Though he wasn't a member of Generation X, cultural philosopher and pop culture critic Marshall McLuhan was a prophetic voice in response to the encroaching consumer culture that has created a world driven by info-tainment. McLuhan is best known for an insightful quote from his book Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man where he explained "The medium is the message." In a post-modern world saturated by media and advertising McLuhan saw vividly how man would come to be manipulated by the very media he actively sought for clarification and truth.
Gen X writer Douglas Coupland was heavily influenced by the views and criticism of McLuhan. And, Coupland was inspired several years ago to research and compose another biography of McLuhan which clarifies and synthesizes his ideas for a new generation. Coupland's work Marhsall McLuhan: You Know Nothing of My Work explains the background of McLuhan's life which enabled him to so astutely and presciently predict the internet and information, along with plenty of inherent warnings about the damaging power of media saturation.
As a fan of pop culture and pop culture criticism, I am just beginning to delve into the brilliance of McLuhan.
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