Haynes' Theme: The dominate medium at any period in history is always linked to (necessary to?) the social/ political system that exists.

A. PRIMARY ORALITY - 100,000 -200 B.C. -> Tribal structures

(characteristics)

• face to face interaction
• limited (local) area of control
• limited individualism - little "self" concept
• totally shared experience yields shared "consciousness"
• knowledge/truth comes from personal experience & myth

B. ELITE LITERACY - 4000/200 B.C.- 1460 A.D. -> Kingship

(characteristics)

• two class society develops (literate and illiterate people) 
•  extended rule produces leaders and followers - some specialization
• identity by social role
• knowledge/truth comes from authority

C. MASS LITERACY - 1460 -1920 A.D. -> Democracy (& socialism)

(characteristics)

• mediated interaction, 
• specialization & high social participation
• rise of individualism (SELF concept)
• objective, impersonal truth arises
• linear and propositional thinking

D. ELECTRONIC/VIDEO/DIGITAL AGE - 1945 - ... (Post-Democracy ???)

(characteristics)

• more oral and immediate impact(Global Village)
• holistic, image-oriented
• impressionistic/emotional (NOT linear)
  (effects on identity and truth are not yet clear)
  

II.  Social Political Effects of the video/digital age

A. Less ability to do linear - propositional work, non-visual math, essay writing/case making.
B. Lower levels of critical thinking (impressions only) become more common.
C. The distinction between truth and fiction / reality and invention blurs
D. Empathy at a Distance (what about the near by?)
Yet: Democratic systems require linear thought --

We need to add things up over time, separate information acquisition from evaluation ,draw accurate connections between cause and effect -- in order to make effective political and economic decisions.
If we are not capable of doing that we get what the founding fathers feared - "Rule of the Mob." ???????