Week 2 McLuhan, Mills and Barlow

01 Mills Barlow What is Theory

We theorise the world around us.

“We spend much of our lives trying to make sense of the world around us and the motivation of other people, coming to conclusions based on evidence, guesswork, experience and the advice of others.”

Three types of theory by Wiliiams:

1. Academic (uni and academia)

2. Practicioner (film directors and etc, reflecting on their practicies)

3. Common sense 

Theory as a process.

“Again, this shows how theory is a process, in which ideas constantly evolve, develop and mutate. 

Storey (2006: xv) argues that we can begin to define particular fields of enquiry by using three criteria:”

1. the object of study;

2. the method of analysis; 

3. the history of the field.

structuralist work = examines the text, 

post-structuralist theory = the audiences and consumers of texts. 

Theory can be described as the postulation of questions, the offering of suggestions, and disagreement with proposals to encourage movement towards agreed conclusions and reasons. Theory encourages and inspires discussion and debate and can be normative and/or critical. Theory is also the starting point in making sense of something.

What theory is for?

*   Theory can help to explain the world by offering ways of thinking about it and providing methods and approaches which might gain new insights.

*   Media theory plays an important role in how people think about themselves, society, and the world at large.

*   Theory is also interested in presenting models, which are often proposals which haven't been fully tested, or don't work, in their initial stage.

*   Another aim of theory is to encourage debate, reflection, and analysis, as well as to encourage new ways of thinking.

Where theory comes from?

Summary:

• theory must be published;

• theory comes out of a context:

• theory i soften categorised by schools or fields.

The main point of exploring the theories is to develop a critical lens.

Theory is a tool. 

02 Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media: 

The Extensions of Man explores how technology acts as an extension of the human body and senses, fundamentally reshaping our perceptions and society. He argues that these extensions, from the wheel to electric media, alter our sense ratios and create a state of numbness as a defence mechanism against sensory overload. McLuhan draws upon the myth of Narcissus to illustrate this process of self-amputation and argues that we become servomechanisms to our technologies, adapting to their logic and effects. Ultimately, the book suggests that understanding these extensions is crucial to navigating the electric age, where instant global interconnectedness demands a new level of awareness and responsibility.

Key topics

Understanding media

Man's extensions

Electric technology

Central nervous system

Self-amputation

Lecture:

• Medium

• Reality

• Identity

• Relationality 

• Technology

• Power

Theory:

• Provides framework, vision or a model for explaining phenomena 

• Nomothetic theories (general laws, natural phenomena)

• Ideographic theoris (specific and in depth cultural phenomena))

Nomothetic and ideographic research are complementary, not contradictory.

Why is theory difficult?

• Dense, abstract language 

• Encourages discussion and debate 

• Theoretical debates are ongoing and encourage more theorising 

• Theory is deliberately provocative 

• The purpose to challenge the common-sense (making the ordinary extraordinary)

• Theory is an ongoing process

• Your role is to engage with it  

Marshall McLuhan (the medium is the massage)

The Toronto School of Communication Theory

• Key argument: communications systems and technologies structure our individual psychology and our culture/society

• Emphasis on the form and function of media communication, rather than the content

• (Trans)historical research: comparing different eras/periods and formulate general principles (mostly nomothetic)

• Conclusion: communication technologies are the engine of socio-historical change

“We invent and then our inventions reinvent us”

“Trying to understand our technological environment and its psychic and social consequences. But my books constitute the process rather than the completed product of discovery; my purpose is to employ facts as tentative probes, as means of insight, of pattern recognition, rather than to use them in the traditional and sterile sense of classified data, categories, and containers. I want to map new terrain rather than chart old landmarks. But I've never presented such explorations as revealed truth.”

Media as the extension of humans:

• Glasses are extension of our vision and etc.

Kennedy VS Nixon 1960

• The message stayed the same but the impression changed (radio - good quality, tv - bad quality - made a bad impression)

Videodrone 

Not extending but merching(!) with the body.

How is it relevant? New extensions

Algorithms as an extension of our will, phones as an extension of our memory, chat gpt as 

Lecture 2; 

Active Critical Thinking

"Critical reading is about not expecting a reading to give you final, definitive answers, but instead for it to be a tool for you to develop your own thinking." (p. 24)

1. Pre-read;

2. Read;

3. Analyze what you read;

4. Remember what's important;

5. Make use of what you read;

6. Evaluate your critical thinking skills.

• Age of Absurd

• Age of Anxiety 

• Medi are no longer separated from the media: Examination of the origin and development of the individual extensions of man should be preceded by a look at some general aspects of the media, or extensions of man, beginning with the never-explained numbness that each extension brings about in the individual and society.

• Wholeness, empathy and depth of awareness is a natural adjunct of electric technology.

