“The medium is the message,” uttered by the late media scholar and theorist Marshall McLuhan, and they have been revered and dissected ever since they were spoken. There has been several different interpretations on the premise of McLuhan’s words, and the meaning behind them. The best way to start unraveling his theory, is to get a general understanding of the terms used in his famous quote. In McLuhan’s own words, a medium is simply “an extension of ourselves.” Simply put the medium personifies or enhances what we as humans cannot do on our own. In a mass media perspective this means the use of technology including radio, television, and the Internet to project our thoughts, feelings, and senses (Frederman) . Finally, it is important to note that the plural of the word medium is media. Now that there is a general understanding of the medium, the other important word McLuhan spoke of is the “message”. The message is simply what the audience perceives through the medium. This could be anything from watching a television program or listening to the radio. Also, note that some believe the message McLuhan preached is a lot more complicated and not obvious. This view can be explained by, the message isn’t the news, but the attitudes that are affected by watching or listening to the message. Whichever, definition is taken for the “message”, the dissection of McLuhan’s quote will still be interpreted in a similar fashion. There are several different ways in which McLuhan’s words can be interpreted. So what does “the medium is the message,” really mean? One of the simplest explanation that can be given is this; the very medium in which the message is sent through, can shape the way the receiver interprets it. But even this example can... ... middle of paper ... ...The Medium is the Message." Smashing Magazine. 4 July 2011: n. page. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. . McLuhan, Marshall, Perf. Marshall Mcluhan Full lecture: The medium is the message. Perf. McLuhan, Marshall. Youtube, 1977. Web. 9 Nov 2011. . Ruiz, Rebecca. "The Medium Is the Message: Should a College Call, Text or Tweet?." New York Times26 September 2011. online n. pag. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. . "Thomas Paine "These ar the times that try men's soul."ushistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2011. .
One of his strongest qualities is adding a message that connects with many types of readers but at the same time focuses on one idea. These messages may not...
" Mcluhan talks about the concepts of Narcicism and the "Global Village." Both Jenkin's and McLuhan's ideas can be focused on a particular thing, such as Baseball. That can be further broken down and analyzed at the team level.
What Thomas Paine means by “trying men's souls” is that there is a challenge they have to face. Thomas Paine stated that “the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman”. This means one shall rise and be thanked by all mankind, and one shall fall and become a coward. Also, Thomas Paine said that “Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph”.... ...
“These are the times that try men’s souls,” said Thomas Paine in The American Crisis. This quote by Thomas Paine shows how hard the Revolutionary War was on people’s lives. The words “try men’s souls” implies that even the strongest patriots were tested. During the Revolutionary War colonists were disagreeing with their government as they were trying to fight for their freedom. Colonists felt they should be a separate country from Britain and they were trying to do so.
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Marshall McLuhan is best known for coining the phrase “The Medium is the message”. He believed that society today is centred around electronic media. On the other hand David Riesman who’s most famous book is entitled “Lonely Crowd” centred his research around characteristics of American society. What these two men have in common is that they both believed that society could be separated into three distinct phases. Riesman believed that there were three distinct character types, tradition-directed, inner-directed and other-directed. While McLuhan believed that there were three types of society which he called oral societies, written societies and electronic societies. Riesman believed the inquiries into the relationship between social structure and social character. The question central to Riesman was what type of person was being formed in the emerging capitalist societies in the developed nations. McLuhan was theorist of literature whose ideas about media and global culture stimulated discussion among social the...
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Media or medium of communication has been conceptualized to effect and drive information to the greater masses because it’s the venue where information can be linear form of communication. This essay will discuss what it is meant by media according to online Business Dictionary defines as the communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data, or promotional messages are disseminated.” This may include broadcasting and narrowcasting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax, and internet, the Business Dictionary further includes in this definition.
Rather than walking, we have cars to help us get to places quicker. Rather than talking with people face-to-face, we call on a telephone. New technology places value on doing things quicker and easier. McLuhan also believed that what changes people is the technology itself, not the content. In Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, he proposed that we focus on the way each medium changes cultures and traditions and reshapes social life, rather than the content. He describes the content of the medium as a “juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.” (McLuhan 32). To him, focusing on the medium was important because he believed that different types of media changes the balance of our sense. We start isolating and highlighting different senses. For example, print technology highlights the visual aspect of the media, but isolates sound. However, electronic media, such as television, allows us to see and hear, and therefore, reconnects senses that have been isolated by previous media (e.g., print and radio). McLuhan expands on the effects of electronic media in War and Peach in the Global Village, arguing that electronic creates a “global village.” Because electronic media allows people
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The definition of mass media is “a means of communication that reaches large numbers of people in a short time, this can consist of the use of television, newspapers, magazine, and radio”, and within the last decade the internet as well. (HarperCollins) The media can actually be a minor or major effect on individuals depending on how or what their view is on the particular subject or matter. The effects it plays on individuals and societies will depend on the exposure to the subject matter at the time, but it effects all ages from young to old.