Marshall McLuhan is either insane or a genius. perhaps he's an atypical hybrid usually associated with revolutionaries. regardless, his thoughts on media - ranging from clothes to the television - are intriguing. whats even more amazing is he had these theories before the over-saturated tech world of today. on top of all that he even regrettably admits in the playboy interview he doesn't like the changes in culture. hes afraid yet optimistic of the future and still somehow provides the most insightful (according to some) commentary and scientific discoveries since Pavlov.

McLuhan's ideas are all based around the study of media, but for him media is anything that creates extensions of the human body. Understandably this is a broad definition, but what's most important is how McLuhan relates this to our society both new and old. He uses this depth to encompass one of the earlier forms of media: print. Only by the invention of the printing press, we were able to have information widespread and at a relative quick speed. Print standardized all mechanization, and is an extension of the eye. According to McLuhan this lead to the industrial revolution, because there was a template laid out before hand by print that suggested an A to B process. To think of print as an extension of the eye is nothing but a stretch, but when put into perspective of McLuhan's other statements, it becomes believable. Clothes as an extension of the skin for instance - no one has ever had the audacity to simply think of it this way.

The most remarkable comments McLuhan makes, I think, are about the state of African Americans at the time of the interview (the late 1960's). "Negro Americans are still determined to join the mechanical culture. But if they can be persuaded to follow the lead of those who wish to rekindle their sparks of tribal awareness, they will be strategically placed to make an easy transition to the new technology, using their own enduring tribal values as environmental survival aids. They should take pride in these tribal values, for they are rainbow-hued in comparison with the pallid literate culture of their traditional masters" (NextNature). In a time of uncertain racial tensions McLuhan has the guts to suggest that African Americans hold the key to a better culture, and that their past is more rich than that of Caucasian Americans. McLuhan even predicts racial tensions that could lead to a civil war and even destroy the united states. With recent events it's hard to ignore McLuhan's predictions. The future of humanity looks ever more grim. But the importance of McLuhan suggesting african americans have always had a superior culture cannot be understated. Its hard to ignore his findings when he mentions how western culture is retribalizing, while the african americans are trying to adjust to the new culture. each is on an opposite path, so desperate to get there that they cannot see their own ironies. 

It is impossible to tell if McLuhan knows exactly what he is talking about, or just has a dictionary of overly complicated words beside him. The scary part would be if he is right. And since it has been 50 plus years after this interview we can see some of his findings come into play. Racial tensions are still high, and viewing media as an extension of a sense is not far fetched merely because now in such a rich electric world we are constantly connected.