The extension concept can be interpreted in terms of how social media acts as an extension of our social skills. Social media has extended our social skills to include communicating fearlessly to faceless audiences. For example, facebook acts as an extension of our social skills. We can socialize with mass amounts of more people we would not normally socialize with. Social media not only extends our abilities to socialize but also to the size of the audience we socialize with.
Social media is relevant to McLuhan’s reversal concept because we use it to do things that we also do in other ways. For example, I use social media to steam TV shows or videos, but still use television or DVDs to view similar or the same material. Although I watched a TV show on a social media site, I may buy a hard copy to keep at the DVD store.
Social media exemplifies McLuhan’s element of retrieval by exemplifying new technologies ability to stimulate various stimulus. Social media addresses virtually every stimulus except the need for physical human interaction. For example, social media allows options for visual, verbal and written stimulus. This combines what the telephone, video camera and letter addressed for many years. Social media appeals to must senses with the exception of touch. For now.
Social media has recreated many old technologies and eliminated the need for others. Technologies are becoming obsolete quicker. For example, newspaper companies provide all articles on their websites, removing the need to buy the paper. As news became a part of social media, even news websites are become less visited with the creation of RSS feeds. A person can now obtain all information they seek on one website. Social media speeds up the process of replacement technology. It is in competition with itself. Companies need to adapt or sink. Social media is replacing itself.
Social media is a revolution.
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