Postman Response

Allie Hunter
MUS150
4/27/2015
Neil Postman's Technopoly talks of a term that defines the way our society sees
technology as a deity. In Postmans words Technopoly is when [a] culture seeks its
authorization in technology, finds its satisfactions in technology, and takes its orders from
technology(Postman 1992). Postmans description was one that at first made me very
uncomfortable; I never felt that my life was controlled by technology. The thought reminded me
of any generic sci-fi movie where robots took over the human race. However, upon more thought
I realized that maybe Postman was right.
Theres hardly an hour that goes by that I can stand being away from my phone, I almost
instinctively check my e-mail whenever I get on the internet. Without technology I would feel
completely lost, and most of society would react similarly. And although these things Im
addicted to arent all necessary, I feel connected to them. In a couple of years students may feel
equally about technology in the classroom. Music classes may very well be based completely off
of aps and websites and students could be uncomfortable trying to notate music by hand.
Software like finale may eventually overcome written notation entirely. I think that this
dependency may be good in the long run, but I think there will also always be a place for spoken
and written instruction. Using technology along with usual course material is almost mandatory
in our technology dependent society. Students in this time are more engaged when the
technology they grew up with guides their studies. Converting lessons into the easy formatting
that some programs allow, although conforming into Technopoly, may be the best way to
promote music education.

Bibliography:
Postman, N. (1992). The judgement of Thamus. In Technopoly: The surrender of culture to
technology. New York, New York: Knopf.
Watson, S. (2011). Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity. New York, New York:
Oxford University Press.