Das Verschwinden der Kindheit

by Neil Postman

Das Verschwinden der Kind...

by
Neil Postman

book data

207 ratings, 3.91 average rating, 31 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		29%
4		39%
3		23%
2		4%
1		1%

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published

1986 by Fischer (S.), Frankfurt (first published 1982)

details

Broschiert, 192 pages

isbn

3100624068 (isbn13: 9783100624062)

description

From the vogue for nubile models to the explosion in the juvenile crime rate, this modern classic of social history and media traces the precipitous d

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 350)

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Nov 03, 2008

Katie rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in October, 2008

Interesting, and not terribly encouraging. I wish there were a 21st-century update. Writing in the early 80's (updated in 1993), Postman observes that children are being treated like little adults, and adults are beginning to act like children. Pubescent girls are held up as sex symbols in advertising; children's games (hide and seek, hopscotch) are disappearing and being replaced by professionally organized sports leagues; grownups wear jeans and sneakers to the office and pepper their speec...more Interesting, and not terribly encouraging. I wish there were a 21st-century update. Writing in the early 80's (updated in 1993), Postman observes that children are being treated like little adults, and adults are beginning to act like children. Pubescent girls are held up as sex symbols in advertising; children's games (hide and seek, hopscotch) are disappearing and being replaced by professionally organized sports leagues; grownups wear jeans and sneakers to the office and pepper their speech with teenage slang.

To explore this, he traces childhood as a social phenomenon beginning with the invention of the printing press in the 15th century and the rise of widespread literacy, which created a world of adult "secrets" contained in books, to which children could be initiated only slowly as they learned to read. Literacy is not natural to humans, Postman argues; it takes self-discipline, the ability to sit still for long periods and concentrate and practice. Before moveable type, almost no one could read well, and knowledge was oral. After moveable type, fluent reading became an adult skill, and the world of adults became separate, while the world of children developed its own culture, language, and style. Children became seen as a special group requiring protection, and that protection included special clothing, special places (schools), and sheltering from certain kinds of knowledge (such as particular words and sexual knowledge).

The breakdown began with electronic communication, which made knowledge transmission more rapid, and Postman sees it as complete with television, where images entirely replace the need for literacy. Watching TV requires no skill nor even a decent attention span. (And this was 25 years ago.) A child watching TV can know everything about the world that an adult knows--sex, violence, commercialism, dirty words.

Postman saw a possible hope in computers, which, he noted, took skill and a kind of language to program. This was before Windows and the World Wide Web. I wonder what he would say now? It seems to me that everything he observed in 1981 has increased exponentially. Little girls are getting bikini waxes and 5-year-old boys go to soccer camp. More 18 to 35-year-olds watch the Cartoon Network than watch CNN, although one could argue that, these days, CNN is the Cartoon Network. There are kickball leagues for 40-year-olds, who apparently have nothing better to do. Is this disappearing childhood or flattening maturity?

If Postman is right about the reasons for disappearing childhood, then I think he may be right that it is inevitable. The question is, is there a way to protect children? We know what the medievals did not--that the minds and brains of humans between the ages of 7 and the mid-twenties are vulnerable; that they need certain kinds of nurturing; that they are not ready for adult decision-making or emotional independence. And yet we are asking them to take on just that kind of responsibility.(less)

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Oct 15, 2008

Josh rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in October, 2008

Somewhat dated - it was written in the very early 80's and revisited in the early 90's - this book none-the-less tells the simple tale of both the rise of the Western concept of Childhood (and by consequence, the concept of adulthood too) with the emergence of modern communication technology; in the first instance, the printing press.

The irony presented is that as we grew in terms of a rational, pluralistic and individualistic society, we created - but now risk rapidly abandoning - t...more Somewhat dated - it was written in the very early 80's and revisited in the early 90's - this book none-the-less tells the simple tale of both the rise of the Western concept of Childhood (and by consequence, the concept of adulthood too) with the emergence of modern communication technology; in the first instance, the printing press.

The irony presented is that as we grew in terms of a rational, pluralistic and individualistic society, we created - but now risk rapidly abandoning - the period of human life known as "childhood". It seems to have risen as a result of, then contracts as a result of technology.

