McLuhan said so, understand me

Author: Marshall McLuhan
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-12-01
Features: In his last two decades, McLuhan's series of writings established his world-famous reputation as a media theorist and contemporary visionary. He distinguished between "cool" and "hot" media; he coined the phrases "the medium is the message" and "the global village." His memorable terms include "feedback" and "iconic image." However, McLuhan's achievements were not limited to proposing (:). When computers were large, cumbersome, and confined to institutional use, he foresaw the development of personal computers. He anticipated the impact of the internet on all aspects of social life. He understood the transformative power of digital technology, particularly the globalization of communication and transmission, and recognized the instantaneous, synchronous nature of the emerging electronic world. In this regard, he was ahead of his time. In many ways, 40 years after the publication of Understanding Media, we are still striving to catch up with him. Stephen McLuhan and David Stearns have collected 20 unpublished manuscripts by McLuhan, including speeches and interviews. These writings share a common feature: they are accessible and easy to understand. Each piece was compiled from live recordings, so these are not written articles but his spoken words, which are straightforward and highly comprehensible. He comes across as electrifying, witty, both perplexing and thought-provoking. These simple and lucid speeches and interviews will be refreshing to read.