Are media technologies causes or consequences of social change
Are media technologies causes or consequences of social change?
Determinism?
Society and technology are two aspects, which always change. They are invariably progressing because of one another. There is one seemingly obvious question, which people have not been able to answer of, whether technology, that is influencing the society or the technology is only the consequence of inevitable social change. We encounter a chicken-and-egg problem. This essay argues, that both are connected, as media technologies , which will be my main focus, causes and at the same time consequences of social change. My arguments of consequences side are more explored , as technology is not isolated field of human activity, but will look at the both sides of the spectrum, as try to figure it out, what is more accurate.
First view is, that society was determined by media technology. Technological determinists or in this case communicative determinists believe, that technology generally causes the social changes and it is 'outside' society. One of those determinist was Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan, who said, that communication technologies ,like television and printing press transformed society. He believed, that it is a form that matters, not a content so much. In ‘Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man’, McLuhan famously said that 'the medium is the message'. He believed, that no matter what content new media has, new forms of communication causes social transformation itself, because the media extend our senses, for example electronic media allow us to hear sound, as print media was not able to do. This way we can reconnect our senses and social change happens on its own (McLuhan, 1964) A good example, how a media technology is changing society would be J. Meyrowitz (1985) remark on television and children. He saw, that television transcended
Determinism?
Society and technology are two aspects, which always change. They are invariably progressing because of one another. There is one seemingly obvious question, which people have not been able to answer of, whether technology, that is influencing the society or the technology is only the consequence of inevitable social change. We encounter a chicken-and-egg problem. This essay argues, that both are connected, as media technologies , which will be my main focus, causes and at the same time consequences of social change. My arguments of consequences side are more explored , as technology is not isolated field of human activity, but will look at the both sides of the spectrum, as try to figure it out, what is more accurate.
First view is, that society was determined by media technology. Technological determinists or in this case communicative determinists believe, that technology generally causes the social changes and it is 'outside' society. One of those determinist was Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan, who said, that communication technologies ,like television and printing press transformed society. He believed, that it is a form that matters, not a content so much. In ‘Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man’, McLuhan famously said that 'the medium is the message'. He believed, that no matter what content new media has, new forms of communication causes social transformation itself, because the media extend our senses, for example electronic media allow us to hear sound, as print media was not able to do. This way we can reconnect our senses and social change happens on its own (McLuhan, 1964) A good example, how a media technology is changing society would be J. Meyrowitz (1985) remark on television and children. He saw, that television transcended