• NUMBNESS: “He had adapted to his extension of himself and had become a closed system.”

• Your sense are sedated; the way that extensions of themselves makes a narcissist numb

• Servomechanism of his extented and repeated image.

Its about AMPUTATION, EXTENTION, AND COMPENSATION

From Mills and Barlow: "What is Theory?"

• Theory is a process. It is not just a set of facts but an ongoing activity involving sense-making and understanding the world around us.

• Theory often has a purpose. It is frequently used to develop ideas, ask questions, and look for new insights and breakthroughs.

• Engaging with theory is intellectually demanding, often involving debate, discussion, and the critical evaluation of ideas.

• There are different types of theory, including academic theory (associated with universities and research), practitioner theory (used by professionals to reflect on their work), and common sense theory (everyday understandings of the world).

• Theory often emerges from engaging with important and relevant readings and goes through a process to become published and recognised.

• Theory can be seen as difficult due to factors such as unfamiliar vocabulary, complex sentences, and the way it can challenge everyday assumptions.

• Despite its difficulty, theory is taught because it helps develop critical thinking skills, enhances communication and debate, and fosters a deeper understanding of the media and the world.

From McLuhan: "Understanding Media"

• McLuhan draws a key binary opposition between mechanical technologies and electric technology.

  • Mechanical technologies are associated with explosion, being fragmentary and involving the extension of our bodies in space.

  • Electric technology is associated with implosion, the extension of our central nervous system, creating a global embrace and abolishing space and time.

• Any extension of ourselves through technology affects the entire psychic and social complex.

• In the electric age, action and reaction occur almost simultaneously, leading to a more integrated way of living but clashing with fragmented thought patterns from the pre-electric age.

• Electric media have created a "global village" with heightened human awareness of responsibility.

• The electric age is characterised as the "Age of Anxiety" due to the enforced commitment and participation it demands.

• The myth of Narcissus is used to illustrate how humans become fascinated by technology as an extension of themselves but can become numb to its effects, mistaking it for something other than themselves.

• Extension and auto-amputation are related: technology as an extension of our physical bodies can be seen as a form of self-amputation employed by the central nervous system as a protective mechanism against overstimulation, leading to a numbing effect.

• McLuhan's notion of servo-mechanism suggests that humans, by continuously using technology, often adapt to and serve their technologies, reversing the more classic view of technology solely as a tool controlled by the user.

• The audiac, a dental device using intense noise to block pain, illustrates the numbing effect of technology by showing how the intense stimulation of one sense can reduce awareness in other sensory areas.

Analysis of Mills and Barlow: "What is Theory?"

• Structure and Argument: The excerpt from Mills and Barlow's "What is theory?" begins by defining theory through examples. It starts with the relatable example of football pundits analysing a game and romantic relationships, suggesting that we all engage in informal theorising. The text then moves towards a more academic understanding of theory, highlighting it as a process and something that is often purposive. It emphasises that theory is intellectually demanding, involving debate, discussion, and the critical evaluation of ideas. The argument proceeds by outlining different types of theory: academic, practitioner, and common sense. The text further discusses the sources of theory, suggesting it often emerges from attempts to understand important and relevant readings and the processes through which theory becomes published and recognised. Finally, the excerpt explores why theory is seen as difficult, attributing this to factors like unfamiliar vocabulary, complex sentences, the challenging of everyday assumptions, and the need for critical engagement. The text concludes by explaining why theory is taught, arguing for its importance in developing critical thinking, communication skills, and a deeper understanding of the world.

• Difficulties in Following the Argument: One potential difficulty in following the argument arises from the frequent shifts between broad, relatable examples and more abstract, academic discussions. While the initial examples help ground the concept of theory, the text quickly moves into a more complex exploration of its nature and function within academic contexts. This shift might require the reader to adjust their level of engagement and conceptual understanding. Additionally, while the points made are generally clear, the connections between some sections could be more explicitly signposted. For instance, the transition from discussing the difficulty of theory to the reasons for teaching it could benefit from a clearer articulation of how understanding the challenges informs the pedagogical rationale.

• Helpfulness of Repeated Reading: Yes, a repeated reading of the text would likely be helpful in understanding the point. Due to the movement between different levels of abstraction and the introduction of several facets of theory (definition, types, sources, difficulties, purpose of teaching), a subsequent reading would allow for a consolidation of these interconnected ideas. It would provide an opportunity to revisit potentially challenging sections, such as the discussion on "sense 'closure'" in relation to technology, in the context of the broader argument about the nature and impact of theory. Repeated reading can also aid in identifying the underlying logic and the relationships between the various points being made.

Analysis of McLuhan: "Understanding Media"

• Analysis of the Opening Paragraph and Binary Opposition: The opening paragraph of McLuhan's "Understanding Media" draws a binary opposition between mechanical technologies and electric technology.

