The Medium Is Message
The medium is the message.
McLuhan tells us that a "message" is, "the change of scale or pace or pattern" that a new invention or innovation "introduces into human affairs." He always encouraged other people to look behind the scene and understand it. Here we consider example of theatrical productions. In general the message from these productions is not their music and plays but the tourism which means people travel more and more to see such kind of shows. On the other hand if we talk about a theatrical production which is based on a specific topic then we can say that its message is for the altitude and action of audience which is quite different from the medium of theatrical production in general. Similarly the message from newscast is not the new stories but a change in the public attitude towards crime and climate of fear. McLuhan explained the quote “medium is the message as follows.
“This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium-that is, of any extension of us- result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by the any new technology.”
Different perspective of this statement:
He also emphasized that content does not affect the society but the medium itself and its characteristics. Just like a bulb which is a medium but it has no content but it affects the society by creating space in darkness. Newspaper and television message is not its programs but the point of view about certain things which it shows to audience who is watching these programs. He also said that media is the extension of ourselves. Just like the hammer or any other tool in our hands enhance the performance of our body. Media helps us in addressing millions of people at a time, giving new ideas and thinking. Language is also another medium which convey our thoughts to other people. The individual sensory produces thoughts and speech is the result of our sensory. The concept of HOT media and COOL
McLuhan tells us that a "message" is, "the change of scale or pace or pattern" that a new invention or innovation "introduces into human affairs." He always encouraged other people to look behind the scene and understand it. Here we consider example of theatrical productions. In general the message from these productions is not their music and plays but the tourism which means people travel more and more to see such kind of shows. On the other hand if we talk about a theatrical production which is based on a specific topic then we can say that its message is for the altitude and action of audience which is quite different from the medium of theatrical production in general. Similarly the message from newscast is not the new stories but a change in the public attitude towards crime and climate of fear. McLuhan explained the quote “medium is the message as follows.
“This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium-that is, of any extension of us- result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by the any new technology.”
Different perspective of this statement:
He also emphasized that content does not affect the society but the medium itself and its characteristics. Just like a bulb which is a medium but it has no content but it affects the society by creating space in darkness. Newspaper and television message is not its programs but the point of view about certain things which it shows to audience who is watching these programs. He also said that media is the extension of ourselves. Just like the hammer or any other tool in our hands enhance the performance of our body. Media helps us in addressing millions of people at a time, giving new ideas and thinking. Language is also another medium which convey our thoughts to other people. The individual sensory produces thoughts and speech is the result of our sensory. The concept of HOT media and COOL
References: http://gigaom.com/2011/03/01/why-the-medium-is-not-the-message/ http://chir.ag/papers/mcluhan.shtml http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-79794425/medium-not-message-advertising.html http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marshallmc157742.html http://www.mit.edu/~saleem/ivory/ch2.htm http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/ram0202.html Understanding Media book by McLuhan Marshell. http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/why-bother-with-marshall-mcluhan