Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village

Why tribal man is the future of communication, or what TED has to do with Playboy.

A few months ago, we raved about this brilliant Marshall McLuhan interview from a 1969 issue of Playboy, where the iconic media scholar and pop culture philosopher — a man most famous for his contention that “the medium is the message” — lays out his fascinating and radical theories about “hot” vs. “cool” media, the loss of identity in the age of “electric media,” and other cultural phenomena remarkably relevant in today’s social media landscape, some four decades later.

Today, we look at this uncovered gem from 1960, where McLuhan explores how “electric media” are turning the world into one global village, changing our relationship with print, and extending our sensory capabilities — all issues occupying the media theorists, publishing gurus, cultural anthropologists and iPad enthusiasts of today to an extraordinarily similar degree. And though the video cuts off abruptly, it makes up in brilliance for what it lacks in ending — if there ever was a real cultural Nostradamus, McLuhan would be it.

These new media have made our world into a single unit. The world is now like a continually sounding tribal drum, where everybody gets the message all the time. A princess gets married in England and — boom boom boom! — we all hear about it; an earthquake in North Africa; a Hollywood star gets drunk — away go the drums again.

We find this particularly relevant, after just having seen a fantastic SXSW panel on making content available in 100 languages, which covered TED’s Open Translation Project, the wonderful global conversation aggregator Global Voices, and Mozilla’s translation development platform — all brilliant tools enabling and democratizing the global dialogue, using new media as the vehicle for this powerful social movement.

How will you beat the global drum today?

Psst, we’ve launched a fancy weekly newsletter. It comes out on Sundays, offers the week’s articles, and features five more tasty bites of web-wide interestingness. Here’s an example. Like? Sign up.

The World of 100: Our Global Village The real minority report, or what the world would look like if it were a village of 100....
We’re Getting On: The Book That Grows Trees A new book about unplugging from technology actually grows a birch tree – and its author is going on a zero-emission book tour to drive (or, erm, bike) home the point....
Uncovered Gem: Steve Jobs on Paul Rand A 1993 interview of Steve Jobs, talking about what it was like to work with iconic designer Paul Rand, the mastermind behind the equally iconic Apple logo. ...
Uncovered Gem: Bono Recites Bukowski Bono recites Bukowski's "Roll The Dice" – priceless....
Short Film Spotlight: Greenpeace Global Voices Greenpeace illustrates the devastating impact of global warming through the individual voices of people whose lives are affected and threatened by it....

This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 5:30 am in culture, social web and was tagged culture, history, media, social web, video.

RT @brainpicker: Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://ow.ly/1kEdX

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

senirupa on March 15th, 2010 at 6:32 am

LSpurdle on March 15th, 2010 at 6:32 am

Braddo on March 15th, 2010 at 6:33 am

BM_AG on March 15th, 2010 at 6:34 am

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://ow.ly/1kEdX (via @brainpicker)

Ollie73 on March 15th, 2010 at 6:35 am

mbadger on March 15th, 2010 at 6:36 am

becbury on March 15th, 2010 at 6:36 am

KF04503 on March 15th, 2010 at 6:38 am

TMODOM on March 15th, 2010 at 6:38 am

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/cNIjw6 – Brings me back to intro to comms studies (thanks @xTriciaLynnx)

davidakermanis on March 15th, 2010 at 6:40 am

DrewCM on March 15th, 2010 at 6:43 am

Incrível: achado outro vídeo de Marshall McLuhan sobre The Global Village –(social) media vista dos anos 60 http://ow.ly/1kEdX

juracraveiro on March 15th, 2010 at 6:44 am

krustelkram on March 15th, 2010 at 6:44 am

RT @davidakermanis: Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/cNIjw6

lebrun on March 15th, 2010 at 6:45 am

“Social Media”. Meh. Nothing new. Marshall McLuhan discusses as much in 1960. http://ow.ly/1l4XY

