Marshall McLuhan

It seems to me that the world, at least in his time, needed to catch up to Marshall McLuhan. What enamored him to me was something that seemed to puzzle his interviewers: his appropriation of vernacular to suit his ends. He co-opted the terms "with it" and "hot" and "cool" to elucidate his theories. I find that extremely effective. When I listen to McLuhan's interviews he is so provocative that his interviewers get defensive and try to force him to explain himself. But I find that he what says, which may have seemed outrageous at the time, is actually very prescient. His use of the term "high definition" struck me as particularly prophetic. I can see why people would be skeptical of McLuhan though, because he really has little data to back up his theories. He has a vast knowledge of literature and a strong interest in popular culture from his professorial background. He uses examples from literature all the time in his writings, and these analogies make his ideas even clearer. But when it comes down to it, you either agree with McLuhan or you don't.