On of the many ideas that McLuhan had was that the media was an extension of man. When Marshall famously spoke about the 'mediuam being the message' he meant that it was nessasirily the the services provided by the object, it was the object it self. Such as the wheel McLuhan famously spoke of the wheel being an extension of the foot and that clothes were an extenion of the skin. In presumumption the term medium is aimed at objects usch as radio, books or televiison. However McLuhans theory defines that the medium is not what music is being played on the radio, its the radio itself. “The medium is the message” means, to McLuhan, that, in any form of communication or form of artisitic expression, what is consciously or purposely 'said' is of no importance (Finkelstein, 1968, p47). The title of his book “The medium is the massage” was a spelling mistake, which occurred during prinitng. However once Marshall McLuhan was informed about the incorrection he allowed the book to be published. He liked the fact that the mistake added to his value of the medium is the message. The message wasn't the contents of the book it was the object itself.
Another famous idea of McLuhan was that electronic media creates a 'global village', he desribed an idea where technology has now minimalised the whole world in to a small village. McLuahn believed that different media have different consequences for the control of time travel and space. Most of the information we rely upon comes through our eyes; our technology is arranged to heighten that effect ( McLuhan and R.Powers, 1989, p36). The 'Global village' was an idea that technology was brining everyone around the world together as a community. The media being extensions of ourselves. The global village was a world in which all aprts are interconnected. Electronic meida is faster and completely persuasive. The saying the media is an etension of ourselves is true as technology helps us carry out our daily duties with ease. These inventions have only helped make life more smooth for humans and it is benficisary to all us of. Like McLuhan has said it has brought the world together in one way. All media maybe thought of as tools that extend the range and scope, of our boldily faculities and senses (Scannell, 2007, p134).
The ideas presented by McLuhan might be relevant in contemporary media since the development of the interent. Before this his theories were wild and seemed unreleastic. Another one of his ideas was hot and cool media, such as the radio being a hot medium and the telephone a cool medium. “Hot” media, he says, are filled with data,” while “cool” media are sparse in data, (Finkelstein, 1968, p82). The reason why the radio was considered hot is that it was always on and that it made a noise, but the telephone would only work if someone else was on the receiving end. The movies was a hot media as it was on a big screen and viewed by a wide audience. The “hot” presents what appears to be complete, simulated experience (Finkelstein, 1968, p81). Telelvision was a considered a cool media, as it was small and accessible only to individuals. A perfect example of his concept of hot and cool media was photography, as the image's are made up of high quality. Whereas cartoons where considered a cool medium as they was low in quality. This was another one of McLuahns theories.
In conlusion McLuhan's theory successfully turned our attention to the medium of comminication and its property. After the birth of the internet his name has been redeemed, and his theories have now been taken in to perspective. He may be one of the most controversial philosophers in the world. But his ideas and theories are logical and make more sense in the present then I would of in the past. Although Marshall had a different style of thinking, he was always coming up with new ideas and theories which made perfect sense. The idea of media being an extension of man is true as these day the mobile phones is seemed to be apart of us we carry it where ever we go and take it to places we dont really need. This is because the object has become a part of ourselves as the apps and programmes on the device has made life more simplistic. This iw aht McLuhan meant when he said that media is an extension of man. “However, with such tools, the true “extensions of man” lie not in the physical tool itself but in the essential growth of the senses and skills represented by it (Finkelstein, 1968, p62). Many of McLuhans are useful after the invention of the internet but he is far from a saint. “Prophets once cried out in the wilderness, but there is no such inattention to the brilliant prophet of our own time, Marshall McLuhan (Finkelstein, 1968, p7).
Bibilography
Richard Cavell, (2003). McLuhan in space: A culture geography. University of Toronto press incorporated 2002.
Sidney Finkelstein, (1968). Sense & nonsense of McLuhan International Publishers 381 Park Avenue south, New York.
Marshall McLuhan and Bruce R.Powers (1989). The Global Village: Transformations in world life and media in the 21st Century. Oxford university print press
Paddy Scannell, (2007). Media and Communication. SAGE publications limited.
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