FaisalSethi on March 15th, 2010 at 6:47 am

RT @FaisalSethi “Social Media”. Meh. Nothing new. Marshall McLuhan discusses as much in 1960. http://ow.ly/1l4XY

suzemuse on March 15th, 2010 at 6:52 am

hyperactivex on March 15th, 2010 at 6:52 am

Excellent interview with Marshall McLuhan on print vs. digital and individuals vs. tribes: http://bit.ly/aotMVi via @brainpicker

neboweb on March 15th, 2010 at 6:55 am

RT @FaisalSethi (via @suzemuse) “Social Media”. Meh. Nothing new. Marshall McLuhan discusses as much in 1960. http://ow.ly/1l4XY

michele_menard on March 15th, 2010 at 6:58 am

Hey Mr. “Social Media Expert”: Marshall McLuhan said it all. 50 years ago (link). Now, go predict the future or shut up!! http://ow.ly/1kEdX

lacreid on March 15th, 2010 at 7:06 am

mirizon on March 15th, 2010 at 7:07 am

TBsocialmedia on March 15th, 2010 at 7:16 am

“Social Media”. Marshall McLuhan discusses social media in 1960. http://ow.ly/1l5XQ via @suzemuse @FaisalSethi

Media_Coach on March 15th, 2010 at 7:18 am

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/b96jjw [the future of "electric media".. back in 1960]

tdebaillon on March 15th, 2010 at 7:22 am

tomlennon1 on March 15th, 2010 at 7:26 am

RT @Media_Coach: Marshall McLuhan discusses social media in 1960. http://ow.ly/1l5XQ via @suzemuse @FaisalSethi

KenCoach on March 15th, 2010 at 7:34 am

down2earth2 on March 15th, 2010 at 7:36 am

Better than Warhol’s 15 min of fame prediction: RT @lebrun RT @davidakermanis Uncovered Gem of Marshall McLuhan http://bit.ly/cNIjw6 #in

dougyd on March 15th, 2010 at 7:45 am

RT @Ollie73: Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://ow.ly/1kEdX (via @brainpicker)

kjplus on March 15th, 2010 at 7:47 am

RT @tdebaillon: Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/b96jjw [the future of "electric media".. back in 1960]

rotkapchen on March 15th, 2010 at 8:05 am

RT @tweetmeme Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings http://tinyurl.com/ycfu8hx

tagomi on March 15th, 2010 at 8:19 am

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings http://tinyurl.com/ycfu8hx

graciainglessis on March 15th, 2010 at 10:39 am

McLuhan starts 3mins in RT Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://ow.ly/1kEdX (via @brainpicker)

r_wolfcastle on March 15th, 2010 at 1:00 pm

JenniSwenson on March 15th, 2010 at 1:04 pm

If you missed it earlier ? Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://su.pr/1OpDyu

brainpicker on March 15th, 2010 at 1:25 pm

RT @brainpicker: If you missed it earlier ? Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://su.pr/1OpDyu

shrinkdoc on March 15th, 2010 at 1:26 pm

via @brainpicker: Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village – (social) media wisdom from 1960 http://su.pr/1OpDyu

hollygomadly on March 15th, 2010 at 1:52 pm

I rescued from cassette this talk that Marshall McLuhan gave at Johns Hopkins University in the mid 1970s. I have not found an audio file of this talk anywhere online. So far as I know it’s an original contribution to the archive of McLuhan audio. Enjoy. Rare McLuhan Audio

Heresiarch on March 15th, 2010 at 2:00 pm

GabrielAxel on March 15th, 2010 at 2:59 pm

RT @brainpicker Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings http://ow.ly/1qsfNr

argentbeauquest on March 15th, 2010 at 3:37 pm

ksstafford on March 15th, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Marshall McLuhan’s ‘giant drum’ theory http://ow.ly/1kEdX

danoshinsky on March 15th, 2010 at 3:56 pm

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings http://ow.ly/1lnkl

senirupa on March 15th, 2010 at 5:31 pm

nedkumar on March 15th, 2010 at 11:00 pm

ninarieke on March 16th, 2010 at 1:17 am

RT @ninarieke: Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings http://tinyurl.com/ycfu8hx

checkdisout on March 16th, 2010 at 2:00 am

RT @santahelena o que o #TED tem a ver com a Playboy >>> http://bit.ly/d3q7fo

markmark7 on March 16th, 2010 at 6:26 am

[...] came across a great article on Brain Pickings.org the other day, featuring the Canadian icon of media thought, Marshall McLuhan. You may know McLuhan [...]

What Marshall McLuhan Knew About Social Media – Suzemuse on March 16th, 2010 at 10:13 am

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://ff.im/-hD49e

shtole on March 16th, 2010 at 2:37 pm

Interesting! Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/bKbl2K

CertificateSt on March 16th, 2010 at 8:01 pm

[...] quote that Brain Pickings dug out suggests that Marshall McLuhan didindeed predict Social Media: These new media have made [...]

