The MMM

“The satisfaction of individual prestige, which we formerly derived from the possession of expertise, must now yield to the much greater satisfactions of dialogue and group discovery.”

– Quote #1808 from The MMM

This collection of McLuhan’s insights and aperçus is very largely the outcome of group discovery.

I must thank, first and foremost: 

Michael McGrath, known as Mikerochip, who translated over a thousand pages of  quotations into this site. Mike is not only a programmer par excellence, he has the rarest combination of skills: he codes well and he has a knack for designing a web page to please the eye and engage the mind. I cannot thank him enough for what he has accomplished here. If you happen to be looking for a combo of great tech expertise and design whiz: www.mikerochip.ca. Tell Mike I sent you. 

Many thanks to Robert K. Logan, who gave me insuperable early guidance in shaping the chapters and introduced me to valuable material that was fresh to my eyes. No one has done more in the 21st century to promote the thought of Marshall McLuhan than Bob Logan. His dedication should be an inspiration to us all.

I must also thank Michael McLuhan, son of Marshall and custodian of the McLuhan Estate, who suggested putting these quotes online. All the way, since this project began in 1987, I envisioned the passages appearing in a book. But as you’ve probably noticed – I almost hadn’t — the times, they’ve been a’changin’. Books are splendid carriers of the finest the human mind has produced, but the information in them becomes vastly more immediate and accessible – potentially, perhaps, more meaningful as well — in digital form.

I must thank that illustrious poet and McLuhan elucidator, B.W. Powe, who offered me the help of his student volunteers (whom I dubbed “Brucekateers”). I thank them for their valuable contributions, most notably Nicholas Trim, Tom Wilson, and Robert Swallow-Downes.

I thank Alexander Kuskis for his powerful encouragement over the years. Alex is a dedicated McLuhan blogger who has been feeding fresh material into his site, The McLuhan Galaxy, for over a dozen years now.

I thank Cameron McEwen, author of another web blog, McLuhan’s New Sciences. Cameron is not only a very serious McLuhan scholar, he’s a superb archaeologist of vintage McLuhanalia. He has located valuable original material from surprisingly unexpected and ersatz sources.

I thank Kathy Hutchon Kawasaki for her wise suggestions at a critical time.

I thank the tireless Paolo Granata for his valuable contributions.

I thank Diego Gomez Lopez and Lawrence Angel who proved indispensable in proofing the quotes, confirming attributions, and doing the dogged detective work of locating unknown attributions of valuable passages.

I thank my partner, Beverly Lev, for tolerating the time and struggle it has taken to bring this collection in front of your eyes.

        ~ William Kuhns
               www.williamkuhns.com