postman doesn't hate "Technology" or condemn it. He isn't a Luddite or anything. He shows that "Technology" is very useful in solving problems while it often times creates other problems. I am a student majoring in Information Technology while concentrating in Database Design and Implementation. I love technology and it is definitely what I want to do. But, books like Postman's keeps you focused on what the real purpose of technology is. Postman touches on the fact that we are drowning in our own information. In history there has always been outlets for information. Knowledge was sacred and only passed on through certain avenues. This involved churches, schools, apprenticeships, etc. Now with the revolution of a Global Community, the transfer of data is instantaneous and removed from its context. This is a very good book. Postman writes with a fluid intellectual tone. I have just ordered another one of his books "The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School". I feel that with the change in how are world is viewed and how we view ourselves within that context, it is important to discuss something such as education because it will surely be drastically affected by this change.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly written analysis of relationship with technology
Review: The book describes a history of the impact of technology on human culture. It describes why American culture has a deep confidence in technological solutions, even if the problems are more readily solved by simple non-technological changes. Postman is consistently insightful in his disection of why we have the relationship with technology that we do. Highly recommended for anyone that works in the technology industry.
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