The sub-heading of Chapter 20 of Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan is unfortunately similar to the Church of Scotland’s most recent project to engage with new forms of church.

Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb stance of the technological idiot. For the ‘content’ of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.”

(McLuhan, p.207 New Media Reader)

I picked this quote up from a Mars Hill podcast (Shane Hipps on The Spirituality of the Cellphone). I’ve heard the phrase “medium is the message” several times before, but this is the first time I think I’ve had time to really think about it.

In listening to this I also realised that I’m actually a technological neanderthal – I can discuss, debate and talk about the the thoughts that are in my head and develop them (like within an oral tradition) far better than I can manage to write down these thoughts or little bits of knowledge.. although i think that’s the way I’d like to keep it!