In "Amusing Ourselves to Death," Neil Postman critiques television news, suggesting it operates within a surrealistic paradigm that embodies a theory of anticommunication. This theory promotes a discourse that ignores the principles of logic, sequence, and contradiction, leading to a breakdown in rational communication. Postman aligns this disruption with various fields, categorizing it as Dadaism in aesthetics, nihilism in philosophy, schizophrenia in psychiatry, and vaudeville in theater.

Postman's analysis highlights the troubling impact of such discourse on public communication, as it prioritizes entertainment over meaningful dialogue. This shift results in a culture where depth and reason are sacrificed for spectacle, aligning with his broader concerns about the societal implications of media saturation and the decline of rational public discourse.