McLuhan, (Herbert) Marshall

McLuhan, (Herbert) Marshall (1911-1980), Canadian writer on communications, whose theory that “the medium is the message” provides a catchphrase for the 1960s. He was born in Edmonton, Alta., and educated at the universities of Manitoba and Cambridge, and he taught at various universities in the United States and Canada.

His unorthodox theories on communications sprang from his conviction that the electronic media—especially television—have an impact far greater than that of the material they communicate. He also stressed the need to be aware of the changes being wrought in contemporary civilization by these media. Although he held that books would soon become obsolete, he wrote several, many in an unusual illustrated format; these include Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (1964) and The Medium Is the Message: An Inventory of Effects (1967).