It was exciting for me to finally see a reference to A Brave New World in Steven Johnson's book Everything Bad is Good For You, because I read this book in high school and it really opened my eyes to the same issues discussed by johnson and Siegel. A point both writers agree on is that people are inevitably attracted to "junk"(180). However, it is the reasons why we are attracted tot his mindless media that are different to Johnson and Siegel.
I agree with Johnson who believes that the only reason junk culture is thriving, is due to the fact that "people are naturally drawn to simple, childish pleasures" (180). He, unlike Siegel, still believes that although our minds are at a state of rest while observing numerous media examples of this junk culture, our brains are still functioning and continuing to seek and obtain knowledge. Johnson states that our minds are constantly searching for "new challenges and experiences" so evidently our minds are never resting and always working.
As a diehard reality TV fanatic, I completely disagree with Siegel who feels that this mindless media is truly empty and cannot give us anything knowledgeable to acquire. He reiterates his feelings to the pointlessness of junk culture with the example to Stephen Colbert. Siegel believes that there is nothing to obtain from information that has been made from "cynicism and sarcasm" (155). This form of satirical humor "depends in information for its effect [therefore it] is just another mode of information" (156). This concludes that there is no new information or opinions to gain to enable us to gain knowledge, it only gives us a since of entertainment.
But Johnson thinks people are naturally draw to complicated and challenging things. What do you think about that, since you used SparkNotes? Does that prove Johnson is wrong? Don't take the quote (opposing view) out of context.
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