Marshall McLuhan

(Media Studies)

1. "The medium is the message" means that the medium burrows into the message, and slowly changes it as time goes on. This quote means that the way the information is shown is the message, not so much the information itself. More focus should be put on the media, and what portrays the information that the world is given, rather than the focus being on the actual news and information. It means that the medium, meaning how it is portrayed, is the message, not just how it is shown.

2. "Television is teaching all the time, it does more educating than all the schools and all the institutions of higher learning." This means that television is the key to knowledge. It is true that almost everything you can learn in school you can learn on television. Some things may not be exactly right, but the main message for subjects is there. It also gives you information that you may not be able to learn in school. This may include more in-depth explanations and discussions on subjects, or it could even branch to topics that may be inappropriate for school. This could include gangs and drugs, that are not often talked about in the classroom. Learning things on television could be used to your advantage, as there is only a certain amount of time allotted for each topic in school. For example, when learning about history, you may learn the main points about a war. But if you watch it on television, you will be able to expand on the subject by watching a variety of documentaries and movies dedicated to teaching about past wars.

"Technologies are not simply inventions which people employ, but are the means by which people are re-invented." This means that new technologies have the power to shape people as they evolve. We should not just use these new technologies, but allow them to change us as people. As technology continues to advance, this, in turn, will allow the world to change us. This will change the human race. For example, new technology can allow us to communicate with people all around the world. By this, we can be re-invented as we learn about different places and cultures. Many years ago, people barely travelled away from their homes, and new little, if anything at all about other cultures and places. But now, the rest of the world is at our fingertips, and if we let it, it can change who we are, mostly for the better. New technology could break down some barriers that are in place, dividing cultures, religions, and races. It allows us to get a first hand look and explanations from people who are different than us.