Well, I think I’ve gotten to page 160 or thereabouts in Ellul. He’s obviously brilliant, and you’ll learn a lot of you’re willing to slog through it.
I’ve decided that a better bang for your buck is Neal Postman’s Technopoly. Postman has clearly read Ellul and is downriver of the Frenchman, so you can tell when he’s building on Ellul. But Postman’s book is much shorter and much denser than Ellul’s.
I also took the time to listen to CS Lewis’ extended essay titled, “The Abolition of Man”. I think it’s crucial to read as the backdrop for these discussions. While Ellul was a Christian, Postman certainly was not, and he comes at the topic with an enlightenment mentality. Think old-school liberal. So Lewis provides helpful analysis that Postman leaves out.
I do plan to continue with Ellul, but not until I finish Postman.
Further thoughts are welcome. This is a difficult topic! 