The essence of the dissertation is that as we abandon our gains in literacy and critical thinking through ever-dumbing and anti-personalizing media (first with the telegraph, then radio and television, and now the internet), we diminish the distance and secrets of adulthood, the need for an orderly attainment of skill and literary mastery.

Whereas the printing press made the explosion of thought and ideas more prevalent, there was still a level of achievement needed before one could exploit its secrets; i.e., literacy. Now, through television, advertising and (not yet mentioned in this dated book, but covered in its very infancy with hope) computers we have reduced the idea of literacy back to the more dated and simplified use of icons and images.

As childhood disappears, so does the concept and obligations we think of in terms of "adulthood". And with the rise of the narcissistic culture, extreme individuality, the adoption of childlike speech, ideas and thoughts; with the contraction of the multi-generational family; the rise of the woman in the work-force (this is the most dated part of the book, and as a stay-at-home father I greatly disagree with his assertions here, but it was written in another time...); the rise of organized sport over unorganized play; the decline of the education system; the rise of juvenile crime treated as adult crime - all of this lends to the disintegration of childhood and adulthood as separate cultural ideas.

Mr. Postman does not offer answers, but rather closes with questions. And even as this book is dated, his concerns continue to become more urgent and timely.

An interesting read. (less)

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Jun 06, 2008

booklady rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: 1990s, children, family, philosophy, psychology, young-children, youth

Read in March, 1997

recommends it for: any parent

I like Postman. I think I've read most of his books. I've learned that I frequently agree with what he writes--to the ire of many no doubt. He is a critic and has won the George Orwell Award for Clarity in Language by the National Council of Teachers of English. Okay, I know, awards don't always signify, but in this case, I have no doubt he earned it. He writes with a clarity and conciseness I struggle not to envy.

The theme of The Disappearance of Childhood is that our culture ...more

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Sep 19, 2007

james kyong rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in September, 2007

Aside from my recent Postmanophilic symptoms, I was initially interested in reading this book because of my observations concerning children in society today. The issue hooked me with how problematic the idea of authority was to children (and indeed to adults). As a second generation Asian American, my perspective on parental authority led me to become extremely uneasy with the way that children and being raised today.

Postman offers an unexpected reason why childhood is disappearing....more Aside from my recent Postmanophilic symptoms, I was initially interested in reading this book because of my observations concerning children in society today. The issue hooked me with how problematic the idea of authority was to children (and indeed to adults). As a second generation Asian American, my perspective on parental authority led me to become extremely uneasy with the way that children and being raised today.

Postman offers an unexpected reason why childhood is disappearing. He first starts out by saying that childhood was conceived after the printing press was invented, that the idea of children needing to learn a skill like reading separated them from the adults who had already acquired this skill (presumably), as opposed to the medieval societies that hardly made any distinction between children and adults.

Postman then says that childhood is now disappearing because the two institutions that had fostered the development of the idea of childhood are being dismantled: parenthood and schools. This happens because the 'authority' is taken from adults and educational institutions and instead are now given to technologies such as television. Television, by virtue of its medium-nature, does not discriminate against children and adults in the sense that there is no real skill required to watch TV. Therefore, combined with the prevalence of the medium, television is taking authority away from parents and schools and giving anyone who watches TV knowledge about every conceivable topic, including those which adults used to consider shameful for kids to know at their age. There are, of course, programs catering to children, but by and large information transmitted through television are being watched by all ages, thereby eliminating the need for a special period in time to develop certain skills in order to be considered a full fledged adult. In other words, nothing is considered taboo or sacred enough for children's ears, and what is happening is that the special period we once called childhood is rapidly disappearing, and being replaced by a hybrid adult-child who exhibits some characteristics of both stages.

Whatever one can say about Postman's idea that childhood was invented as opposed to always existing, there can be no doubt that there is a thinning of that line between the functions and even appearances of children and adults. The consequences of these I'm sure we have all witnessed in teen pregnancies, teenage crime, teenage entertainers, the breakdown of the traditional family, a disillusionment with education, the sexual abuse of underaged children, and the like of which is reason enough to consider being informed about issues the very least that we can do.(less)

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Mar 04, 2009

John rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Owns a copy — Read in January, 2009

Another great book by Postman. He argues that new communication mediums--particularly television are eroding the notion of childhood--something that was developed shortly after the printing press. The idea of childhood is one of the most humane inventions of mankind and its loss will lead to the dissolution of a civil society.

