In the text of ‘the medium is the message’ by Marshall McLuhan, he is more concerned about the obvious observations we tend to perceive or observe, unknowingly or unconsciously avoiding the other several perspective evolved through the process. He clearly mentions that the observations we focus upon are the obvious once as we think about it (with some presumptions) during it gestation. Hence the process is very critical in any innovation or creation. Equally he states that the medium of a message (equally holds a vital position and determines the ways in which we identify the message. The examples of light bulb, railway, chicken or egg etc. given in the article are very effective to understand this conception. ‘The railway did not introduce movement or transportation but is accelerated and enlarged the scale of previous human functions’.

I also could relate Facebook as an example in this scenario. During the evolution of the project, Mark Zuckerberg aimed to create social platform for friends and families but never thought about the other distinct perspectives of using this platform for advertisement, business, employment etc.  Here the social platform was the idea or that way idea was perceived, internet and technology was the medium and message was connecting life, connecting people on various levels. He simultaneously writes that, ‘The products of modern science are not in themselves good or bad; it is the way they are used that determines their value.’ The mechanical technology and automation has its own positives and negative on the notion of ‘the medium is the message’ – as mentioned in the article, ‘General Sarnoff went on to explain his attitude to the technology of print, saying that it was true that print caused much trash to circulate, but it had also disseminated the Bible and the thoughts of seers and philosophers’. The following is one my favorite sentences from the text – ‘The effects of technology do not occur at the level of opinions or concepts, but alter sense 9 ratios or patterns of perception steadily and without any resistance. The serious artist is the only person able to encounter technology with impunity, just because he is an expert aware of the changes in sense perception’. The smart control over the process and perception offers more than the obvious and make you to see that wasn’t there.

The other article, ‘The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction’ by Walter Benjamin talks about (majorly) the disadvantages of mechanical reproduction on several layers like – authenticity, aura of the ‘original’ art, distribution of uniqueness of artwork imbedded in the fabric of tradition, cult values, progressive reactions of the audience etc. The article states that any original artwork always lacks in terms of its presence in time and unique space. The reproducibility due to the advancement in technology creates the question about the originality if the art work also in writer’s point of view it demeans the ‘aura’ of the artwork. The idea is conveyed with the example of camera (photography, film) – a method of reproduction in modern age. ‘The desire of contemporary masses to bring things ‘closer’ spatially and humanly’. However, in my opinion the concept of aura to the reproduction is relative. The example of summer afternoon with a mountain range on the horizon is a unique setting to experience in person, to enjoy its aura.

It’s the setting with the natural artwork which renders our experience towards the setting. However looking at any original painting in person or its photograph doesn’t necessarily degrades its aura because in both the cases our process of visualization is open ended. Same logic with film and theatre plays. I recognized the fact that the camera in movie decides the way we see it although my basic critic is in both the cases the artwork is scripted – the dialogues, characters, moves, lights, sets etc. In theatre plays the lighting design indirectly asks us to focus on particular details at times. And for an actor in my opinion, whether he is performing in front of live audience or camera character of the role remains important which he performs with his individual identities. This article related with the idea of ‘the medium is the message’ as it helps us to see the miscellaneous perspectives (negatives) of mechanical technology and automation which we (consciously/unconsciously) overlooked under the tag of innovation and modern age.