In "The Disappearance of Childhood," Neil Postman examines the implications of the telegraph on communication and society. He posits that while many might overlook its significance, Henry David Thoreau recognized its deeper impacts. When Thoreau learned that a message could travel instantaneously from Maine to Texas, he questioned the purpose of such communication, highlighting a shift from personal exchanges to a more detached and widespread form of information sharing.

This inquiry illustrates Thoreau's awareness of the telegraph's potential to alter the nature of information itself. With the advent of such technology, communication transformed from being intimate and regionally grounded to a more impersonal and global phenomenon. Postman's exploration emphasizes the broader psychological and social ramifications of technological advancements, urging readers to reflect on how such changes affect human relationships and society at large.