"The medium is the message. This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium - that is, of any extension of ourselves - result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology"
- Marshall McLuhan
About this Quote
Marshall McLuhan's quote is a suggestion that innovation is not just a tool, however an extension of ourselves. He is stating that the personal and social effects of any innovation are identified by the scale of the innovation. In other words, the effect of technology is determined by how much it alters our lives. For example, the invention of the telephone changed the way individuals interact, while the development of the internet changed the way people gain access to information. McLuhan's quote is a pointer that innovation has the power to shape our lives and our society, and that we ought to be mindful of the consequences of any brand-new technology.
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