One example of how the type of medium that is used also determines what type of messages will be sent out is how the President is shown on television. The President usually needs congress' permission to do just about anything, yet, the way television presents the President gives off the impression that the President is the face of the country. Therefore, the medium that is used to convey a message will also determine how and which messages are sent.
McLuhan's idea that television is a 'cool' medium comes from the fact that television sends us multiple messages that we must process. Audiences are required to use their cognitive thinking to try and make sense of it. McLuhan believes that only people who are 'cool' can be successful television audience members. According to McLuhan, if a person isn't 'cool' enough that person may need to listen to a radio instead. It makes sense that the form in which messages are sent to us also determines what messages will be sent out.
The idea of 'cool' medium is confusing to me on some levels. If it allows any individual to plug in or analyze any media with watever details we want I would think anyone could be 'cool.'However the media has so many hidden messages or other messages that others can take seriously or take ignore can be toxic to an individual. For example, all these products to improve an individual is sending a message about not being happy with what u have, telling individuals to change because who they arent isnt working. See that's the way i take lotion commercials or adds but maybe someone else sees it as a positive message for a good product. Messages can be interpreted many different ways and its hard to define what it truly means in each media form. It's a bit confusing to me!
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