Technological Determinism

The Technological Determinism theory states that there is a strong tie between technology and society’s nature. Marshal McLuhan believed that new electronic media modifies how an individual think, feel and act in a society. This means evolution of technology cause cultural change and shape human existence as we move from one age to another i.e., Tribal Age, Literate Age, Print Age and Electronic Age.

Technology has advanced through the years and has made a huge influence in the way we live, the way we communicate, the way travel, the way learn and educate, and a lot more. Technology offered so many changes and had been brought about by the continuous advancements of technology due to the people’s endless demands. Everything we use in our day-to-day lives has been innovated with better standards. For example, the first device used for telecommunications using a cellular network was first launched back in 1984, Motorola’s mobile phone DynaTac which only had limited features. Today, we have smartphones that can surf the internet, send a photo, video call, play interactive games, play music, watch videos, take pictures and can do a whole lot more in just a touch of a hand and it weighs much lighter than the first mobile phone. These are designed based from the people’s demand, making everything convenient for our everyday lives.

Human beings have always been thirsty for innovation that we tend to create media as an extension of the human body. We enhance communication through technology as a mirror of spoken language to reach further through time and space and to send out an intent or a thought.

This theory states that, we create tools and they shape us as an individual and as a society. Our everyday live, family, workplace, school, religion, friendship, politics are all influenced by the communication technology. Media increase our efficiency, and interpret our social existence.

McLuhan states that “the medium is the message” which means the medium used, influences the mind of the receiver. I.e., posters, television commercials, news prints, and the internet have shown technological advances and have made a huge impact to the culture we live in.  The new technologies alter the way an individual use their senses while the content or the message plays a subordinate role.

According to McLuhan, the crucial inventions that changed life were the phonetic alphabet, the printing press and the telegraph: the phonetic alphabet entered the human race to the age of literacy and Gutenberg’s press started the Industrial Revolution. 

Media Analysis of History:

1.      The Tribal Age

This age emphasises on oral communication, oral culture and storytelling where everything is based on what we hear and what we say. 

2.      Age of Literacy: Writing

In this age, the visual sense became more dominant. People learned how to write their thoughts and ideas on walls, rocks, templates and more. This promotes linear thinking, mathematics, science and philosophy.

3.      The Print Age: The Printing Press

It made the visual dependence widespread and turned personal writing to technical printing. This age started the industrial revolution.

4.      The Electronic Age: Electronic Media

This age encourages spontaneity, defined involvement and retribalization of the human race.

Our history showed evidence to explain why technology is shaping the society that surrounds us. For example, technological advancement in education: technology has played large role on the education sector. Nowadays, students learn through mobile gadgets and tablets making learning easier and convenient anytime from anywhere. Information is power, both the students the teachers can use these technologies for education. Before, students only listen and learn lectures in the classroom using the black board and visual aids. With the use of technology, students in the classroom are well engaged compared to students in a classroom with a black board.

Winner believed that changes in technology has unexpected effects as well and he called this phenomenon as the ‘technological drift’ where people drift more and more to unpredictable and uncertain consequences. Humans are slaves to technology and are forces to adapt the technological environment they are in.

In this theory, we create technology to shape us.