“The Age of Missing Information”
by Bill McKibben
In The Age of Missing Information, an analytical compare and contrast format is provided to portray what consequences may occur as a direct result of television overload. The book surrounds two inverse experiences; sitting in front of the television, watching programs non-stop for 24 hours, and spending 24 hours immersed in the wilderness with only bare necessities, remote of ALL electronics. Whether immersed in nature or propped in front of his television, McKibben examines the effects television programs have on the average American’s psyche. Programming such as weather, sitcoms, and advertising are discussed as the author sets out to prove that television does not make us smarter, but in fact causes us to be dumber, and less informed about our natural surroundings. The experience forces McKibben to conclude that a happy medium is necessary; between surplus technology and no technology at all.
Written in first-person narrative, the book is not based completely on opinion, as undeniable facts about perception and its relation to media are presented. McKibben encourages readers and fellow television viewers to take a step back as he did, and realize the subconscious effects occurring as a result of constant media intake and technology advancement. And with me as a conscious reader, he succeeded in his goals.
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