Let’s dive deep into the most famous phrase coined by Marshall McLuhan in his book “Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man” (1964).
The phrase means that the form of the medium through which a message is conveyed is more important than the content of the message itself. In other words, the medium has a greater impact on human perception and behavior than the specific information it carries.
According to McLuhan, different media technologies, such as print, radio, television, and the internet, have different effects on human consciousness and culture. Each medium creates a unique environment that shapes the way people think, feel, and interact with one another. For example, reading a book creates a different experience than watching television, even if the content is the same. McLuhan believed that understanding the effects of different media technologies was essential to understanding the impact of media on human society and culture.