Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian communications theorist, is known
for his influence on understanding media. He used the critical perspective
by questioning common assumptions, expanding the bounds of debate, and
seeking the betterment of society.
McLuhan constantly questioned and challenged every idea that
crossed his path. In an interview with Playboy, McLuhan confessed, “my
purpose is to employ facts as tentative probes, as means of insight, of
pattern recognition, rather than to use them in the traditional and sterile
sense of classified data, categories, containers.”
In the medium is the message, McLuhan found different ways to look
at assumptions and expand the bounds of debate by finding information to
support his ideas. He argued that the most important part of a message was
not the content, but the medium itself. He tried to make sense of what
effect the medium had, how it changed the world, and how technology such
as the telephone, radio, and television shaped people’s behaviors and
perspectives.
McLuhan encourages the betterment of society by educating people
on the effects that media has on society. He used his observations to help
people realize the impact media has on their lives. In fact, he argued that
people were completely unaware of the major influence technology has in
an environment.