Marshall McLuhan

     McLuhan’s theory states that media influences our contemporary life and has an effect on human behavior (Marshall McLuhan Speaks Special Collection:  Introduction by Tom Wolfe).  It alters who we are and our pattern of thought.  Any great new medium of communication alters the entire outlook of the people who use it.  The new media (telegraph, television, radio, internet) when it emerges changes how we think and our behavior.  The recent analysis of a video advertisement supported McLuhan’s theory.  The purpose of the Budweiser advertisement was to sell beer.  I am not a beer drinker, but the communication of their message was so gentle.  You didn’t realize that your thoughts regarding beer were being changed.  Instead of thinking of the consequences of drinking, I kept thinking how nice it is to have best buds reunited and enjoying a refreshing beverage.  The advertisement changed the way I felt about beer. Beer is just a small product.  Think of the influence media has on how we make decisions about bigger purchases like cars and homes.  Who doesn’t want to drive the bright red car that just expanded itself because a little blue pill feel into the gas tank or the car that can go from 0 to 60 in 1.2 seconds and hugs the road around sharp turns?  Media has this effect on even bigger issues like endangered animals and starving children. Who isn’t drawn to the images of the children suffering from hunger or the sad faces of injured puppies?
     The way we think and later react is influenced by the media.  It impacts society and our culture.  Media has the potential to modify our knowledge, belief, morals, laws, and customs.  The essence of who we are and what we believe can be swayed by media.   Remember the modest dress of women and men.  Over time, men and women have been portrayed with less and less clothing and more and more exposed skin.  We have become desensitized.  The same can be said of profanity.  Profanity has become the norm instead of the exception.  The outcome of exposure to media has not been all negative.  Media has also helped society except the differences of people.
     McLuhan is said to have observed his children studying for school, watching television, talking on the phone and listening to music all at the same time.  He believed that the new generation of students was bound to sit bored in classrooms run by print bound teachers.  I’m not sure if all students are bored, but our school system does lack the proper training to teach our students to critically think about media.  New York State common core has standards that require students to be able to “evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea”, “integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally” and integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data” (www.engageny.org).  It is the responsibility of the educational system to ensure that the next generation has the necessary skills to make informed decisions.  In order for the teachers to guide the students, the teachers must have proper training in new media literacy.
     New media literacy is a powerful tool.  It can help a diverse society connect or it can be used to guide people in the wrong direction.  In of all itself, new media literacy is not an evil to be dispelled.  It’s a tool to be understood and utilized in a positive manner.  Society has to be able to critical think about the components of the medium being used and determine its usefulness.

References

http://www.marshallmcluhanspeaks.com/introduction/. (n.d.). Retrieved from Marshall McLuhan peaks Special Collection: Introduction by Tom Wolfe: http://www.marshallmcluhanspeaks.com/introduction/

www.engageny.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from New Yorl State Common Core Learning Standards: https://www.engageny.org/resource/new-york-state-p-12-common-core-learning-standards-for-english-language-arts-and-literacy