McLuhan and the message of his medium

For this issue on different media used for science communication, Miguel Vissers dug deeper on a quote that has long survived the speaker: “The medium is the message.”

From Annie Hall—rest in peace, Diane Keaton—to Mad Men, Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan and his phrase have reached a similar status as by now ancient wisdoms as “sex sells” and “less is more.” Being a researcher in communication studies, I was familiar with the quote, yet I came to the somewhat awkward conclusion that I had never even read McLuhan’s original work. What better opportunity to do so than for an edition of Big Bang magazine? Join me on an adventure down the wonderful world of Canada’s largest export product next to petroleum—do not fact-check me on that. 

McLuhan opens his 1964 book titled Understanding Media - The extensions of man with the heartwarming message that “After three thousand years of explosion, by means of fragmentary and mechanical technologies, the Western world is imploding... Today, after more than a century of electric technology, we have extended our central nervous system itself in a global embrace, abolishing both space and time as far as our planet is concerned. Rapidly, we approach the final phase of the extensions of man-- the technological simulation of consciousness.” What a way to start a conversation! But Marshall does not end it there. Through a journey of 396 pages chock-full of metaphors, anecdotes, art, and mythology, our Canadian companion aims to convince us that media (including money, cars, clothes, clocks) are extensions of our senses, where the media themselves (more so than their content) convey a message, effectively shaping society and our perceptions. 

Cause you’re hot and you’re cold...

McLuhan argues that the effects of any medium follow from the scale, pace, or pattern introduced/changed by any new technology. It does not matter whether a train carries people or coal, no, it were the railways that changed us as humans. Whether an electric light is used for brain surgery, writing a Big Bang article, or to play football? Irrelevant. It is the light itself that changed our being. Remember: the medium, being any extension of our physical human selves (such as clothes as an extension of our skin), is the message. Quite early on in the book, McLuhan nails this down: “It is the medium that shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action. The content or uses of such media are as diverse as they are ineffectual in shaping the form of human association.” 

But not every medium is equal. Time to queue in Katy Perry, as McLuhan explains his differences between so-called “hot” and “cold” media, based on the degree of participation needed from the audience. A hot medium allows less participation than a cool one: “a lecture makes for less participation than a seminar, and a book for less than dialogue.” Reading his work, I do not necessarily agree with his distinctions per medium, but I do feel it offers us insight in the different media at hand for science communication. The media we use all have different characteristics. Bluesky offers us an opportunity to focus on short text and interaction. Press releases allow room for quotes and longer explanations. Video can provide images, audio, and text all at once. The list goes on. While McLuhan might be reductionist, he does, however, make a point. 

On McLuhan’s own medium

Although this article is not a book review, some things should be said about McLuhan’s own medium of choice: the book (and its content). Let’s say it was quite cold (read: it took a lot of effort to get through—although a book would be a hot medium in McLuhan’s philosophy). Next to deserved criticism for being gravely reductionist, technologically determinist and rather a form of poetry than an academic work, his book reads like a fever dream of a modern day pun-addicted Nostradamus (at some points, he is so vague that you can retroactively think he was right on every level). Further, in reading it, you are always accompanied by a friend: his ego. McLuhan seems quite aware of his important addition to the literature by way of the words of his editor who “noted in dismay” that “seventy-five per cent of your material is new... a successful book cannot venture to be more than ten per cent new.” But McLuhan, the unsung hero that he was, thought that “such a risk seems quite worth taking at the present time when the stakes are very high, and the need to understand the effects of the extensions of man becomes more urgent by the hour.” Oh, what did we do to deserve such a man as McLuhan?! 

Although there is a lot to criticize about McLuhan and his theory, he nevertheless made me think about the different science communication media at our disposal. If one of our readers has become enthusiastic to read about his work, I recommend his later work with graphic designer Quentin Fiore The Medium is the Massage (Penguin, 1967), which I deem to be a 157 pages long acid trip (also a medium?) version of his work elevated by beautiful typesetting, photography, and quirky experimentation. But first, keep on reading this magazine! This edition of Big Bang has marshalled—sorry for this pun—a multitude of approaches to science communication and media. All have their own perks, challenges, audiences, goals, and effects. We hope to inspire and excite you.