McLuhan Tetrad In Audio

I am an avid listener to NPR and Prairie Home Companion is one of my favorite programs.  Yesterday morning while I was listening to PHC Garrison Keillor did a rendition of Little Deuce Coupe which can be heard here. 

It seems that almost every day I hear someone complaining about high gas prices and how much it costs to run their car.  I happily chime in with "Glad I own a Prius" and then tell them my most recent gas millage (which is currently climbing to over 48 mgp!). 

Since one of the themes of the course Emerging and Future Technologies was how one technology takes over for a previous one, I found this song only timely and fitting.  In today's society it seems to be more important how many mpg your car gets then how many horsepower the engine has.  This rendition of Little Deuce Coupe seemed like an audio version of McLuhan's tetrads.  I know the Prius isn't a "cool" car, but it does make a great conversation starter, and it is great on my wallet right now. 

Enjoy ~SJ
* This is simply a blog post that seemed to fit for the class that I wanted to share.  It is not intended for the Module 5 assignment.

The Reality of Virtual Reality

Early flight simulato

Virtual reality (VR) has advanced dramatically since the days of flight simulators used by the military.  VR is currently available in three different types: by placing a helmet over your head to experience a 3-d reality, BOOM - binocular omni-oriented monitor, and a VR theater that the user moves through.   

Below is my tetrad on virtual reality.

Looking at a technology through the lens of McLuhan’s tetrad lens allows me to understand where a technology came from and where it was headed. By understanding this one technology it allows you to see how it fits into the history of other technologies like it. New technologies are created because there is a need for them. By looking at technologies through the tetrad lens it becomes more apparent what the technology needs of society are.

By understanding this four areas of McLuhan’s tetrad then it can aid in technology decisions in the future. If the technology does not make another technology obsolete then it may not be a wise technology to invest in. If a technology does not enhance a technology already available, then it may not be wise to invest in. If the technology does not enhance old ideas, then it may not be wise to invest in. Lastly, if it does not set the stage for future technology, then it may not be a wise investment.

Enjoy ~SJ