Gutenberg Galaxy Blog Post 4


Marshall McLuhan’s Gutenberg Galaxy is not the most accessible read regarding his thought process. He moves along differently than almost any author I have read; starting with King Lear, McLuhan alluded that man's stream of consciousness or self-awareness was embodied in that text's transformational nature. The transformation from the idea that kings organize society based on roles towards a sense of individuals choosing jobs for themselves. The role of the Gutenberg printing press is its ability to spread ideas like Shakespeare’s play on mass.  According to McLuhan, the transformation of society from orality to visual culture was tied to the printing press.  This process was made possible through the alphabet, in its ability to provide a medium for thoughts of society; it’s important to note that writing had accomplished this but to a lesser degree. The organizational structure of society was heavily influenced by mass production via the printing press, civil society, and the collection of discourse and commentary around the commonly produced texts creating the idea of “the public” and “author.” In this sense, technology enables the extension of man by spreading self-awareness with the production of ideas about the world around them.

 

This organization of society around the printing press makes me think of technological determinism; those critical of McLuhan indeed criticized his views in that respect, as seen in the video watched in class. However, I do not see his “Extension of Man” via the printing press as technology deterministic. It could be that ideas held by society were there all along, and technology only encouraged the development of critical thinking and interaction. It enhanced the need to communicate ideas so that others could interpret and understand them effectively. At the same time, I think of Innis’ idea that the medium also discourages and separates society into factions. I remember from past courses that the advent of the printing press led to further power division between the elite and poor, literate and illiterate. There were also substantial religious implications as the church’s influence grew immensely with the spread of information or “God’s word”

 

Discussion questions 

What are some things you remember about the printing press?

Do the technological differences between developing and developed countries regarding access to technology relate to the separation of literate and illiterate magnified by the printing press?

Comments

  1. JustinCoutoDecember 2, 2022 at 10:23 AM

    Great question. The number one thing I remember about the printing press is how it enabled knowledge on a large scale. Prior to the printing press, reading and writing was a privileged act reserved for only the elites thus literacy rates were extremely low. After the printing presses invention, knowledge was no longer reserved and the 'common people' became able to hear about the news from someone reading a newspaper out loud. As people became more knowledgeable on topics, they began forming their own opinions. The printing press also made acquiring knowledge much more attainable and literacy rates began to go up. A quick google search told me that literacy rates in England went up to over 60%, a 30% increase after just over 100 years of the printing presses invention.
    To answer your second question, technological differences between developed and developing countries are, in my opinion, the perfect modern example of literacy and the printing press. The technology we have here in North America is vastly different from what you would see in a developing country. Although the gap has closed quite a bit, but there are many countries and corporations that are helping bridge this divide slowly.

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  2. Maggie MerawDecember 13, 2022 at 8:33 PM

    Hey Keenan, great post!
    Something I remember about the printing press is that it changed communication as a whole, revolutionizing the way information is disseminated and playing a pivotal role in spreading knowledge and ideas during the Renaissance. The printing press significantly increased the speed and efficiency of the printing process, allowing for the mass production of printed materials, including print books, newspapers, etc.
    I think there is a difference between developed and developing countries, as, in developed countries, a more significant proportion of the population is likely to be literate. This is due to their ability to easily access printed materials and other resources that help them learn to read and write. In contrast, in developing countries, a lack of access to technology can make it harder for individuals to access information and knowledge, negatively impacting their ability to learn and develop their literacy skills.

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