Wade, my friend, I feel like this post should have been sent directly to
you:
Define "fact".
Reed
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Project McLuhan on the Net
Post # 97-7 [July 97]
June 23, 1997
Editors' Corner (<mclr@astral.magic.ca>)
Nice quiet summer. Given all the "trends" and
"counter-trends" that for forming beneath the
iceberg of the "collective subconscious," we
actually prefer it that way.... We are a bit short-
staffed for the summer but, as always, we move
the post "on time." New readers (there ar e many
of you) ar e reminded that all posts back to 94 are
in the Archives.
FROM OUR OWN MEDIAGURU...
[Nelson Thall is the Director of Research for our
Center, former Chief McLuhan Archivist for the
University of Toronto, and former president of
the Marshall McLuhan Center for Global
Communications.As a student intern, he had the
privilege of working directly with Dr. McLuhan.]
* The role of the media student and critic in the
world of information overload is to tap into the
collective subconsciousness. Regardless, that
is, of whether any particular item in the
information flow is true or false. It may be
information or misinformation or disinformation.
No matter.
* Any event which the collective subconscious
participates in becomes latent within the
collective consciousness and is open to being
evoked at any time. It will surface with the
proper use of the language of the artforms.
* This, by the way, is the basis for the science
of mass communication or marketing. Actually a
pseudo-science since no formal courses are given
and training is passed on from peer to peer in
secret, like witch doctors do. If you understand
this you can make a fortune on Madison Avenue.
* Our society, when it comes to communications,
has for the most part had the experience but
missed the meaning. The role of the true artist,
the maker of "anti-environments," is to design a
program for releasing meaning from the
subconscious. This is what distinguishes "true
art" from "false art" or even art from pop-art
(popular art, Andy Warhol style -- which is
"tribal art" in that it merges the person with
his environment rather than exposing the
environment and simultaneously updating
consciousness)
* We can test the validity of any piece of
so-called "information" by using this sort of
analysis. Were the Beatles a "major military event"
intended to distract the attention of the young
from the war in Vietnam by the romanticizing of
drugs and sex? Who knows -- but if true, then
the answer to this riddle is to be found latent
within the collective subconscious.
* The satellite is a technology which fused
mankind's first and second nature(s). First
Nature is what is known as ecology, the planet as
artform. The planet was mankind's first nature.
Technology is mankind's Second Nature because it
is an extension of man. The satellite was both an
extension of man and therefore his second nature,
yet also an extension of the planet and therefore
first nature as well.
* The ability to read artforms such as the
satellite provides important clues as to what
future technologies will be forthcoming because
effects often precede the causes. McLuhan said
this often.
* By fusing man's first and second nature the
satellite is an "advance effect" and predicts the
miracle of fusion energy. Think about it.
* In 1994 I said clearly that "Internet" itself
means Inter-Kinetic. [This was reprinted in last
month's Post -- Ed] TV creates tactile space
while lasers push tactile space to become
kinetic. This is why wrestling, The Macarena, and
other social phenomena are the new hi-touch
modalities within our human sensorium. Notice
that Seiko Watch Company recently released it's
newest watch -- the "Seiko Kinetic". The face of
the watch places into prominence the right side of
an oval --relating to the right hemisphere of the
brain, which is the half moving into dominance
with the new electric technologies. In fact,
their latest advertisement says: "If you're going
to create electricity, use it." Exactly as
predicted.
* Like the name "Boxster"? North Americans still
"go outside to be alone." When they travel
outside the home, they find it hostile to the
point that they require their cars to be an
extension of their castles. And so we have the
Boxster. A square private space. North Americans
are still not comfortable with a vehicle as an
"extension of their clothing" -- as the Europeans
have always approached their automobiles.
[UNQUOTE]
---------------------------------------------
Extracts only -- Comments and Projections from
"The McLuhan Analyst(TM)" (private internal
newsletter available only to patrons of our
non-profit Center):
alt.review [book]
HOW TO AVOID GUM SURGERY by Vas Gardiakos (Enosis
Press 1-800- 533-1821) is one of those rare finds
that you could easily miss - - if we didn't tell
you about it first! As boring as the title may
seem, statistics tell us that 7 out of 10 adults
will develop some form of gum disease by the time
middle age is reached. Of that group, a
significant percentage are likely to acquire an
infection for which surgery (a nasty little
procedure called a "flap") is likely to be
prescribed. For those in this predicament looking
for alternatives, there really were none. Until
Gardiakos came along, that is. In the tradition
of the classical Skeptic, Gardiakos himself
developed gum problems for which surgery was
required. Where millions before him had gone
unquestioningly, he (after doing his homework)
elected not to go. Instead he developed his own
unique approach to gum disease -- an approach
that relies on an inexpensive flushing device he
himself designed and sells -- to clear up the
problem. The book presents all his research as
well as his conclusions. HOW USEFUL IS THE
AUTHOR'S APPROACH? Well, one of our own writers
had a recurring infection that had already had
two surgeries ("flaps") in the same area. As
Gardiakos says in his book, the surgeries
themselves are a fairly dramatic case of
overkill, and do permanent damage to tissue and
gum. Rather than face a third procedure in the
same area -- as his doctor recommended -- our
writer used the Gardiakos approach and, after
some trial and error, brought the infection under
control in less than 6 weeks. Highly recommended!
alt.feedback
To the reader who wanted us to comment on the
fact that McVeigh was specifically denied the
right to mention "conspiracies" in his defence,
our comment is "yes, indeed." The question future
historians will no doubt have to look at is
whether or not this was in keeping with the
so-called "usual" rights of an accused (probably
not); and whether McVeigh acted alone (also,
probably not.) When will the truth ever surface?
