Corporate Quote by Marshall McLuhan
“The TV generation is postliterate and retribalized. It seeks by violence to scrub the old private image and to merge in a new tribal identity, like any corporate executive.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, 1964
The TV era erodes individual literacy, pushing people into tribal groups that use violence to replace old personal identities with corporate‑driven ones.
In simple terms: TV reduces personal literacy, forming violent tribal groups.
Key Takeaway
Recognize media’s influence on identity formation.
Themes
media
identity
violence
tribalism
corporate culture
Mood
critical
analytical
reflective
Type
sociological
media criticism
When to use this quote
- advertising
- political campaigns
- online communities
- brand loyalty
Key Concepts
postliterate society
media theory
social fragmentation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does media shape your sense of self?
- Can you find non‑violent ways to build community?
A Different Perspective
Violence is not the only driver of tribal identity; cultural narratives also shape it.
![“There's a split in the US about how this [split] will be resolved. The main point to look at is the split within the Republican Party. The Republican establishment, and Wall Street, and the bankers, and the corporate executives and so on, they don't want this. They don't want it at all. It's the…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ad/noam-chomsky-42_bankers_there-s-a-split-in-the-us-about-how-this_404744.jpg)
