Postman and Paglia’s debate was a far reaching conversation by two people who embody the concept of a scholar. It veered into territory I had little familiarity with, like their ruminations on the biblical relationship to the history of worshipping idols. Paglia seemed to be the more youthful voice of the two, advocating for the importance of advertisements in the mass media. Postman feels more that advertisements cheapen certain symbols that are utilized to sell things like hotdogs. Growing up, TV commercials familiarize us with certain symbols of cultural significance, like Uncle Sam. We would be much less accustomed to these symbols without the constant exposure that advertisements provide.

Postman argues that jumping from the news of genocide to a Windex commercial renders a lack of sensitivity and emotion to impactful events. However, Paglia argues that life is at once monumental and subtle, varied and unpredictable, and that this representation in the media is only a natural reflection of reality. As Paglia says, “There’s no way we can extend our compassion to 5,000 dead people. By juxtapositioning such jarring images, TV is creating a picture of the world that is simply true to life.”

Perhaps I would perceive their arguments differently if I could hear the inflection in their voices or see the subtleties of their facial expressions. Would I be put off by Paglia’s dominance of the conversation? On paper, I agree more often with Paglia’s points. In any other medium, who knows?