Dr. Lee McGaan  

  Office:  WH 308  (ph. 309-457-2155);  email lee@monmouthcollege.edu
  Home:  418 North Sunny Lane (ph. 309-734-5431, cell 309-333-5447)

Fall 2016 Office Hours:   MWF:  9:30 - 10am, 11am - Noon & 1 -2pm TTh:  2-3pm & by apt.  |  copyright (c) by Lee McGaan, 2006-2016



 

last updated 9/2/2013

History of the Evolution of Media:

Media and Social Structure through History

[based in part on W.L. Haynes (1988) Of that which we cannot write, QJS, 74:71-101 ]

 

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

 

[CAPS = dominate medium.

 bold = social/political system]

 

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

  (characteristics)

face to face interaction

limited (local) area of control

limited individualism - little "self" concept

shared consciousness

knowledge/truth from personal experience & myth

 

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

  (characteristics)

2 track society (literate and not) - extended rule

leaders and followers - some specialization

identity by social role

knowledge/truth from authority

 

MASS LITERACY - 1600 -1950 A.D.  Democracy (& socialism)

  (characteristics)

mediated interaction, specialization & high social participation

rise of individualism (SELF concept)

objective, impersonal truth arises

linear and propositional thinking

 

ELECTRONIC/VIDEO/DIGITAL AGE - 1965 - ...  (Post-Democracy ???)

  (characteristics)

more oral and immediate (Global Village)

holistic, image oriented

impressionistic/emotional (NOT linear)

 

(effects on identity and truth are not yet clear)

 

Social Political Effects the Digital Age

 

1.  Less ability to do linear - propositional work, non-visual math, essay writing/case making.

 

2.  Lower levels of critical thinking (impressions only) become more common.

 

3.  The distinction between truth and fiction / reality and invention blurs

 

4.  Empathy at a Distance replaces the more direct (what about 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.


·         Discussion questions for Tuesday

o   Where do you get your news?  What sorts of news?

o   Do you think your sources of information are different from your parents and grandparents?  How does that affect opinions?

o   How has the main-stream media (news networks, major newspapers and magazines) affected the discussion on health care?

o   Are the same (sorts of) people watching cable news as those watching broadcast news?  Daily papers?  Does that matter (in the health care debate)?

o   Do you use “new media” (internet based) for civic information?  How so?

o Do you think Haynes is correct in his general argument? Why or why not?

o   If Haynes is right, we are moving into a “post-democratic” era.  What will government/ public deliberative-decision systems be like in the future?