The In’s and Out’s of Technological Determinism
In the realm of mass communications and mass communication theory, there are many different theories and paradigms that we can use to analyze and critique things around us. One of the famous theorists and theories is Marshall McLuhan’s Technological Determinism. McLuhan’s central ideas center around the idea that each historical era of social structure has been the product of the dominant medium of communication of that time, and that social organization changes accordingly (Rosenberry & Vicker, 2017, pg. 134).
This can be broken down into various paradigms, such as the tribal paradigm, which posits that the only way one could experience a message was as it happened or as told by another, and the print paradigm, which ended the need for linear thinking as opposed to relational and created a need for order and structure in messages (Rosenberry & Vicker, 2017, pg. 135).
I think that McLuhan’s ideas have a lot of very strong points, such as the notion that social structure changes with the evolution of technology. Any variation of technology is bound to create change within society. I also like how he notes how each new set of technology comes with its own challenges and senses of detachment, as that is very evident with the rise of social media. I also agree with his point that a society dominated by electronic media will differ from one by print media. This is a very useful idea and it is already very much visible in our society, 24/7 news cycle and access to news from around the world at all times has already had visible effects on us and our mental health. In terms of limitations, I do think that it is limited in scope, as saying that all of society is set to be affected by specific things fails to take into account that some people can simply choose to do things differently than that supposed “set” rule. I also think that it has limitations as to how far things can advance, since technology likely won’t change too drastically any time soon after the advent of social media and electronic media. Technological determinism may also leave out other areas of the world that are not as advanced and technologically up-to-date as others.
Overall, McLuhan’s ideas of technological determinism have many uses and limitations, but it does remain a very impactful and thought-provoking theory.
Sources:
Rosenberry, J., & Vicker, L. A. (2017). Applied mass communication theory: A guide for media practitioners (2nd ed.). Routledge.
