COMN 2200 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Print Culture, Anachronism, Formal System
25 Aug 2016
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Media - mediation of communication
Medium is the message - what is mean is that mediation inevitably the message being
communicated
Though —> formal system of grammar and syntax —> transmit it by some physical system
(laws of physics/physical law, depends of physiological apparatus including speech and hearing)
need to code messages
compression of message (twitter etc.)
eric habalot argued - first technology made a impact on the way we communicate greek phonetic
alphabet allowed for communication amongst others and literacy much more adaptable. Allowed
for science and abstract thought; flexibility of phonetic form of alphabet and comparison to other
forms of language at the time. words could be constructed to create abstract ideas. writing down
the contents of the mind, objectifies the information and makes it available for the reading and
analysis of other people. writing separates the object from the subject (the thinker or perceiver);
in doing that plato says we make philosophy possible by making abstract thought straight
forward. we can now think in the abstract than just the straight forward. Abstract thoughts make
logic and mathematics possible we can think about numbers than just a specific numbers. we can
categorize arguments. makes the transfer of information much easier. Differences between oral
or literal and print based cultures. Oral cultures tend to be concrete, poetic, emotional and little
differentiation between subject and object and can identify whats around. subject and object - are
sharply differentiated (ex. mind and body are different things). oral cultures trend to be
communitarian, text based, and more emphasis on the individual because communication is a
social tool. print can be a individual tool - less collaborative.
Print culture a sense of anachronism - distinction between past and present, past is now
available for present scrutiny. past and present rose in print culture. Sense of difference
between past and presence. 17th century explosion of scientific. explain everything in
nature through mathematics and science. Key idea of progress and we should sacrifice today
because tomorrow is bound to be better than today - oral cultures tend to live in the moment. we
today think the past is primitive, and the future is advanced and wanted. the present should be
used to make a better future.
briefly describe the impact of the telegraph in the 19th century redefines what we think
about news. a recitation of happenings, a listing of events rather than analysis. (news) currency
replaces relevancy. What’s fresh replaces whats relevant. Context free information. beginning of
24 hour news broadcasts. Assumes there is enough news in the world to broadcast 24 hours a
day. Much more interest in exotic places due to interest in what s different than whats not.
Because of condensing news, we get inverted writing where the most important is at the top and
so on. Creation of the news agencies due to telegraph.
•industrialization - steam driven presses, cash flow, regular income,
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Medium is the message - what is mean is that mediation inevitably the message being communicated. Abstract thoughts make logic and mathematics possible we can think about numbers than just a specific numbers. we can categorize arguments. makes the transfer of information much easier. Differences between oral or literal and print based cultures. Print culture a sense of anachronism - distinction between past and present, past is now available for present scrutiny. past and present rose in print culture. 17th century explosion of scientific. explain everything in nature through mathematics and science. Assumes there is enough news in the world to broadcast 24 hours a day. Much more interest in exotic places due to interest in what s different than whats not. Because of condensing news, we get inverted writing where the most important is at the top and so on. Define terms in a question for example defining penny press if asked about penny press importance.
