Media could be defined as many different things depending on the perspective you use to approach it. The first immediate view many people have on media is that it is simply television, radio, phones, and other technology. However, after researching it and actually thinking about what it truly is, media could be defined as whatever allows people to connect and communicate with each other. There are many different things that people would not consider media, but if you look deeper, you are able to see that these questionable things are media because they give us the ability to communicate with each other. Media are the means through which people are able to come together and share their feelings, opinions, and views on certain issues.
The first examples of media that do prove this to be the definition of media would be the very straightforward things. Television, radio, cell phones, and the internet are just some examples of media that allow people to see the news and what is going on in the world. They are a means of connecting with everything, and everyone uses them daily. People are beginning to rely on these means much more than in the past, and in some ways it is good and some ways it is bad. In the same way that these things allow us to connect with the world, it is taking away some of the human to human contact that people used to have much more of. It makes us able to communicate without having to interact face to face. However, they are some of the most well known and straight forward forms of media there is today.
Another example of media which isn’t quite as straightforward are the things that allow us to interact and connect in person. For example Electric light as mentioned by Marshal Mculhan, is a way for us to see each other, and he says that many activities “could not exist without the electric light.”(Mculhan, pg 9) If there wasn’t electric light, then we wouldn’t be able to see each other and it would be harder for us to come together. There are so many things that we would not be able to do if it weren’t for many of the products that enable us to do them. Another example would be something such as cars and planes because they are a means for us to travel to see each other, no matter how far away we are. Anything that allows us to see each other and talk and converse are media. If we didn’t have these means of transportation, and these other means that allow us to be around each other than we would be a much different society.
Another example would be any activity that we do as a group. Things such as eating, sports, Greek life, and any sort of social networking would be great examples. It is a way of everyone getting together and it can be argued that this is an example of media because it is a definite way to make a connection with other people. Things that bring people together and gives them the opportunity to talk and see what is going on in each other’s lives is definitely an example of media. People view certain activities, such as eating, as something that you do with family or friends. One could actually look at activities such as this as the original media because it has always been around. People have always done things together, and it has always been a time to talk and reflect about what has been going on in society. This simple physical connection between people is very important form of media.
All in all, there are in fact many different forms of media, but the most important ones are the means by which people form connections, physically, socially, and emotionally. Either through technology or the things that make us able to go to each other and see each other, or even just simple day to day human interactions we are able to come to together as a society. Without these different aspects of media then we would not have been able to come as far as we have a whole civilization.
