To say that "the camera cannot lie" is merely to underline the multiple deceits that are now practised in its name.
Marshall McluhanRead
I am resolutely opposed to all innovation, all change, but I am determined to understand what’s happening. Because I don’t choose just to sit and let the juggernaut roll over me. Many people seem to think that if you talk about something recent, you’re in favor of it. The exact opposite is true in my case. Anything I talk about is almost certainly something I’m resolutely against. And it seems to me the best way to oppose it is to understand it. And then you know where to turn off the buttons.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of understanding change and innovation, even when one is opposed to it.
Marshall McLuhan expresses a complex relationship with change, stating that while he fundamentally opposes all forms of innovation, he recognizes the necessity of understanding them to effectively resist their effects. He argues that many mistakenly equate discussing a new idea with endorsing it; instead, he advocates for a proactive approach where understanding allows for thoughtful opposition against overpowering societal trends.
Themes
UnderstandingChangeInnovationOppositionAwareness
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about technology's impact on society, one might quote McLuhan to emphasize the necessity of understanding innovations before opposing them.
More from Marshall Mcluhan
All quotes →A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.
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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.
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