#medium theory

            Throughout time there have been multiple shifts in the forms of media used by different civilizations and societies. Meyrowitz argues that, in human history, there have been four major changes in the types of media used and that these shifts have culturally influenced societies in many ways. The first phase is that of traditional oral cultures, where sound and speech dominated as the main form of communication and interaction (Meyrowitz, 56). This meant that every piece of knowledge and information could only be stored in memory and later expressed orally or through physical action. Since most humans could speak or could pick up speech and the act of oral communication requires the physical presence of the audience, these oral societies were local, community-conscious, and generally egalitarian. The second phase, or the transitional scribal phase, began with the development of writing, where literacy began to dictate the organization of a society. Hierarchies formed, and, because the church generally monopolized the ability to read and write, religion was ranked highly in most structures.  The key with the creation of writing is the idea that the communicator and audience can be separate in both time and space. In the third phase, modern print culture, this is particularly important because it causes a rise in globalization/nationalism. You no longer had to be in the same time and place to communicate or feel connected. “Before the printing press you needed the physical presence of the people who knew things, now you could hold their minds in your hand” (A Matter of Fact). Print promoted introspection and developed individual perspectives. The printed word may have even influenced thought processes—things were linear, rational, and moving forward (progressive). The fourth phase, postmodern global electronic culture, began with the invention of the telegraph and the telephone. Electronic cultural changes tended back toward some of the oral culture characteristics including sensory experiences and the immediacy of action, perception and reaction (Meyrowitz, 59). In this phase, experiences are shared, but not necessarily in the formal limits of time and space. Boundaries begin to blur and generalism in supported. We also continue to be connected more and more often and more globally.

            What struck me as the most shocking argument made in this chapter, was the apparent influence forms of media can have on various structures in a society (social institutions, buildings, dwellings, cities, interactions, etc). As a very visual person, the idea that shifts in media may affect people’s way of thinking enough to encourage certain forms of display inspired me--that the very aesthetic of a printed piece of text on paper could influence how engineers, architects and designers would plan and construct cities, buildings and even classrooms. The visual impact digital media may have was mentioned for only a moment in this chapter, but it makes me wonder if structures and organizations are going to begin to look more like networks, or code, or the design of a website. This medium theory visual concept resonates in particular with some of my work that I have done in communication before involving the analysis of a children’s toy, Goldieblox, and it’s attempt to encourage young girl’s interest in engineering. In the US, only 11% of engineers are women. If a type of media can have a substantial influence on the way structures are engineered and designed, it is very likely the gender disparity in that field may be influencing designs, organizations and structures throughout our society today in ways we are not even aware of.