One line from The Medium is the Massage that really stuck with me is “We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.” At first, it sounds kind of obvious, like yeah, we make stuff, and that stuff affects us. But the more I thought about it, the more it blew my mind.
It’s not just saying that technology influences us. It’s saying that once we create something, it actually starts to change who we are. Like, we think we’re just using our phones to text or scroll through Instagram, but really, the phone is changing how we communicate, how long we can focus, and how we think about ourselves. That’s wild.
This line hits me because it challenges the idea that we’re totally in control of our lives. I like to think I choose how I use my tools, but McLuhan is saying, “Hey, actually, those tools are shaping you right back.” It’s kind of creepy, honestly. Especially now with AI, constant notifications, and all the social media apps, it makes you wonder, Am I using this tech, or is it using me?
What I like about this quote is that it forces me to step back and look at how much I’ve changed because of the stuff I use every day. I didn’t really choose to be more distracted or to rely on Google for every little thing; it just sort of happened. So yeah, the quote feels simple at first, but it’s actually super deep. It makes me want to be more aware of how the stuff I use is changing me.