McLong-Winded McLuhan

            Marshall McLuhan is one interesting man and that is by all means an understatement. His ideas are in every way worth the ridicule as they are the acclaim. And this, I should add, was discovered after having read only a page’s worth of his philosophy. The following twenty five only served as reinforcement.

            I’ll admit, there is craze and ignorance to his ideals, but they are nonetheless forever on the brink of genius. This is to say, I almost believe almost everything he’s saying. I should start with his initial point which is hidden in the convoluted mess of words comprising his theory regarding the phonetic alphabet. Briefly, he states that the phonetic alphabet played mother to basically every advent thereafter. Needless to say, this is pretty heavy and the impermeable nature of the seemingly without-conviction McLuhan makes it hard to criticize. But essentially, I agree. I’ve read enough books to have stumbled across the knowledge regarding the way American brains work against the way the Asian brain works. This isn’t to generalize, but it’s said that the two languages have contributed to vastly different mechanisms within the brain. I can’t get into too much detail (because I’ve completely forgotten my source on this stuff) but if it is true that the Chinese or Japanese (iconographic) languages should have an effect on the brain different from the lexicographical English or Spanish, then it should be very true that the effect could present itself in a number of other ways. Just as someone who always works out his legs should be able to do one hell of a jump, someone who frequently works one part of the brain should be able to do well with whatever part of the brain that is. (Mind my general speak. I haven’t the technical terms for any of this.) Once I find my sources on all of this, I’m sure it’ll be easier to comprehend, but in the mean time, let’s move on to another point he makes.

            Hot and cool media is something that makes very little sense to me. I don’t quite understand the essence of this terminology. While I understand the division between radio and television, I don’t understand how he’s making the assertion that either should require less participation from its user. I believe both mediums should activate different things in its user, not that the quality of its participation should be dampened or heightened between the media. As I read it over and over, the less and less it makes sense. The further separations he states between a lecture and a seminar throw me for a loop unheard of. It leads me to believe he’s moving past semantics just to hoist himself a bit higher than his reader or listener. But the notion that radio and television produce a different effect is by no means questionable. In the dialogue he mentions the Kennedy-Nixon debate, the prime example of the difference. He starts using his esoteric terminology, but in regards to that debate it was recognized that the radio listeners thought Nixon had the leg-up while those who watched saw Kennedy did. Some of what was activated in listening was perhaps negated in viewing. Regardless, of my lack of interest in his created lexicon, I will say that I appreciate his notion of Kennedy having mastered the technological medium as one in which he could manipulate. Moving on.

            I’m not sure if at this point I should expound on my opinion of his staple motto or proceed to another point he makes regarding it. For safety’s sake, I’ll discuss another point he makes and disregard the former as something less than a necessity as my writing sends some message in terms of what I think of the famed quote. What I will discuss however is the last thing he mentions before the rather tangential discussion regarding McLuhan’s “global village” is his remarks regarding the education system. In a world conflicted with a youth in constant hunt for stimulation the idea of the need for educational reform is real. ADD and ADHD and disorders of the like are rampant, but in terms of McLuhan, these disorder aren’t disorders at all, but rather evolutionary agents. These are stepping stones in the changing hive mind. Even while reading all of this, the idea of needing the paper closer to my face in order to block out distraction was all too much a reality. It could very well be the fact that we, as McLuhan outlines earlier than this point, require a recognition of the present over the teachings of the past. This effect is only amplified when we’re given the problem of an exponentially growing technological era. Even focusing on the past for a second could put us hours behind and for some it already has. As is stated, the generation before us has a much greater leap to make in order to catch up. In this way, McLuhan becomes prophetic of the bleak present we’re living in today.

            Unfortunately, he starts to get into talks regarding some truly Nostradamusian predictions and he loses my interest. I repeat, McLuhan is one interesting man.