Theme #4

Theme 4:
Starting with MacLuhan's ideas about how media create new environments and new ways of thinking,as a special case of technological determinism, explore the idea that we take on the qualities of the " intellectual technologies" we use,or, to put it another way, that media shape out thought processes.What are some concerns that have been expressed ( in articles such as " Is Google Making us Stupid?", "In Defense of to Distraction", and " Old fogies in their 20's") in relation to new media for our thinking attention and memory? In particular, discuss concerns about the decline in reading- especially the reading of books.



Marshall McLuhan believed that the medium is the message, which means that it is not actually the content but how we obtain the content that is of the utmost importance. Whether the information is transmitted through the Internet, television, or radio, McLuhan demonstrates that how we get it is more important. In addition to this idea, McLuhan thought that technological determinism takes place. Technological determinism is the theory that technology around us is the driving force behind social change as we have seen throughout history. McLuhan believed this wholeheartedly because the medium makes available information and content that would not other wise be accessible. He also discussed collective consciousness. Collective consciousness is beliefs attitudes that unify and change society. Media seems to create new environments and new ways of thinking. Technology itself affects how we act and even how we think. Technological revolutions and thought revolutions seemingly act in tandem with one another. This has raised many questions and concerns from intellectuals. One side of the argument embraces the positive nature of the pervasiveness of information on the Internet. The other side expresses concern for it being easier to resort or defer to technology in order to solve problems and learn information instead of using our brains and our own thought process. With the Internet and other types of media, we have everything is easily accessible so it makes it easier to receive information easily, quickly, and efficiently. There are indubitable advantages to information being media and technology driven but an obvious disadvantage is the fact that we as a society think less for ourselves. This is seen in the article, “Is Google Making us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr. He tells the reader that lately he has been feeling a lot less focused and more scatterbrained. Things like concentrating for long periods of time seem next to impossible. Carr places the blame on Google and the Internet itself. Along with the unquestionable benefits that come along with the Internet, society tends to think less. We see information on the Internet and some just assume it is fact. It is important to be discriminatory with information on the Internet. Another disadvantage is that it has become increasingly hard for us to stay focused on one specific task because our senses are being assaulted by many different things as once. Multitasking is prevalent in our society and we are all guilty of it from time to time. Personally, I Google everything so I feel slightly biased towards one side.