Given the fact that many documents relating to
the Kennedy assassination are still sealed, we
would guess that the truth about the Oklahoma
bombing should pop up sometime in your grand-
children's era. In the meantime, some of the most
provocative articles on the topic we've seen can
be found in the Archives at--->
http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cn.html.
alt.review [book]
THE WAY OF QUIQONG (aka Chi Kung) by Ken Cohen
(Ballantine) is making quite a splash. While
there are several books on the topic recently
released, aficionados feel that Cohen's book is
the best and most comprehensive. Chi Kung, which
is derived from the same "internal" school as TAI
CHI, is a healing or health maintenance system
from China that is AT LEAST 5000 years old,
possibly older. (Intact Chi Kung manuscripts from
the time of Christ have been found, and the nature
of the material discovered indicates that the
science itself was well developed even by that
"early" date.) Chi Kung, as much a lifestyle as a
healing system, concerns itself with the flow of
"chi" in the body, an invisible circulating
energy which is the basis for acupuncture,
supposedly more important even than blood, and
possibly the essence of Life itself.
[Significantly, both Japanese and East Indian
traditions have similar healing schools based on
the same essential science as the Chinese --
although the Japanese have chosen to simplify
rather than complicate their energy theory, an
approach we tend to prefer.] Books like Cohen's
do a superb job of sharing core information,
although the average Westerner may still not be
ready for the discipline that is required to
master systems such as Chi Kung or even Tai Chi.
In an era of microwave dinners and instant
tellers, a quick foray into these sciences will
soon reveal that a decade of practice is just a
"warm-up" -- and true mastery of these systems
take a lifetime. However, if you are willing to
make the commitment, this book is an excellent
place to start.
alt.health
Our sources tell us that the FDA in the US was
about to renege on its promise to leave colloidal
silver compounds unregulated (based on the fact
that they were "already in use" by the 1930s) and
instead began to adopt a fairly tough stance
against the handful of firms marketing the
compound -- and then (we are told) backed down
yet again. IF YOU HAVE MORE RECENT INFO, PLEASE
LET US KNOW. We have researched the topic
extensively, and even dug up some of the papers
done by respected medical researchers in the
1920's. (Colloidal silver was an inexpensive and
very popular treatment at that time. The advent
of antibiotics, for reasons that are not entirely
clear, seemed to bring all work on the compound to
a screeching halt.) Our own research suggests that
not only are the claims being made, for most part,
entirely true; but your most inexpensive method of
obtaining the compound is to purchase a hi-quality
"colloidal silver generator" and make your own.
alt.reminder
In prior issues of this ezine we reported how the
development of the HAARP program in Alaska was
selected by the independent, non-profit PROJECT
CENSORED as the single most under-reported (yet
nonetheless SIGNIFICANT) story of 1995. For those
of you who were intrigued by this -- the
development and readying of the most powerful
electronic weapons system since the A-bomb -- you
will be equally pleased to learn that, from what
we are told, the system is now officially
operational and, to put it bluntly, is doing to
the ionosphere what Richard Gere did to Julia
Roberts in PRETTY WOMAN. Science marches on.
alt.feedback
To the reader who wanted to know why our TV
critic liked BUFFY so much but never mentioned
XENA or her cousins HERCULES and SINBAD, we
offer this response:
"Of the three shows, SINBAD is clearly the
weakest, lacking scripts, talent, and stories.
Also terrible effects. Hercules tries hard, but,
once again, we're asleep in half an hour. Xeena
is the cream of the crop, however. On bad days,
good characterizations and interesting stories
hold attention. And on good days -- such as the
story where Lawless played three versions of the
same character, all of whom looked identical --
the show is a total hoot. PS: wonder how many
newborn male babies are being christened JOXER
these days because one or both parents are Xeena
fans?
alt.review [book]
If you a writer in Ken Follett's class then your
readers expect a lot more from you than others of
your kin. And Follett tends to deliver the goods.
If the criteria for a good read are interesting
and empathetic characters; a plot oozing with
twists and turns; food for intellectual thought,
and page-turning suspense -- than THE THIRD TWIN
will not disappoint. Very highly recommended.
(Only carp -- much energy is spent preparing the
reader for a final "matchup" between the
protagonist and the dastardly villain -- no of
the most "equal" opponents in the history of
modern literature, for reasons we can't really
share here. That matchup never arrives! This is
the only flaw in an otherwise masterful work.]
----------------------------
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Acknowledgments
Project McLuhan is operated by the Center For Media Sciences,
a non-profit and charitable organization under Canadian law.
Nelson Thall is our Director of McLuhan Research. YES, you can
repost any of this material as long as credit is given to Project McLuhan!
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Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
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