An Extension of Ourselves

In the beginning of McLuhan’s Laws of Media, he introduces the concept that artifacts are extensions of our physical bodies and mind. One of the first examples is weaponry. Instead of using our fists and teeth to fight and defend ourselves, we use guns, swords and knives. The further the weapon distances us from the target, the less restraint we have inducing violence. It makes the violence more impersonal. The Frontline documentary touched on this McLuhan concept when it featured the virtual bomber pilots. The leader of this group stresses the reality of the situation to his pilots on a regular basis, but the documentary asked, do they fully comprehend the weight of their decisions?

I thought this was an interesting concept, and I asked myself if it transferred to social media. What are some situations online where we can see a lack of restraint? I came up with several common examples :

- Cyber bullying. A prevalent problem now being addressed by schools and parents, the effects of cyber bullying have been as drastic as victims committing suicide. Are kids meaner or more sensitive than they used to be, or is the technology impacting their behavior? Cyber bullying could be due to the fact children don’t witness their victim’s reaction in person. They are distance from the consequences of their actions.


Source: isafe.org



- Online gambling. A credit card was an extension of an extension; it is a virtual representation of our money which is an extension of our labor. People gamble online using their credit cards without feeling like they are truly gambling, and they can lose thousands of dollars in the process.

- Slander. It seems like every day someone is retracting a comment they tweeted or posted on Facebook. We get a false sense of security and privacy online, and often we share information or “say” something that we quickly regret. Many college students have experienced this phenomena when they realize a YouTube video or Facebook pictures has cost them a job.

I agree with McLuhan to a certain extent that these extensions lead to a lack of responsibility for our actions. I think we still feel responsible for our actions, but it has to be made real to us. Participating in the virtual world makes us feel removed from the situation, and It can take a dose of reality to make us feel responsibility and remorse. For instance, the outcry of a community can lead someone to apologize for a statement posted online, and a face-to-face confrontation with a bullying victim can motivate us to change our ways.

Classmates, what do you think? Does technology distance us from reality? How connected do you feel to your online interactions? Do you view them as a separate world or reality? (Think of the World of Warcraft people) What other examples can you think of that demonstrates this concept?