Good things come out of bad situations -- mass culture makes us smarter

Author: Steven Johnson [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: Not available
Features: The author of this book, Johnson, draws on theories from economics, neuroscience, and media studies, arguing that the "garbage" culture people dread is actually making humans smarter. He believes that an electronic game or a movie/TV show cannot be like a book and has no reason to "aspire" to be one. It has been proven that from the game Tetris to the TV show 24, and even to the reality show The Apprentice, they have all improved people's IQ and cognitive abilities, which may not be learned from books. Johnson uses examples to prove that today's mass culture is not declining but changing—in an exciting and stimulating way that can be easily understood from our daily lives. Is mass culture, such as games, movies, TV, and the internet, as vulgar and superficial as traditional views suggest? In the book "Bad Things Happen to Good People," the renowned best-selling author and cultural scholar Steven Johnson presents a unique perspective. He argues that the mass culture we immerse ourselves in every day is becoming more mature year by year, and the cognitive challenges it brings are making our brains smarter. Johnson draws on theories from economics, neuroscience, and media studies, pointing out that the "garbage" culture people dread is actually making humans smarter. He believes that an electronic game or a movie/TV show cannot be like a book and has no reason to "aspire" to be one. It has been proven that from the game Tetris to the TV show 24, and even to the reality show The Apprentice, they have all improved people's IQ and cognitive abilities, which may not be learned from books. Johnson uses examples to prove that today's mass culture is not declining but changing—in an exciting and stimulating way that can be easily understood from our daily lives. After reading this book, when you face an electronic game or a TV screen again, your feelings will undoubtedly be completely new.