  • Mechanical Technologies: McLuhan associates these with:

    • Explosion

    • Fragmentary nature

    • Mechanical operation

    • Extension of our bodies in space

    • A past era ("after three thousand years of explosion...the Western world is imploding")

  • Electric Technology: McLuhan associates these with:

    • Implosion

    • Extension of our central nervous system

    • A global embrace

    • Abolishing both space and time (as far as our planet is concerned)

    • The present era ("Today, after more than a century of electric technology...")

    • Rapid approach towards the technological simulation of consciousness

    • The potential for the collective and corporately extended creative process of knowing

• What the Remainder of That Chapter Adds to the Table: The remainder of the introduction expands on this initial binary by highlighting the different psychic and social consequences of these technological shifts. It suggests that the impact of extending any part of ourselves affects the entire "psychic and social complex". McLuhan laments the lack of prior consideration given to these effects. He argues that in the receding mechanical age, slow movement allowed for delayed reactions, whereas in the electric age, action and reaction are almost simultaneous, forcing a more integrated and "mythical" way of living that clashes with outdated, fragmented thought patterns. Furthermore, the introduction asserts that literacy, a product of mechanical technology, enabled detachment, but electric technology, by extending our central nervous system, necessitates deeper participation and involvement in the consequences of our actions, making the "aloof and dissociated role of the literate Westerner" obsolete. The idea of a global village created by electric speed and the resulting heightened awareness of responsibility is also introduced. Finally, McLuhan characterises the electric age as the "Age of Anxiety" due to the enforced commitment and participation, contrasting it with the era of individual viewpoints fostered by mechanical technologies. He sees a contemporary aspiration for wholeness and empathy as a natural outcome of electric technology.

• For the Chapter on the Gadget Lover: What is the Myth of Narcissus and How Does McLuhan Use It in His Analysis of Technology? The myth of Narcissus tells the story of a beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection in the water, mistaking it for another person. Unable to embrace this image, he pined away and died. McLuhan uses this myth to explain our relationship with technology, arguing that humans become fascinated by any extension of themselves in a material other than themselves. He suggests that like Narcissus, we often fail to recognise technology as an extension of ourselves, becoming so absorbed in it that our perceptions are numbed. McLuhan posits that Narcissus didn't fall in love with what he knew to be himself; his numbness prevented this recognition. This interpretation serves to illustrate how we can become so engrossed in and dependent on our technologies that we are oblivious to their effects on us.

• What is the Relationship Between Extension and Auto-Amputation? McLuhan argues that any invention or technology is an extension (or self-amputation) of our physical bodies. He draws on the work of medical researchers like Hans Selye and Adolphe Jonas, who suggest that all extensions of ourselves are attempts to maintain equilibrium in the face of stress. McLuhan interprets this as a form of "autoamputation," where the central nervous system, under stress from overstimulation, acts to protect itself by extending or isolating the offending organ, sense, or function. This extension, like the wheel as an extension of the foot to alleviate the burden of increased exchange, serves as a "counter-irritant". However, this amplification of a separated function is only bearable through a numbing or blocking of perception, which is the "narcosis" aspect of the Narcissus myth. Thus, extension and auto-amputation are two sides of the same coin: the act of extending ourselves technologically is simultaneously an amputation of a function from our natural bodies, leading to a numbing effect.

• What is McLuhan’s Notion of Servo-Mechanism and Why Could You Consider This as a Reversal of the More Classic Approach to the User-Technology Relationship? McLuhan's notion of servo-mechanism suggests that by continuously embracing technologies, we relate ourselves to them as servomechanisms. This means that in order to use our technologies, we must serve them, adapting ourselves to their requirements and logic, almost as if they were "gods or minor religions". He provides examples such as an Indian being the servo-mechanism of his canoe, a cowboy of his horse, or an executive of his clock. This is a reversal of the classic approach to the user-technology relationship, which typically assumes that technology is a tool entirely subservient to human will and purpose. McLuhan argues that the relationship is reciprocal and often involves human beings adapting to the demands and characteristics of their technologies to such an extent that they become dependent on and shaped by them. Instead of humans solely controlling technology, they also become, in a sense, its servants or extensions.

• What is the Audiac and How Does It Illustrate the Numbing Effect of Technology? The audiac is a device used in dentistry where a patient wears headphones and increases the noise level to the point where they feel no pain from the drill. McLuhan uses the audiac to illustrate the numbing effect of technology. By intensely stimulating a single sense (hearing), the central nervous system rallies a response of general numbness, effectively blocking out the sensation of pain from another stimulus (the dental drill). This exemplifies how the specialised or intense use of one technological extension can lead to a reduced awareness or sensitivity in other sensory areas, supporting McLuhan's broader argument about the numbing effect that technology can have on its users.