Multipurpose Room

Understanding Media and Everything Bad is Good For You

Steven Johnson is a keynote speaker at UX Week, so I’ve been reading his books in preparation and reading Jesse James Garrett’s conversation with him (Part 3). Johnson quotes McLuhan, especially in Interface Culture. I was struck this morning by the similar structure of Everything Bad is Good For You and McLuhan’s Understanding Media. Both have chapters devoted to different technologies. However, McLuhan does not talk about the “Sleeper Curve” and Johnson’s focus is more on the message than the media. Both authors do argue that technology can not be judged with the “review mirror” of other technologies. In other words, a video game can not be judged on the same criteria as a book nor can a book be judged on the same criteria as a video game. Simple concept, but we often see this in cultural critics.

posted by Ray @ Wednesday, August 09, 2006