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Conversations About Design

Design Leadership & Business Strategies: The Collective

Re-Reading McLuhan John Howrey Re-Reading McLuhan John Howrey

Digital Detox and the Ethics of Disconnection

In McLuhan's media-centric worldview, the medium is the message. This means that the very structure and nature of a medium influence how individuals think, feel, and behave. In our age of ubiquitous digital connectivity, this would suggest that our constant tethering to digital devices is shaping our consciousness in profound ways. Let's explore this through the lens of the ethics of disconnection.

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Consumerism and Design

Marshall McLuhan's explorations on media's effect on society can be extended to understand how design, particularly in the digital realm, drives consumerism. Modern design, amplified by digital platforms, has a powerful influence over what, how, and why we consume. By examining this through McLuhan's lens, we can uncover the ethics and implications of design choices in fostering consumer behaviors.

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Hyperreality and Simulation

Both Marshall McLuhan and Jean Baudrillard were prophets of the media landscapes of their times. McLuhan's insights on media's influence on perception paired with Baudrillard's notions of hyperreality and simulation provide a profound lens through which we can evaluate today's world of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and simulated experiences.

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Accessibility

Marshall McLuhan’s dictum, "the medium is the message," reminds us that the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived. In today's context, this perspective holds significant importance when we talk about accessibility in design. Ensuring that technology is universally accessible sends a powerful message about inclusivity and equality in the digital era.

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Environment and Design

Marshall McLuhan was adept at observing the interplay between media, technology, and society. Given today's pressing environmental concerns, one could imagine him delving into the ethics of design through the lens of sustainability. By considering the "message" of our modern tools and platforms, designers can have a profound impact on creating a more sustainable future.

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Global Village Revisited

Marshall McLuhan's "global village" metaphor beautifully encapsulated the shrinking of the world through technology, where people, regardless of physical distance, could feel as close as neighbors. Today's digital landscape gives this vision more relevance than ever. But as we delve deeper, we realize that this closeness is a double-edged sword. Let's explore how design plays a role in either uniting or dividing the global village and what to consider in this evolving media landscape.

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Algorithmic Ethics

Marshall McLuhan's belief that "the medium is the message" underscores the profound ways in which the tools and technologies we use shape our perceptions, behaviors, and society. Algorithms, as dominant mediums in the digital age, carry their own messages, influencing not just what we see, but how we think, decide, and understand the world. Here's a dive into algorithmic ethics inspired by McLuhan's insights:

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Invisibility is in the Medium of the Beholder

Marshall McLuhan's observations about media were profound and far-reaching. He famously stated that the "medium is the message," implying that the medium itself shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action. As design becomes more intuitive and pervasive, it tends to fade into the background, becoming "invisible." This invisibility, while beneficial in many ways, raises ethical concerns that designers must address in our interconnected, digital age.

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Technology and Human Identity in the Digital Age

Marshall McLuhan, the media theorist known for coining the phrase "the medium is the message", was deeply interested in the ways that technology and media shape human culture and identity. In the context of our current digital age, we can extrapolate from McLuhan’s ideas to provide insight into the relationship between design, technology, and human identity.

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