Customer Reviews

The Metaphysics of Media: Toward an End of Postmodern Cynicism and the Construction of a Virtuous Reality

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Peter K. Fallon proposes a broad synthesis of the evolution of the media sphere through the various periods of orality, literacy and the electric culture. The documentation is extensive and encompasses the main references in the field: Ong, Goody, Ellul, Innis, McLuhan, Havelock, Mumford, Postman and many others. If the chapters on orality and literacy are convincing, many readers would like to discuss the strong position taken in the chapter on electric culture which is resolutely reactionary and imitates the stance Plato took against poetry. Also, this electric culture is mainly seen through the prism of television, and is almost mute on the Internet.

In spite of that (and of the abuse of the binom immanent/transcendent), I would recommend this book as an introduction to the field and eventually as a textbook for students in communications since it would facilitate debate about important issues. The author should also be praised for the introduction exposing quite clearly his assumptions and the context that gave rise to this book.

This book is a cynical attempt to impose a Christian theology on the field of media ecology. The most useful part of this book is its bibliography and notes. It is a good shortcut to library research.

I recommend it as a good replacement for Ambien. Snoooooooooooz!