McLuhan reading-"the medium is the message"

McLuhan's article, "The Medium is the Message", explains that "as the personal and social consequences of any medium--that is, of any extension of ourselves--result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves or by any new technology" (23). McLuhan goes on to say that "the message of any medium or technology is the change of scale or pace or pattern that it introduces into human affairs" (24). The medium influences how the message is perceived. Media should be what is studied, not the message that is portrayed. The example he gives is electric light, saying that it is pure information. He states that "the medium is the message because it is the medium that shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action" (24). Electric light, or electricity, is known as the greatest reversal because it caused instant speed. With electricity, people were able to do things they could have never done before, and with significant speed and sequence, such as see in the dark.

A current innovation in technology is a cell phone. The message behind a cell phone is to create a communication channel by exchanging phone calls, messages, pictures, and more to others. However, with all the new technological advances that are available on cell phones today, people are still looking for the newest, best innovations. A cell phone that just takes pictures and videos is no longer considered good. A cell phone must be able to act as a GPS system, go onto the Internet, and play music in order to be of good quality. Although technology is rapidly expanding at a fast pace, people are still searching for the newest technological products. The original idea of the message of a cell phone was to communicate, but today, the idea is to be able to do so much more than just converse. It is to organize your day to day activities and entertain yourself in an easy, hands on way.