Highly recommended!

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Jun 11, 2009

William rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Got to be one of the most important books on child development...by a writer who puts together those, "How the heck did he do that" sentences. Worth reading, then re-reading to get it all. What book about childhood development starts with a history of the printing press. Money!

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Dec 29, 2007

Stacy rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in December, 2007

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 18, 2008

Adria Tingey rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in March, 2008

Not my favorite Neil Postman, but still so many, many things to think about. I agree with his major premises but I think that a more accurate description of what is going on in the US today would be called "The Disappearance of Adulthood." He does go over this idea too, and I agree with what he says. In my recent research on education, I have searched for the author who would say "home-school is not the true way," so that I could claim I had read both sides. I think I hav...more

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Nov 10, 2009

Jush rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in September, 2009

This book gives the fascinating history of childhood. Further, he explores the place that the invention of the printing press, literacy, television and beyond play in childhood. He calls for parents to raise an elite group of children who can read!

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Dec 05, 2008

Braven Greenelsh rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Another great book by Neil postman. This traces the historical and cultural development of childhood. Postman argues that we can foresee the disappearance of childhood today due to some huge aspects of our culture, namely in the media.

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Nov 18, 2009

Jenny added it (review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: nonfiction

Read in December, 2009

After reading this I've decided I am not a fan of Neil Postman books. This is the second one I've read (so maybe I have picked only bad ones) and I feel like in The End of Education as well as this book he exaggerates and treats the negative minority of a subject as the norm. I know he is educated, but I don't consider his works helpful or scholarly in the education or family science field.

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Apr 09, 2008

Elizabeth rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: my-books-read

Read in August, 2008

recommends it for: child psychologists, teachers, parents, conservitism is a plus

Although I don't agree with EVERYTHING that was written (because I do seem to lean more towards the "liberal" side of things), I still give this book four stars, because of the way it was written. This book does raise some thought, and gives very interesting historical and psychological facts. The author did repeat himself, quite a few times, regarding the television, which did get "old" at times. I'm very glad I picked this one up, because I have learned a lot and my mind...more

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Apr 04, 2009

Scott rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in July, 1997

Wonderful discussion on the trends of childhood.

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Jan 06, 2009

Kristi rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: child-development, never-finished

This isn't what I thought it would be. The first chapter bored me and I don't know that I buy into the authors claims. Oh well. Win some, lose some.

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Nov 18, 2009

Gordon rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: school

Read in January, 2010

Really a wonderful book. It, as usual adds information I never thought about (the living conditions of the Middle Ages and the assertion that childhood did not exist in that oral age) while going toward the birth, uneasy growth and death spiral of childhood in our modern age. This book is by a master, now regretfully gone, who thought about his age and about education. I can't put it down.

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Feb 26, 2009

Aoife rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in April, 2009

Interesting, if somewhat outdated. It was a lot briefer than I expected so there wasn't as much detail as I would have hoped, or sociological data. All the stuff about the printing press was interesting, but perhaps took up too much space in a book that was less than 200 pages total.

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Sep 30, 2008

earthy rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: nonfiction

Read in September, 2008

Interesting topic with some intriguing ideas about the connection between the social construction of "childhood" and the concept of literacy. Don't necessarily agree with everything Postman theorizes, but this book is worth a read...particularly since a lot of the issues still remain nearly thirty years after this book was originally written.

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Apr 03, 2008

Rebecca Waring-Crane rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in April, 2008

recommended to Rebecca by: Aleisha Serozynski

A compact volume that I'm reading for a research project. Every page contains information/observations that I am compelled to mark for citation later. Postman makes an interesting case for the creating of "childhood" with the advent of the printing press and its disappearance with technology and a visual culture.

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Oct 26, 2008

Heather rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

Read in May, 2009

I am a huge Postman fan, but I still claim "Technopoly" as his masterpiece. Although "Disappearance" is informative and certainly argued and evidenced well, it lacked the punch I was expecting as to the various reasons behind today's disappearing childhoods.

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Jan 31, 2008

Aimee rated it:

(review of isbn 0679751661)

bookshelves: currently-reading

I've been reading this bit by bit since the fall. It continues to challenge me as a parent since I really want my children to have a childhood- summers with nothing to do and learning to be creative with a stick and some mud.

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