The doodle illustrates Marshall McLuhan's view of human history categorising it into four distinct eras
When one looks at media theories, the one name that goes unnoticed is that of Marshall McLuhan. Before generations exposed itself to the benefits of the internet, Marshall McLuhan had, earlier in time, saw the internet coming and what's more, he predicted the impact that it would have on our lives. The Canadian philosopher and professor specialized in media theory.
His Understanding Media, that was first published in 1964, focused on media effects that fills society and culture. It allowed the examination of the transformative effects of technology through which the phase 'Medium is Message' that was coined by Marshall McLuhan which is contextual to date.
Professor McLuhan believed that the manner in which someone receives information is more influential than the information itself. All through the '60s and '70s, Marshall McLuhan made frequent appearances in television so as to share his theories with both followers and skeptics.
Marshall McLuhan's prominence can be traced to the 1960s, just as television had started to become a part of everyday life. He had centered his idea of the society of that is shaped by technology and the way information that is shared.
Today's Google Doodle celebrates the 116th birthday of the visionary. The doodle illustrates Marshall McLuhan's view of human history categorising it into four distinct eras: the acoustic age, the literary age, the print age, and the electronic age.
The first major book that Marshall McLuhan authored was The Gutenberg Galaxy in 1962. The book popularized the term "global village" - the idea that technology brings people together and allows everyone the same access to information.
Over a hundred years hence, we honor and remember Marshall McLuhan for his vision of the "computer as a research and communication instrument" which has undoubted turned to reality.