Neil Postman, in "Amusing Ourselves to Death," contrasts the ways individuals recall historical figures based on the culture they originate from. For icons like Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, or even Einstein, most people visualize their faces rather than remembering their words or contributions in detail. This underscores how our society leans towards image-oriented thinking.
The quote suggests that in today's world, we are often more influenced by visual representations than by the substance of language and discourse. This shift highlights a fundamental change in communication, where pictures dominate our perceptions and memories, reflecting an image-centered culture over a word-centered one.