COMS 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Technological Determinism, Mass Communication, Marshall Mcluhan
14 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Chapter 11: theories of mass communication on technological. Media technology is the determiner of all aspects of human behaviour, interaction and relationship building. Focus on oral communication: face-to-face communication; communication happening when we are in the same time and place, speaking aloud. Literate invention of the phonetic alphabet: gave us common symbols, to make written communication possible. He suggests that this development of phonetic symbol was beginning of linear, or rule-based communication. We start to rely on patterns of communication and how communication would unfold. Invention of printing press: made it possible to mass-produce communication; to communicate with a huge audience all at once. No more handwriting letters, we now have the capacity to reproduce communication. He suggest that in many ways, print reduces our need for face to face communication. (e. g social media, digital media) Revived oral tradition- it became possible for people to communicate voice-to- voice across space. Reviving interest of personal communication, but with new tools/experience.
