HA- First of all this title amuses me because I looked at the cover of the book, noticed it was all in lower case letters- but because of my traditional education couldn't bring myself to not capitalize.
Anyway- the first page of this book has, probably, one of the most profound statements I've read- regarding such things- in a long time. Chapter 1 opens up with a definition of media, including mediums, which are, "something we use when we want to communicate with people indirectly, rather than in person or by face-to-face contact... The media do not offer a transparent window on the the world. They provide channels through which representations and images of the world can be communicated indirectly. "The media intervene: they provide us with selective versions of the world, rather than direct access to it." This is freaky stuff- could this be the major definition of the new age of man- our tools aren't bronze but fiber optics and radiowaves- the invisible and indirect.
AHHH How much of the world have I been experiencing indirectly???
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I really liked that quote too. It made me interested in what he had to say. So much of our lives are through indirect communication. We text instead of talk on the phone, we talk on the phone instead of meeting with people. Most of our friends we "hang out" with online. People are now buying Webcams and programs to work at home, rather than driving into a place where other human beings are. But this is not going to change so we as educators need to find a way to use it to develop critical thinking skills and prepare them for life.
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