To say that "the camera cannot lie" is merely to underline the multiple deceits that are now practised in its name.
Marshall McluhanRead
We shape our tools and afterwards our tools shape us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the reciprocal relationship between humans and the tools they create, suggesting that while we influence our tools, they in turn influence our behavior and society.
Marshall McLuhan's quote emphasizes the interconnectedness between humans and technology, illustrating how our creations not only serve our purposes but also affect our habits, perceptions, and modes of thinking. This cyclical relationship suggests that as we develop tools to enhance our lives, those very tools can redefine our actions, interactions, and cultural frameworks, shaping our identity in profound ways.
Themes
ToolsTechnologyInfluenceCommunicationSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships, one could say: 'As McLuhan said, 'We shape our tools and afterwards our tools shape us.'
More from Marshall Mcluhan
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In big industry new ideas are invited to rear their heads so they can be clobbered at once. The idea department of a big firm is a sort of lab for isolating dangerous viruses.
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The news automatically becomes the real world for the TV user and is not a substitute for reality, but is itself an immediate reality.
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Faced with information overload, we have no alternative but pattern-recognition.
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The poet, the artist, the sleuth, whoever sharpens our perception tends to antisocial; rarely 'well adjusted,' he cannot go along with currents and trends.
Marshall McluhanRead
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