Chapter 7 ａｎｄ Chapter 8

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Chapter 7 examines how television fragments public discourse through disjointed presentation. Postman highlights the phrase "Now… This" as a symbol of TV’s tendency to sever context, reducing news to isolated, emotion-driven snippets. Events like wars or political scandals are stripped of background and meaning, leaving viewers with superficial impressions. For instance, a tragic news story might be immediately followed by a celebrity gossip segment, forcing audiences to emotionally "reset" and discouraging critical engagement.  
TV’s commercial model exacerbates this issue. Ad-driven content prioritizes brevity and sensationalism, akin to modern短视频’s "3-second rule," where information is compressed into entertainment snippets, eroding space for reflection.  
The "Now… This" mentality has evolved into the "endless scroll" of social media. Algorithms on platforms like TikTok or Instagram bombard users with fragmented content, creating a paradox of information overload coupled with intellectual poverty. Postman’s critique remains relevant: we not only accept fragmentation but crave it, becoming willing slaves to entertainment.  
Chapter 8 analyzes how television transforms religion into entertainment. Postman uses televised sermons as examples: rituals are adapted to TV’s demands, incorporating theatrical elements like lighting and charismatic hosts, thereby diluting their sacredness. Audiences focus on spectacle rather than doctrine, reducing religion to "spiritual fast food".  
Postman argues that by framing serious domains (e.g., religion, politics) as entertainment, TV erodes the public’s ability to discern authenticity. A leader’s credibility hinges on performative charm rather than substantive ideas.
Social media intensifies this trend. Religious figures use livestreams and短视频 to preach, relying on filters and editing for emotional impact; politicians prioritize "image branding" over policy debates. Huxley’s warning—"we destroy ourselves by loving what entertains us"—is validated: when sacred and profane blur, cultural depth collapses.  
Postman’s critique grows more urgent in the digital age: as media technology evolves, humanity’s addiction to entertainment persists. From TV to短视频, we are accelerating toward a "amusing ourselves to death" abyss. Only through critical awareness of media can we avoid becoming Huxley’s "species enslaved by pleasure, devoid of thought".