http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/456489

Crazy talk, stupid talk how we defeat ourselves by the way we talk and what to do about it

"In his most important book since Teaching as a Subversive activity, Neil Postman makes visible the structure and causes of the two of the oldest nemeses of the human race: crazy talk and stupid talk. Stupid talk is language that does not work because of the inappropriateness of its tone or vocabulary or assumptions. Crazy talk is talk that gets its work done but, in working, promotes purposes that are unreasonable or trivial, or finally -- and most dangerously -- evil. We are all burdened by such self-defeating ways of talking, and by learning to recognize them we can take the first step to defuse their power. By bearing in mind that crazy talk and stupid talk are learned responses, Professor Postman explains how we can unlearn them as well. In straightforward language, Professor Postman presents a philosophy of everyday language, and identifies and explains the most important varieties of crazy and stupid talk, thus opening our awareness to a new way of thinking about the way we talk, and talking about the way we think."--Back cover.

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