Evolution Of Technology (Week 1)

 

MEDIUM IS THE MASSAGE

The book’s title, ‘The Medium is the Message,’ explains the entire book in a single statement. The author is attempting to convey the idea that the channel through which information or a message is delivered is more essential than the content itself. Individual impressions of how the message is received might be influenced by the medium.

McLuhan’s electrical information device refers to all of the electronic gadgets from which we extract information and how they effect individuals, families, education, work life, government, and so on.

All that we do, according to McLuhan, is saved in a dossier bank forever and is never forgotten or deleted, similar to a gossip column. This is the internet, and everything we publish, write, or do on it is preserved forever and there is no permanent method to delete it. We’ve grown so engrossed in it that it no longer bothers us, and posting, tweeting, or commenting has become a habit.

The impact of these electric gadgets on families is discussed in the following example. Parents used to be the major source of knowledge and learning for their children at home before the emergence of technology, but now children learn from so many diverse sources that parents are no longer the ultimate source. Access to the internet and other devices has put all of the world’s information at the fingertips of youngsters.

We can communicate with anyone in any part of the globe in seconds and exist in our own place, therefore the idea of time and space no longer exists. Information and culture transcend national boundaries; we are no longer confined by the information that political parties try to sell us; we know where to look for the truth. Parochialism in politics is a fiction.

Specialism is what is happening now. Nobody knows the entire process of doing things, thus people are expected to know about a certain ability and work on it. Our duties in the future will be to teach machines how to execute their jobs and to automate processes.

The population is more aware and informed as a result of the rise of media and the emergence of information. The mass audience mindset rules, and the media influences our opinions and decisions on a daily basis. The social media platform has evolved into a living room where everyone expresses their views, seeks to control others’ views, and organises demonstrations and riots.

Minority groups no longer exist since every group of people has access to everything and no one can be ignored. Any event taking place anywhere on the planet may be broadcast to the rest of the globe. Nothing is predetermined any longer; all that is required is the desire to adapt.

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The narrative of Zima Blue was interesting; I got the impression that the robot had advanced to the point where it couldn’t tell whether it was a modified human or a highly evolved robot. The fact that the narrative finished at the protagonist’s birthplace and the rationale for the choice of that particular colour seemed like the cycle’s conclusion.