Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Medium is the Message
Friday was a rather unique adventure for me. It's one thing to be told that "the medium is the message" and quite another to experience it. I found that, in addition to illustration's lack of effectiveness, words and the format in which you choose to convey them are extremely important. However, there was no particular instance in which I realized this simple concept. In fact, it was the entire day in general that made this idea evident to me. I came across small dilemmas throughout those 7 hours that contributed to my realization. For example, when I didn't quite understand a concept in my pre-calc class, I was stumped on how to illustrate my lack of understanding. Consequently, my question had to be ignored and I was obligated to move on without complete apprehension. After this occurrence I came to find that this idea not only applied to math class but to every instance of communication. If the medium is not correct and effective, questions will be left unanswered and ignored. Therefore, society becomes less intelligent and involved with every incorrect format of exchanging information. Partly because of Friday's experience, I am now completely on board with Neil Postman and his "medium is the message ideas".
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Your point of "if the medium is not correct and effective, questions will be left unanswered and ignored" is very interesting. I believe this correlates with Postman's beliefs that the forms of communication effect the value and accuracy of the message received, and as a result, our society today is being "dumbed-down" because of those inadequate forms of communication.
ReplyDeleteI think your connection between limitation in regards to questions also results in a lack of intelligence, as if to say that the medium not only prevents a passing of the facts that we know, but it also stops us from searching and effectively interpreting and expressing the unknown. I also think that you discuss the effects of this well "society becomes less intelligent and involved with every incorrect format of exchanging information."
ReplyDeletethat if we don't search for truth and then portray the truth properly when we find it, truth itself looses recognition, and our knowledge suffers. Our inhibited communication leads to unanswered questions which leads to ignorance.
WOW!
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