The End of Education: Redefining the Value of Schools by Neil Postman

From the Publisher

In this comprehensive response to the education crisis, the author of Teaching as a Subversive Activity returns to the subject that established his reputation as one of our most insightful social critics. Postman presents useful models with which schools can restore a sense of purpose, tolerance, and a respect for learning.

Publishers Weekly

Claiming that our current educational system teaches students to worship technology and consumerism, Postman argues for more humanistic "narratives" as the basis for schools. (Nov.)

Library Journal

After 20 books (e.g., Technopoly, LJ 1/92), Postman, social critic par excellence, has returned to his original turf: education. Sharp, witty, and frequently quotable, he demolishes many leading popular themes as lacking in meaning. Education without spiritual content or, as he puts it, without a myth or narrative to sustain and motivate, is education without a purpose. That purpose used to be democracy and could still be, if only we were willing to look for the elements that unite rather than separate. Postman considers multiculturalism a separatist movement that destroys American unity. Diversity, however, is one of the themes he would employ in teaching language, history, and culture. Postman offers a number of positive and uplifting themes around which a new education philosophy could be formulated, some of which are far-fetched or extreme but nonetheless interesting. A most welcome addition to the education debate; highly recommended for all libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/95.]Arla Lindgren, St. John's Univ., New York

Booknews

Well known social critic Postman begins by describing how schools early in the century sought to forge a coherent and unified culture from the diverse traditions, languages, and religions in the US. He then contrasts today's goals of economic utility, consumership, mechanical solutions, and separatist multiculturalism. Not surprisingly, he has some suggestions. He offers narratives for redefining education: preserving the earth, acknowledging the imperfection of knowledge, America as an experiment rather than success or failure, the strengths and weaknesses of all cultures, and the primary importance of communication. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Product Details

• ISBN: 0679750312
  
• ISBN-13: 9780679750314
• Format: Paperback, 209pp
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Pub. Date: October 1996
• Edition Description: Reprint
• Sales Rank: 42,167
• Series: Vintage Ser.