Marshall McLuhan
Media theorist, wrote 'Understanding Media'

Born
July 21st, 1911
114 years ago
Died
December 31st, 1980
44 years ago — 69 years old
Category
Thinkers & Philosophers
Country
Canada
Links & References
An influential media theorist and author, focused on the effects of media on communication and culture. Played a significant role in the study of media ecology and its impact on human perception. Introduced concepts such as 'the medium is the message' and 'global village'. Published seminal works including 'Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man' and 'The Gutenberg Galaxy'.
Published 'Understanding Media' in 1964
Coined the phrase 'the medium is the message'
Introduced the term 'global village'
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