--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The overwhelming pressure of…" description: "\"The overwhelming pressure of mechanization evident in the newspaper and the magazine, has led to the creation of vast monopolies of communication. Thei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/harold-innis-29347_activity_the-overwhelming-pressure-of-mechanizati_1935790.jpg" --- # The overwhelming pressure of mechanization evident in the… ![“The overwhelming pressure of mechanization evident in the newspaper and the magazine, has led to the creation of vast monopolies of communication. Their entrenched positions involve a continuous, systematic, ruthless destruction of elements of permanence essential to cultural activity.” quote by Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/harold-innis-29347_activity_the-overwhelming-pressure-of-mechanizati_1935790.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/harold-innis-29347_activity_the-overwhelming-pressure-of-mechanizati_1935790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/harold-innis-29347_activity_the-overwhelming-pressure-of-mechanizati_1935790.jpg) > “The overwhelming pressure of mechanization evident in the newspaper and the magazine, has led to the creation of vast monopolies of communication. Their entrenched positions involve a continuous, systematic, ruthless destruction of elements of permanence essential to cultural activity.” [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mass media consolidates control, eroding lasting cultural foundations and creating dominant communication monopolies. **In simple terms:** Media power destroys lasting culture. Key Takeaway Beware media concentration. Themes media culture power monopolies change Mood critical concerned Type analytical critical When to use this quote - newsrooms - advertising agencies - digital platforms - policy making - public education Key Concepts communication theory cultural erosion economic concentration Questions to Reflect On - How does media concentration affect cultural memory? - What can preserve permanence in a digital age? A Different Perspective It may overlook grassroots resilience and alternative media. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Mechanization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanization/) [Monopolies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopolies/) [Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopoly/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Permanence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanence/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) ## Related quotes > [Far more thought and care go into the composition of any prominent ad in a newspaper or magazine than go into the writing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/far-more-thought-and-care-go-into-the-composition-of-any-prominent-ad/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Throughout all ranks of society, from the successful merchant, which is the highest, to the domestic serving man, which is the lowest, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-trollope/throughout-all-ranks-of-society-from-the-successful-merchant-which-is/) [Frances Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-trollope/) > [I would like to see every newspaper and every magazine have a network of bureaus all over the world, gathering news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/i-would-like-to-see-every-newspaper-and-every-magazine-have-a-network/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [I think there's an important difference between the newspaper and a magazine. I view the role of the magazine as providing the deeper reporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/i-think-there-s-an-important-difference-between-the-newspaper-and-a/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [If you ask an economist what's driven economic growth, it's been major advances in things that mattered - the mechanization of farming, mass manufacturing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/if-you-ask-an-economist-what-s-driven-economic-growth-it-s-been-major/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [Jobs represent a relatively recent pattern of work. From the fifteenth century to the twentieth century, there is a steady progress of fragmentation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/jobs-represent-a-relatively-recent-pattern-of-work-from-the-fifteenth/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The fatal hour of this ancient game is approaching. In its modern form this game will soon die a drawing death - the inevitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/the-fatal-hour-of-this-ancient-game-is-approaching-in-its-modern-form/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [Science without religion is dangerous because it necessarily entails a mechanization of humanity and consequent loss of individual autonomy and spirituality. On the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masao-abe/science-without-religion-is-dangerous-because-it-necessarily-entails/) [Masao Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masao-abe/) > [“When you took a man's job away from him, his ability to feed and clothe his family, that man was going to get angry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrin-grimwood/when-you-took-a-man-s-job-away-from-him-his-ability-to-feed-and/) Darrin Grimwood > [I believe that the horrifying deterioration in the ethical conduct of people today stems from the mechanization and dehumanization of our lives. A disastrous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-believe-that-the-horrifying-deterioration-in-the-ethical-conduct-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Intelligent machines will continue that mechanization process, taking over the more menial aspects of cognition and elevating our mental lives towards creativity, curiosity, beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/intelligent-machines-will-continue-that-mechanization-process-taking/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Living in a time of the increasing struggle of the mechanization of man, photography has become another example of this paradoxical problem of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-haas/living-in-a-time-of-the-increasing-struggle-of-the-mechanization-of/) [Ernst Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-haas/) > [Gramophone and movies were merely the mechanization of speech and gesture. But the radio and TV were not just the electronification of speech and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/gramophone-and-movies-were-merely-the-mechanization-of-speech-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The artist is always searching for the meaning of life, his own and that of mankind, searching for truth. A system of uncertainty has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bohuslav-martinu/the-artist-is-always-searching-for-the-meaning-of-life-his-own-and/) Bohuslav Martinu > [In olden times when there was a war, it was a human-to-human confrontation. The victor in battle would directly see the blood and suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/in-olden-times-when-there-was-a-war-it-was-a-human-to-human/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by Harold Innis > [The effect of the discovery of printing was evident in the savage religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Application of power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-effect-of-the-discovery-of-printing-was-evident-in-the-savage/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [We must appraise civilization in relation to its territory and in relation to its duration. The character of the medium of communication tends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/we-must-appraise-civilization-in-relation-to-its-territory-and-in/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [Industrialism implies technology and the cutting of time into precise fragments suited to the needs of the engineer and the accountant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/industrialism-implies-technology-and-the-cutting-of-time-into-precise/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [Democracy will defeat the economist at every turn on its own genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/democracy-will-defeat-the-economist-at-every-turn-on-its-own-genre/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [Writing with a simplified alphabet checked the power of custom of an oral tradition but implied a decline in the power of expression and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/writing-with-a-simplified-alphabet-checked-the-power-of-custom-of-an/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [The significance of a basic medium to its civilization is difficult to appraise since the means of appraisal are influenced by the media, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-significance-of-a-basic-medium-to-its-civilization-is-difficult/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [It is suggested that all written works, including this one, have dangerous implications to the vitality of an oral tradition and to the health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/it-is-suggested-that-all-written-works-including-this-one-have/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [The history of Canada has been profoundly influenced by the habits of an animal which very fittingly occupies a prominent place on her coat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-history-of-canada-has-been-profoundly-influenced-by-the-habits-of/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [Canada emerged as a political entity with boundaries largely determined by the fur trade. These boundaries included a vast north temperate land area extending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/canada-emerged-as-a-political-entity-with-boundaries-largely/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [The Middle Ages burned its heretics and the modern age threatens them with atom bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-middle-ages-burned-its-heretics-and-the-modern-age-threatens-them/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [Graham Wallas has reminded us that writing as compared with speaking involves an impression at the second remove and reading an impression at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/graham-wallas-has-reminded-us-that-writing-as-compared-with-speaking/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [Following the invention of writing, the special form of heightened language, characteristic of the oral tradition and a collective society, gave way to private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/following-the-invention-of-writing-the-special-form-of-heightened/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [The full impact of printing did not become possible until the adoption of the Bill of Rights in the United States with its guarantee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-full-impact-of-printing-did-not-become-possible-until-the/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [We have not yet realized that the Indian and his culture were fundamental to the growth of Canadian institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/we-have-not-yet-realized-that-the-indian-and-his-culture-were/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [The mixture of the oral and the written traditions in the writings of Plato enabled him to dominate the history of the West.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-mixture-of-the-oral-and-the-written-traditions-in-the-writings-of/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) [Explore all 18 Harold Innis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The overwhelming pressure of mechanization evident in the newspaper and the magazine, has led to the creation of vast monopolies of communication. 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