class 5

McLuhan

New Media Wizard: The Fascinating Ideas Of Marshall McLuhan

It took me a while to comprehend Mcluhan's theories and I am still not sure I understand them fully. In McLuhan’s book ‘The Medium is the Massage’ he states ‘The medium is the message’ meaning the message is not what's important but the medium in which the message is communicated. The form in which we digest the information provided to us  determines how we perceive the message and it also has an effect on us individually and as a society. McLuhan also stated ‘Our tools change how our brains are structured’, that is something which I could get my head around. I am often wondering what affects my most frequently used tool (my phone) has on me and how it alters my functioning. One effect I have noticed is that everything has to be instant. From the news to pictures of our friends, anything we want we can access we can with a few swift clicks and taps. I believe this has shortened our attention spans in learning and listening but also in doing. I often find that if the result of something isn't instant we give up, but obviously learning a new skill cannot be instant. I believe Mcluhan’s quote  “We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us” is ever more prevalent today. The rate of new technologies and software being released is accelerating and the long term effects these technologies have on us aren't being fully studied. I recently read an article that talked about how technology was affecting young children's motor skills and the dexterity in their hands. They aren't playing with the traditional toys like we all used to instead interacting with a screen. 


The tools we use whether it be our phones, computers or blogger are not just tools when we interact with them. We morph with the tool and it changes our actions. It alters what we design, write and think. We are not entirely independent when using tools. It is important to remember that our tools affect us and it  may not always be in a positive way. There is a relationship between us and our tools and it is important for all of us to recognise this.



13/05






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