Technological Determinism Applications
Application By: Sara Anderson
As Em Griffin stated in the text, A First Look at Communication Theory, Marshall McLuhan "supported his interpretation of history by offering numerous examples of media-induced change" (348). Specifically, Griffin cited politics, education, and sex and drugs as areas that McLuhan used to support his claims. Griffin went further to include developments that happened after McLuhan's death. In my application, I will tackle these subjects as I see them in our culture today.
Politics
As long as I can remember (which is probably not all that long considering I am only twenty-one years old), presidential candidates have been plastered across the television screen. Fortunately, the popularization of cable afforded me privileges that my parents did not have as children. When the president comes on to give a speech, I am not bombarded by him on every channel. Whereas, my parents were forced to watch the president, if he came on during their normal television program because they only had three channels. As well known comedian Jeff Foxworthy said, "Ahhhhhh...the President is on, he is on every channel. We're gonna miss Flipper"
Although I can avoid the president's broadcasts if I want, it is still without a doubt one of the most important methods of campaigning for the office. Hence, politics have been shaped by a shift in the medium of importance. Griffin stated tactics used by Bill Clinton to win his election as appealing to younger generations by using the media effectively. Essentially, he capitalized on his looks, talents, and "stage presence" to win his audience. Without the capabilities of television this would have never been possible.
This led me to think of a recent comment I heard about Bill Bradley in comparison to Al Gore in the democractic presidential race. The comment basically elluded to the notion that if Bradley were better looking than Gore, he would be a shoo-in. Despite Gore's notorious lack of personality, he is still managing to edge Bradley in the looks department. Amazingly, looks of the candidate are often a factor in presidential elections and Gore seems to riding this one out. Frighteningly enough for democratic proponents, Gore's looks quite possibly not carry him above the charismatic and jovial style of Republican primary candidate, John McCain, who has targeted the youth much like Bill Clinton did in his past victories. All of these things would not even be a consideration if it were not for the shift into the electronic age. Television has irrevocably transformed politics in this country.
Education
Education is obviously effected by the ever changing techonological revolutions. Unfortunately, this is often negative as Griffin states:
McLuhan charged that people living in the midst of innovation often cling to what was, as opposed to what is. He considered the educational establishment a prime example. By the time Johnny starts school, he has already watched over 10,000 hours of television...Because the teacher still considers video an audiovisual aid rather than the primary tool of learning, the information for Jenny and Johnny takes a dip when they walk into the classroom. (349)
Teachers in today's classroom may now be coming to understand the power of televsion, but they are still behind. With the ever growing popularity of electronic communication and the world wide web, educators are still playing catch up. Now children do not just come to school with television under their belt, but also the many multimedia uses of computers. As television is a "cool medium", computers and their many technical functions are as well. If McLuhan was still alive, I imagine he would be a proponent of technological upgrades in all schools.
Sex and Drugs
McLuhan thought of both a medium that was tactile as well as acoustic. "He contended that 'TV tattoos its message directly on our skins,'and linked that 'fact' to increased interpersonal touch, nudity, and public sexuality of recent decades" (Griffin 349-50). Understanding the idea of TV being tactile might be quite difficult for many people. However, consider the very act of "fondling the remote control" (phrase brought into my common vocabulary by the early nineties film, Reality Bites) and "turning on" the television set. Obviously, these are expressions that lend themselves to a tactile nature.
If one is to agree with these notions, then it might be easy to contend that the World Wide Web has upped the ante. Even more pervasive than television in its blatantly explicit content and every bit as tactile in most respects (think about the mouse), the internet may be causing the sexual progression of today's youth. It seems that each year younger and younger people are talking about sex and actually having sex. What used to be shocking to my thirteen year old ear's is now the action of similar thirteen year olds.
Drugs have been around forever, but it wasn't until the 1960s (in the United States) that drugs came to the forefront. "McLuhan regarded the use of marijuana, cocaine, and LSD as an attempt to achieve empathy with an environment that offers the potential of an all-at once, total involvement of the senses" (Griffin 350). Whether entirely correct or not McLuhan's position on drug use is definately interesting. As well, it is still quite applicable to social phenomenom of today. Modeled similarly to the Acid Tests of the 1960s, raves have become popular in today's culture. Once an underground counterculture, raves have hit the mainstream. The of a rave intention is to overcome
you through all five senses. Electronic music, digital lighting, and other technological advances make this possible. As well, the rave or party scene (as it is now commonly referred to as) often involves use of drugs such as ecstacy (MDMA), Special K (ketamine), and other drugs. These drugs are often taken to heighten the experience not necessarily understand it, but I think the idea is similar to that of McLuhan's proposition. However, it is somewhat altered by the new mediums available to young people of today.
Politically Minded? See how Agenda-Setting applies to politics and the president
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This page was last updated March 9, 2000