I will be honest: I did not understand much of the reading and I think McLuhan talks too much. Maybe itâs because I am, personally, a believer in the statement made by General David Sarnoff: âWe are too prone to make technological instruments the scapegoats for the sins of those who wield them. The products of modern science are not in themselves good or bad; it is the way they are used that determines their value.â I think McLuhan does make some valid points but Iâm also left to wonder if Iâm truly understanding them at all.
I do agree with McLuhanâs point on that technology has served as an extension of man. He uses good examples in the beginning of his piece with the railway and the lightbulb on how because of these inventions humanity was introduced to new ways of existing. The way we functioned and related to everything from social structures to time and space was changed because of the railroad. Electric light allowed us to completely push past the barriers of working in times and environments limited to light. In this case, Iâm assuming the railroads and the electric light are âmediumsâ. McLuhan explains that because of these mediums we are able to extend ourselves. We can extend our minds, our understanding, our control on reality and our lives.
In Chapter 7, McLuhan speaks of the role of the artist in the adjustment to technology. He states that artists must âmove from the ivory tower to the control tower of societyâ. There is a big sense of responsibility here and I do like the imagery of it. He states that we as artists are responsible for helping form an âanalysisâ of the technology around us and how it effects us. I can understand to some extent that it is often artists that help visualize and connect people to things happening in the world and how itâs affecting us. I think about how when social media started to become very very popular, it was artists that often helped communicate the feeling of being overwhelmed or the dangers of instant gratification and equating likes to self-worth.
I do not think I understand the concept of âthe medium is the messageâ, however I do understand the concept of technology allowing us to reach a new scale of extension with ourselves and the people around us. Every time new technology is introduced we have a whole new âreachâ on the world around us and everything starts to change. The further the jump in technology though the more of an adjustment period is required. I think that holds some truth. Technology in the last 20-30 years has moved so fast and evolved at such a rate that I think a lot of society just canât adjust as quickly. Artists are often the one to pick up the message and translate it to the world around us. I think thatâs a pretty powerful ability that we have. We are sensitive to tonal shifts in ourselves and in society and artists we know how to communicate those shifts into physical/visible mediums that others can understand. The more we do that, the easier it might be for everyone to be aware of the new ideas being shared. We ourselves might be able to introduce a few new ideas as well.
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