‘The Media Is An Extension Of Our Central Nervous System’

What Does This Mean? Who Thought This Up? What Does It Relate To?

The Theory

Marshall McLuhan One of Marshall McLuhans main ideas was that the medium is the message: a mediums real message is the medium itself. It is not the content which is decisive, but the media itself which has influence over society. McLuhan believed that the more technologically advanced society becomes, the more individuals become isolated. Modern media is depersonalised and each extension of man through technology adds to the numbness of the individual and society. Modern media has caused lives and cultures to become homogenized. McLuhan defined ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ media: hot media has a strong influence and a destructive power whilst having a low level of interaction. Cold media has a weak influence and demands a high level of interaction.

‘The Oracle of the Electronic Age’ McLuhan made the concept of a ‘global village’, interconnected by an electronic nervous system, part of our popular culture before it existed: “After 3000 years of the extension of specialisation by the technical extension of our bodies, our world seems to be compressing in an opposite development”. (Because of broadcasting etc. space and time are almost obsolete) “Electrically contracted, the world is now only a village.” McLuhan had a broad definition of media: “any technology that…creates extensions of the human body and senses.” This would include clothing as an extension of the skin, the wheel as an extension of the foot and the book as an extension of the eye. He believed that these technological extensions amplify a particular human sense to the detriment of the others, making an individual dazed, deaf, dumb or blind. This effectively interferes with the sensory balance of individuals and affects the sensibilities of their societies.

Electronic media extended the entire human nervous system (all five senses simultaneously) rather than just the eye as print media had done. Electronic media restored the equilibrium of the senses and extroverted the human nervous senses out into the world creating a planet-wide neural consciousness. “The electronically induced technological extensions of our central nervous systems…are immersing us in a whirlpool of information…the aloof and dislocated role of the literate man of the Western world is succumbing to the new intense depth participation…decentralising – rather than enlarging – the family of man into a new state of multitudinous tribal existences.” – McLuhan. “Today, after more than a century of electronic technology, we have extended our central nervous system itself in a global embrace, abolishing both space and time as far as our planet is concerned.” – McLuhan

‘The Media Is An Extension Of Our Central Nervous System’ ‘Biological senses’ involve us in our situation Our senses are used to access information: telephone, radio, television, newspapers etc. ‘Extended senses’ lead to detachment. Speed of access with the internet etc mean communication with people globally is as easy as with neighbours. “Electronic technology would seem to render individualism obsolete and corporate interdependence mandatory.”

“Multimedia is the seamless integration of data, text images of all kinds and sound within a single digital information environment.” - Feldman, We extend ourselves in order to receive media and we do this through communication and interaction. One model of media interaction, by Levy, is as follows: One to Many – separation between transmitters & receivers. E.g. TV, radio. Many to Many – we all have potential to be transmitters & receivers. E.g. Internet.

Therefore, when we receive media from a one to many interaction, we can transmit that media information onto others. So the media becomes a part of ourselves and we become a part in the media process. We become a receiver and a transmitter and by communicating with others we introduce the many to many interaction. By doing this we also extend ourselves in order to communicate and interact. This is shown in Aristotle's model of human communication: SpeakerSubjectPerson Addressed YourselfMedia InfoOther Person

How Can This Be Interpreted & Represented?

It Is Absorbed Through Our Body & Our Senses How Do We Consume The Media?

The Senses SIGHTHEARINGTOUCHSMELLTASTE

Our Senses & The Media How ‘the media is an extension of our central nervous system’…

Sight – Perception, Visibility, Representation, Vision

Hearing – Detection Reception Communication Absorption Examination Consideration

Touch – Contact, Converge, Manipulate, Influence

Smell – Inhale Distinguish Ascertain Extract

Taste – Suggestion Appetizing Appreciation Cultivation Experience Savour

Bibliography The Medium Is The Message, M. McLuhan & Q. Fiore, 1967 (The Penguin Press) resources/Communication/Technology/Marshall%20McLuhan %20Summary.dochttp://geoffbarton.co.uk/files/student- resources/Communication/Technology/Marshall%20McLuhan %20Summary.doc

IC115 Assignment A Presentation by: Sarah Price Becky Bell Penelope Eastman Sheena