Media Ecology Theory

Media Ecology Theory
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Abstract
Marshall McLuhan came up with the media ecology theory. Through this theory, he developed the media ecology concepts like the use of communication and technology and the role of media in influencing the human changes in the society. The theory, therefore, asserts that the human behaviour is as a result of the media and communication technology. It’s through this technology that humans are influenced. The concept has in the recent past come under strict criticism whereby many critics view this concept as baseless. Although the media provided the platform to advocate for this concept, many have easily disapproved this concept due to the lack of evidence and supporting the argument on the theory. Moreover, the theory has been criticized for being too specific and deterministic that dwell more on the one variable that is the role of technology, but the other variables have been assumed or neglected. Despite this, the theory has been applied on numerous occasions by the mass media. This paper looks at the overview of the theory, its applicability in the media and the society at large and the major critics.
Overview of media ecology
Media ecology involves the study of the media, the technology, and the communication in media and how it has an effect on the human environments. The concepts as it pertains media ecology were developed by Marshall McLuhan, 1964. In this case media ecology then is the environment whereby the medium is utilized.

What the environment is and how it affects the society is described by the environment (“What Is Media Ecology?” 2016). The media according to McLuhan has a lot of influence on the societal progression and thus in important periods of time and the resulting growth during this period, then the specific technology causes this growth. As such this theory aims at looking at how the communication in media has affected the perception in humans, their comprehension, their feelings, the understanding and the human values. Moreover, his goal was the liberation of the human mind where he wanted people to be liberated from subjugation especially the media and the system that existed. The medium, environment were his center of focus in the concepts of media ecology. According to this theory, in each era that is related to humans, then the media has its extension on the senses of the humans especially their behavior. The media plays a major role in influencing structural changes in the society and to individual beings. To him, media and the use of communication technology plays the major role in the societal change (“Media Ecology – How Media and New Media Influences Life,” 2016)
Application of media ecology
The theory is applied in understanding the various roles the media has played in making the world a global village. The role of technology in communication is applied in understanding the inroads media has played in making people not to live in isolation. Moreover, the concepts of media ecology are applied in knowing the various rules of media and knowing that there are no clear laws on media. The theory is applied in determining the various types of that include hot and cool media. The level and type of media, therefore, depends on the level of comprehension of the medium and media at large.
Criticism of the theory
One of the major criticisms of this theory is its deterministic nature in that it only sees technology change as the only source of societal change and that no other thing can result in human changes. Indeed there are many factors that influence the society apart from the media and communication technology. According to Postman (1990), technology serves as a medium of cultural growth thus disputes the notion that it influences man’s actions. Moreover, he argues that the technology devices only provide information, but it’s the human mind that codes such information. According to critics like Dennis Davis, the theory of ecology is very optimistic on the role that technology plays in influencing the society. McLuhan put much importance on the role of technology, but at the same time, he ignored other important factors. Critics also argue that his choice of words is lack clarity and that most of his ideas are meaningless with less sense. Critics like Paul Levinson argue that he used too much exaggeration and most of his arguments are baseless (West, 2016). The argument that he has developed is very vague and that the development of the theory support is too poor. The construction of the argumentation set up by McLuhan is very poor. He does very little to convince readers that his theory is worth any basis and correct. There is no evidence to support his basis for proposing the role of technology in influencing the media (Strate, 2008).
References
“Media Ecology – How Media and New Media Influences Life”, 2016, https://kaialiisa.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/media-ecology-how-media-and-new-media-influences-life/.
Strate, Lance. “Studying Media as Media: McLuhan and the Media Ecology Approach”. Mediatropes.Com, 2016, http://www.mediatropes.com/index.php/Mediatropes/article/view/3344/1488.
West, Richard. “Media Ecology Theory”. Highered.Mheducation.Com, 2016, http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073135615/student_view0/chapter25/index.html.
“What Is Media Ecology?” Media-Ecology.Org, 2016, http://www.media-ecology.org/media_ecology/#An Overview of Media Ecology (Lance Strate).