Marshall McLuhan’s Understanding Media: The Extension of man. In the introductions of the chapters that were assigned in this week, it can be interpretated as humans been using the technology to goes beyond of the limits that the nature imposed over it. Almost every action that human does carries a meaning, a message. A sound, a pose, a gesture, a look, a movement, all that can transmit a message to any receptor that is in the sphere of that message. And it this message that is transmitted beyond the humans limits that is enhanced by the tools.
The real impact that the medium has, it goes alongside with the occasional impact that the communication and content have. An example of this is one of the daily use technologies that is so popular that little by little, it feels destinated to ends in the hands of every human in the planet, the cellphone. Then, why is this piece of hardware and software is being so widely accepted. The reason is one of the pillars and objective of every technology created by humans. It is to be an extension or enhancement of the different organs and functions, and parts of the body. It means the axe is an extension of the fist, the telescope is an extension of the eye, the megaphone is an extension of the voice, etc. The cellphone is that widely popular because is a condensed of multiples enhancements for the human being. This technology allows us to be transported instantly around the globe to see what is happening thousands of miles away from us. Let us see the past with recordings, increase the memory to remember everything that is need to. Let us hear loud and clear the best musicians around the planet, read book for us. Basically, it expands the human possibilities a lot in case of this extensions could be used properly. This tool uncapped abilities beyond the human limits.
The author of the book states “The Medium is the message”. It means the medium chose by us to be the transmitter hold the same or even a superior worth than that is transmitting.
Leave a Reply