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Marshall McLuhan on “Apple FCPX or Not: The Debate”
Some helpful quotes from Marshall McLuhan for those stuck in the looping mode of internet-based tribal paranoia on this forum:
“The past went that-a-way. When faced with a totally new situation, we tend always to attach ourselves to the objects, to the flavor of the most recent past. We look at the present through a rear view mirror. We march backwards into the future.”
“I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t believed it.”
“We become what we behold. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us.”
“It is critical vision alone which can mitigate the unimpeded operation of the automatic.”
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
“Innumerable confusions and a feeling of despair invariably emerge in periods of great technological and cultural transition.”
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20 Replies
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[James Culbertson] ““The past went that-a-way. When faced with a totally new situation, we tend always to attach ourselves to the objects, to the flavor of the most recent past. We look at the present through a rear view mirror. We march backwards into the future.””
I take it this quote is for all those who believe Apple’s past innovations are sufficient proof of their future success.
[James Culbertson] ““I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t believed it.””
This must be about the sheer incompetence of the FCPX roll-out.
[James Culbertson] “”A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.””
This works well for whoever you disagree with.
[James Culbertson] “”Innumerable confusions and a feeling of despair invariably emerge in periods of great technological and cultural transition.””
Let alone the out of pocket expenses.
This is like the scene in Annie Hall when Woody brings out the real Marshall McLuhan to berate the nearby idiots who are misinterpreting him.
Lesson to the young – Mr. McLuhan is a weapon that cuts both ways, be careful how you use him.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
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nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf -
[Herb Sevush] “This is like the scene in Annie Hall when Woody brings out the real Marshall McLuhan to berate the nearby idiots who are misinterpreting him.”
No need to be so harsh about yourself Herb. I don’t think any of you are idiots; just short-sighted and a bit a-historical.
But even if you take McLuhan out of the picture. This forum is still a textbook study of self-referential, mutual reinforcing, fear-based neo-tribal networks.
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[James Culbertson] “No need to be so harsh about yourself Herb. I don’t think any of you are idiots; just short-sighted”
Well, definitely near sighted.
[James Culbertson] “But even if you take McLuhan out of the picture.”
Yes, lets.
[James Culbertson] “This forum is still a textbook study of self-referential, mutual reinforcing, fear-based neo-tribal networks.”
And what is the name of your tribe, and where does it congregate – under the Apple Suckling Tree?
(let’s see if you get the reference without using Google, as historical as you are.)
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
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nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf -
[Herb Sevush] “[James Culbertson] “This forum is still a textbook study of self-referential, mutual reinforcing, fear-based neo-tribal networks.”
And what is the name of your tribe, and where does it congregate – under the Apple Suckling Tree?
(let’s see if you get the reference without using Google, as historical as you are.)”
Haha, good one. But I have no internet tribe for better or worse. My “tribe” is the community I physically live in, one that continually challenges my self-referential tendencies, and reminds me how multifaceted the world is.
I’ve read all of Marshall McLuhan’s books in dead-tree form; and I should say continually re-reading portions as understanding McLuhan is an on-going process.
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[James Culbertson] “This forum is still a textbook study of self-referential, mutual reinforcing, fear-based neo-tribal networks.”
Well this should be an interesting thread to follow.
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[James Culbertson] “This forum is still a textbook study of self-referential, mutual reinforcing, fear-based neo-tribal networks.”
As someone who has been at the bleeding edge of developments in digital audio for the past 26 years, I have no fear of the new. Alpha & beta testing software for Sony, Yamaha, dSP and Fairlight is not for the faint hearted. But it has been interesting to watch the actions of the followers of these developments.
To dismiss the followers as either willing acolytes or fear based neo-tribal is to totally misunderstand the very necessary attributes of survival in biological terms.
We are all the descendants of successful survivors so it should be no surprise that we possess both attributes. There is a place for calculated risk taking and conservative judgement. Both are fear based. The fearless risk takers didn’t survive. The comfortable conservatives also didn’t make it. We are the result of the success of both legitimate tactics. By railing against those who do not embrace this new paradigm you are also being tribal and sharing the risk with others of your tribe. This is motivated by fear as much as not wanting change.
I watch animal behaviour closely because I am also a farmer. Yesterday my cows were herded into a yard along a new fence line that they had never seen before. All were timid and confused but the force of my wife and I pushing them up from behind made them go into the yards. Six of them went on a truck, three of them never having seen a truck yet again the force of the direction of the push from the humans was overwhelming. All six went to a nearby farm to graze happily but they could just have easily gone to the abattoir. Yes they were afraid and conservative – not wanting to do things that were outside their comfort zone. At the gene level this is a smart strategy and has worked well for cows. We might like to think we are above such based instincts but survival without fear, caution and the occasional risk taking is less likely to be successful.
McLuhan may have clear insights into group behaviour but be careful about making value judgements based on such one liner observations.
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Bravo, Michael.
Nailed it perfectly.
“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Connor
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[Michael Gissing] “By railing against those who do not embrace this new paradigm”
I have no issue with those who do not embrace “this new paradigm.” I’m curious why after 6 months they don’t move on and embrace some other paradigm of their choice. A friend has commented that I am being too rational; and that is probably true. But if we are in this business to be creative and make a profit, of what benefit is it to not just move on and use another tool that works for your creative endeavors?
Personally, I’m scheduled to start a feature length documentary in January, and the director wants me to use FCP7, so I’m not really sure why we have to embrace anything other than what we always have for the foreseeable future — remembering that even prior to the release of FCPX a producer/director could have requested AVID, FCP, or perhaps even Premiere — nothing has particularly changed there.
[Michael Gissing] “but be careful about making value judgements based on such one liner observations.”
Well, I am making a value judgement based on 6 months of observations here and elsewhere; the quotes were convenient and apropos. With respect to any thread/comment on this forum about Apple’s current and future plans, please point me to even one statement (including my own) that isn’t value based; this is all opinion and anecdote.
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[James Culbertson] “I’m curious why after 6 months they don’t move on and embrace some other paradigm of their choice.”
BS, you’ve clearly already made up your mind. People who are curious ask questions, they don’t make statements.
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[James Culbertson] “I have no issue with those who do not embrace “this new paradigm.” I’m curious why after 6 months they don’t move on and embrace some other paradigm of their choice.”
Many like me are in limbo, waiting for editors to decide. That’s why I drop in here from time to time to see what thoughts are flowing. Being at the grade & sound post end, I need to know where the software is at and what the majority of editors are going to choose.
[James Culbertson] “this is all opinion and anecdote.”
Of course. That is the intent of this debate forum. By selectively quoting McLuhan you seem to have nailed your flag to a particular point of view. My caution was merely to point out both sides of the debate are perfectly valid.
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