Week 4 – Discussion Group 1 Leader – Jan. 27, 2009 January 27, 2009
Posted by sunagurol in Discussion Group.Tags: business, Marshall McLuhan, Media Theory, society
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Written Analysis for Discussion Group One – Jan. 27, 2009
See the the PPT
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Bookmarks within this post:
- Marshal McLuhan’s “The Message is the Medium”
- Bowers & Christensen’s “Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave”
- Rogers’ “The Innovation-Decision Process”
- Discussion Questions
- References
- “Annie Hall” Film Clip
- Poll – Favorite Woody Allen movie??
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Marshall McLuhan’s “The Message is the Medium”
The Message is the Medium
“The Message is the Medium” is one of the seminal works in media theory. McLuhan defined the electric light as “pure information”, being that nothing else is conveyed in this exchange. All other ways of media to convey information change the message. The medium, then becomes the message. And that message becomes a business and a commodity.
All media are extensions of some human faculty. For example, clothes is an extension of the skin, wheel is an extension of the foot, and computer circuitry is an extension of the human central nervous system. What other media extensions can you think of?
McLuhan is interested in the effect of technology on society and how the message is controlled. Technology demands that people to perform in uniform and continuous patterns (typing on a keyboard, for example.) It is dehumanizing.
McLuhan’s concern is that accelerated media change will lead to a sort of ‘massacre of the innocents.” Everyone has access to technology and they will be immediately put under its “spell” on contact. “Any media has the power of imposing its own assumption on the unwary.” In addition, technology, especially being on the edge of technology, is terrifying.
Bower & Christensen’s “Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave”
Catching the wave
Their article is about how companies can invest in future business with new technologies. Many companies’ spend too much effort on existing products, channels, customers and their organization’s process. They, consciously or not, ignore new ‘disruptive’ technologies. Disruptive technologies are usually also big business. Examples the author’s list include: Seagate with smaller hard drives, IBM with the personal computer, and Apple with the Newton PDA.
To avoid this, the authors have several recommendations for companies: 1) Let start-ups conduct the experiments with new technology, 2) be the second (not the first) company to invest in the new technology in a start-up, 3) if developed in-company, then isolate the development of a new product to a group away from the main office, and 4) keep it independent and do not bring it in-house.
Contrasting Christensen & Bower’s gung-ho attitude toward new technology with McLuhan who points out that it is terrifying for anyone (including businesses) to live on the edge of technology.
My research topic is on health and science non-profits and their involvement with social media. Scientific research, which is the bread & butter of these organizations, relies heavily on technology. McLuhan’s theory is that this level of technology will turn science into business.
Rogers’ “The Innovation-Decision Process”
The Innovation-Decision Making Process
Rogers has a five-step process (with multiple side and sub-steps) for innovative decision-making – knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation . This theory seems to work well with consumer choice. I wonder about how well it can be applied to innovation that does not involve purchasing anything. Would these steps work with a happy accident in innovation itself?
He has some interesting arguments about how innovation information is distributed to adoptees. Interpersonal and mass communication channels influence innovation adoptees. Rogers argues that Internet can replace the interpersonal communication channel.
Contrast this very compartmentalized and constructed business theory with McLuhan’s meta-theory. I would guess that McLuhan would say that e-mail is not interpersonal, but mass communication.
- Cave paintings and story-telling also can be said that the medium was the message. All information has always been conveyed depending on the medium AND the individual. How was it different in the modern world?
- McLuhan’s theory was also about how the message is controlled. Today, with everyone able to report ‘news’, is this theory still relevant?
- What would McLuhan’s view be of the Internet or social media?
Specifically, what would he think of Facebook? Flickr? YouTube? Online pornography?
Bower, J. & Christensen, C. (Jan/Feb. 1995). “Disruptive Technologies: Catching The Wave,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 43-53.
Digitalecologist. “The Message is the Medium.” [PowerPoint slides] Retrieved from Slide Share Web site: http://www.slideshare.net/digitalecologist/mcluhan-review
Kenrg. (2006, Oct. 26). “Marshall McLuhan & YouTube?” [Film]. Video posted to YouTube Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7GvQdDQv8g
McLuhan, M. (1962) “The Medium Is The Message” from Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. In Ed. Wardip-Fruin, N. and Moatfort, N. The New Media Reader: MIT Press. (pp. 205-209)
Rogers, E. (2003). “Chapter 5 The Innovation-Decision Process”. Diffusion of Innovations. Glencoe: Free Press.
Yiasamatha, N. “Marshall McLuhan & the Internet.” Retrieved from Slide Share Web site: http://www.slideshare.net/ninanyc/marshall-mcluhan-the-internet-presentation
And now, for a little on the lighter side:
[...] Suna [...]
At first glance it seems like McLuhan is a person against all technology, however–I am glad you pointed out that he actually believes that we should be aware of how technology affects us–good and bad.
Thanks!
It’s really interesting to think about McLuhan’s theory with social media. We may still under controlled by the media in certain way. We’re addicted to Facebook or Twitter, we followed the blog that we like. We choose these media that we want to be controlled. Great presentation and discussion.
Sounds awesome, Suna. Wish I could have heard it. That McLuhan book sounds like a must read!
I don’t think McLuhans theory holds up in todays new wave of social media, the medium is not the message because we can tailor what we are saying to fit our own unique style.
Your survey is missing “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask”. Maybe not Allen’s best, but you can’t leave it out!
McLuhan was a predecessor and influencing force for another great media theorist, Neil Postman, who is noted for his work “Amusing Ourselves to Death”. As McLuhan delineated how messages are commoditized, Postman interpreted how they were consumed, and saw troubling scenarios as mediums became conflated (such as television imagery usurping printed word, and the way that conflation alters the impact of messages communicated in either). I think within media theory there has been a pendulum swing, from trepidation to acceptance, as technology becomes more and more accessible and adoption more and more prevalent. But, that doesn’t mean messages more easily propagated will somehow be more wisely handled and can never be misinterpreted; if anything the cacophony disrupts things further. Messengers have to work harder now to communicate within interpersonal channels developed by social media. McLuhan might have changed some of his thinking were he alive today, but he and Postman both uttered important voices of warning. Recipients of knowledge must be proactive interpreters or they will experience perhaps some of the intended adverse effects of the message(s) being received.
You are making me want to read McLuhan. It is a classic, although many people quote the title w/o knowing what it means or having read it.
I believe that the learning curve will be bumpy for a great number of companies as they figure out the ACTUAL way to use social media. Even though they never reallyy DID have control, they have been convinced that they do for a long time, and confronting the reality of ‘no control over the “message” or the community’ is tough for them.
I am amazed with the Annie Hall clip. How an amazing theorist McLuhan is that he is brave enough to step up, discuss his theories on popular media, and have humor. Thanks.
I love your presentation and how you pulled from YouTube, other sources, and the incorporation of a poll. (I voted for Purple Rose of Cairo
I am very impressed you made sense of McLuhan’s Medium is the message. What I came away with from reading it was that the structure of the medium influences how you see the message. It seemed McLuhan wanted to raise our awareness of that impact. But I could be totally wrong.
McLuhan must be turning in his grave at all of the social changes going on today. As we discussed in the group, it looks like the message might just be the medium now. Nice work!
Hi, Suna!
You should probably de-select the “sticky” on this post so that it moves into chronological position.
Also, remember to post a short reflection on the experience!
Suna, it’s late in the game but I really enjoyed your presentation and how you tied McLuhan in with with the class. McLuhan is good for shaking up one’s thinking about technology. Meg