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Achievement Quote by Marshall McLuhan

“New media may at first appear as mere codes of transmission for older achievement and established patterns of thought. But nobody could make the mistake of supposing that phonetic writing merely made it possible for the Greeks to set down in visual order what they had though and known before…” quote by Marshall McLuhan
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“New media may at first appear as mere codes of transmission for older achievement and established patterns of thought. But nobody could make the mistake of supposing that phonetic writing merely made it possible for the Greeks to set down in visual order what they had though and known before writing. In the same way printing made literature possible. It did not merely encode literature.”

Marshall McLuhan

About This Quote

Source Book: Understanding Media, 1964

New media reshapes thought, not just transmits existing ideas.

In simple terms: Media changes how we think, not just passes info.

Key Takeaway

Recognize media’s transformative power.

Themes

media technology culture

Mood

critical reflective

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • education
  • advertising
  • political discourse

Key Concepts

information theory cognitive shift

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does a medium influence your perception?
  • Can media be neutral?
A Different Perspective

It can also reinforce existing power structures.

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