EDITing in the Dark » Marshall McLuhan’s Tribes and Our Echo Chambers on March 17th, 2010 at 7:46 am

[...] might suggest a monitoring platform. Those who are really with it, as Marshal McLuhan puts it in this interview, might turn to behavioral economics or game design. What we can learn from history and from current [...]

The Interdisciplinary Nature of Marketing | NeboBlog: Interactive Marketing, Design & Ramblings. Brought to you by NeboWeb on March 17th, 2010 at 8:41 am

RT @neboweb: Excellent interview with Marshall McLuhan on print vs. digital and individuals vs. tribes: http://bit.ly/aotMVi via @brainp …

amy_french on March 17th, 2010 at 9:37 am

From Brain Pickings blog… “Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village”. http://bit.ly/aBRfn1 The return to tribal man

JamesDev on March 19th, 2010 at 3:37 am

Homo Modernus, Tractatus Philosophicus.
If in a parallel universe Ludwig Wittgenstein and Marshall McLuhan had married, their robot child would have created something like this animation. We hope you will enjoy it.

Complete version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZRuGGXAxew

Single episodes (13):
http://www.youtube.com/user/Homomodernus#g/c/CA29679D4BA1F556

iñigo on March 19th, 2010 at 4:42 am

A Marshall McLuhan gem. http://twt.tl/WR6pUJw (on @brainpicker HT @rotkapchen)

marciamarcia on March 19th, 2010 at 8:40 pm

http://tinyurl.com/ycfu8hx
Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings

onion_soup on March 19th, 2010 at 8:48 pm

Watching… RT @marciamarcia: A Marshall McLuhan gem. http://twt.tl/WR6pUJw (on @brainpicker HT @rotkapchen)

srharris19 on March 19th, 2010 at 9:25 pm

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village | Brain Pickings: McLuhan explores how “electric media” are … http://bit.ly/cU7hFR

divasantos on March 20th, 2010 at 12:03 am

An incredible 1960 video where Marshall McLuhan explores the end of print & the rise of electronic media: http://bit.ly/cFB7nF

DanBlank on March 21st, 2010 at 9:04 am

In the 60s we all talked about McLuhan but didn’t understand him. It’s taken 40+ years to get it. RT @DanBlank http://bit.ly/cFB7nF

johnbethune on March 21st, 2010 at 9:18 am

Fascinating, get ‘with it’ RT @DanBlank 1960 video exploring the end of print & the rise of electronic media: http://bit.ly/cFB7nF

JebReed on March 21st, 2010 at 9:30 am

So ahead of his time: RT @DanBlank 1960 video where Marshall McLuhan explores end of print & rise of electronic media: http://bit.ly/afee15

IrisBlasi on March 21st, 2010 at 9:34 am

Wow. McLuhan was so prophetic. RT @jranck: via @brainpicker Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/aRQQJC

HankCrook on March 21st, 2010 at 10:16 am

“Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village” http://bit.ly/aaTGMj

transform_media on March 21st, 2010 at 9:53 pm

Media guru, vizionierius M. McLuhan apie global? kaim? kalb?jo jau 1960 metais: http://tinyurl.com/ycfu8hx

MindShare_LT on March 22nd, 2010 at 1:24 am

Marshall McLuhan, harbinger of electronic media today http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2010/03/15/marshall-mcluhan-global-village/

MediaFinder on March 22nd, 2010 at 8:59 am

RT @marciamarcia: A Marshall McLuhan gem. http://twt.tl/WR6pUJw (on @brainpicker HT @rotkapchen)

DNBwalkup on March 22nd, 2010 at 8:05 pm

Gem: RT @MediaFinder Marshall McLuhan, harbinger electronic #media today http://bit.ly/aaTGMj Thx for the FF-Look forward to more dialogue!

culturevore on March 23rd, 2010 at 12:49 am

Uncovered Gem: Marshall McLuhan’s Global Village http://bit.ly/97OOk9

pjeronimo on March 25th, 2010 at 5:42 am

Marshall McLuhan on The Global Village http://j.mp/9rYI9S /via @brainpickings

zebs on March 28th, 2010 at 7:38 am

he envisioned media globalization, indeed.

follow me on, so that we can talk, please
https://twitter.com/Wh1skyK1ng

Tim on July 1st, 2010 at 5:27 pm

[...] looking at videos in search of inspiration. Among other vids, my searching lead to an article on Brain Picking about Marshall McLuhan. I’ve always loved the phrase “the medium is the message” [...]

Inspiration… « Drempt on July 12th, 2010 at 12:20 pm