Technology as extensions of man : the use of Marshall McLuhan’s tetrad of media effects in an analysis of the metaverse: a media ecological perspective

Abstract

This study explores the implications of Marshall McLuhan's perspectives on the Metaverse, focusing on virtual reality from a media-ecological standpoint and viewing technology as extensions of human capabilities. It delves into McLuhan's concepts of media ecology and the way in which technology changes humanity, thereby affecting the media environment. By applying McLuhan's "laws of media" and his "tetrad" model, the study analyses the Metaverse and demonstrates how it surpasses current technologies by offering a more authentic experience. The investigation posits that as technology evolves, it often supersedes and becomes the content of previous media forms, a process exemplified by the evolution towards virtual reality. The research aims to demonstrate how the Metaverse, as a culmination of technologies, fits into McLuhan’s framework, suggesting a cyclical process where new technologies extend human capabilities and subsequently transform the media environment. The central research theme is encapsulated as an exploration of the Metaverse through McLuhan's tetrad of media effects, considering a media ecological perspective.

Die Studie ondersoek die implikasies van Marshall McLuhan se perspektiewe op die Metaverse, met 'n spesifieke fokus op virtuele realiteit vanuit 'n media-ekologiese standpunt en die beskouing van tegnologie as uitbreidings van menslike vermoëns. Dit verdiep in McLuhan se konsepte van media-ekologie en hoe tegnologie die mensdom verander, wat die media-omgewing beïnvloed. Die studie pas McLuhan se "wette van media" en sy "tetrade" model toe om die Metaverse te analiseer, en illustreer hoe dit 'n vooruitgang verteenwoordig oor bestaande tegnologieë deur 'n meer natuurlike ervaring te bied. Die ondersoek stel voor dat, soos tegnologie ontwikkel, dit dikwels die vorige media vorms oortref en die inhoud daarvan word, 'n proses wat geïllustreer word deur die evolusie na virtuele realiteit. Die navorsing beoog om te demonstreer hoe die Metaverse, as 'n klimaks van tegnologieë, in McLuhan se raamwerk pas, wat 'n sikliese proses voorstel waar nuwe tegnologieë menslike vermoëns uitbrei en gevolglik die media-omgewing transformeer. Die sentrale navorsingstema word saamgevat as 'n ondersoek van die Metaverse deur McLuhan se tetrad van media-effekte, met inagneming van 'n media-ekologiese perspektief.

Umbhalo uhlolela imiphumela yemibono kaMarshall McLuhan ngeMetaverse, ikakhulukazi igxile kuqiniso olungokoqobo lwe-virtual reality kusukela ekubukweni kwemidiya-ecological nokubheka ubuchwepheshe njengokunwetshwa kwamakhono abantu. Uphenya ngemibono kaMcLuhan yemidiya ecology nokuthi ubuchwepheshe bushintsha kanjani isintu, sithinta imvelo yemidiya. Ucwaningo lusebenzisa "imithetho yemidiya" kaMcLuhan kanye nomodeli wakhe we-"tetrad" ukuhlaziya iMetaverse, kukhombisa ukuthi imelela ukuthuthuka uma kuqhathaniswa nobuchwepheshe obukhona ngokunikeza isipiliyoni esingokwemvelo kakhulu. Uphenyo luveza ukuthi njengoba ubuchwepheshe buthuthuka, buvame ukudlula futhi bube yiqiniso lwezindlela zemidiya ezedlule, inqubo ekhonjiswa yintuthuko eya eqinisweni elingokoqobo lwe-virtual reality. Ucwaningo luhlose ukukhombisa ukuthi iMetaverse, njengomphumela wobuchwepheshe obuhlanganisiwe, ilingana kanjani esimisweni sikaMcLuhan, iphakamisa inqubo ephindaphindayo lapho ubuchwepheshe obusha bunwetshwa khona amakhono abantu futhi kamuva buguqule imvelo yemidiya. Ithemba lokucwaninga eliyinhloko libekwe njengophenyo lweMetaverse ngokusebenzisa i-tetrad yemiphumela yemidiya kaMcLuhan, ibheka kusukela ekubukeni kwemidiya-ecological.