Abstract

In his speech for the opening of the Frankfurt Book Fair, whose theme was provided by die year 1984, Neil Postman recalled diat “besides Orwell's gloomy vision,” diere existed anodier, no less depressing one: Huxley's Brave New World. In view of die accelerated development of die electronic media in America, it is not Orwell's future which frightens him, but radier Huxley's. He predicts for die coming years a cultural transformation compared to which the Chinese Cultural Revolution would have been child's play. “America is in die process of carrying out die most all-encompassing experiment in die world —totally integrating itself into die technological diversions made possible by die electrical oudet.”