I tend to be what is called a “visual learner.” As such, if I need to focus on what someone is saying in an instance where no corresponding visual is available, I will often close my eyes to block out any distractions. Otherwise I might become too interested in the way the light reflects off the rings of my binder, or the different ways I can twist my pen cap between my fingers. Even by closing my eyes I still run the risk of having my mind wander onto another topic entirely – like the weird lump in the back of the chair that’s jabbing me in the spine. However, in this case, I found McLuhan’s words held my attention relatively well and I was able to focus on his message. The overall sound quality of the clip was grainy and made it evident, even without the content of the interview, that this was not a recent recording. This didn’t bother me, especially since it reminded me of the old, classic movies I often watch. In fact, it created a context in which the dated information made sense. Moreover, McLuhan’s voice was slow and clear, and I found it fairly easy to listen to his speech with minimal fidgeting on my part.
Of course, being a very vision-oriented person, I noticed that being able to see McLuhan’s face as he spoke added a new level of interest to the broadcast. I enjoyed watching the way he pursed his lips or widened his eyes to emphasize a point, and this new sensory information made it even easier for me to pay attention. I was still rolling a pen between my fingers, but the lumpy chair was no longer such a concern. Unfortunately, when the visual changed from interview footage to images of things like filing cabinets and switchboards, I found the sudden shift distracting. The new images had relatively little to do with what McLuhan was saying at that particular moment, so they seemed like an unnecessary addition that detracted from the interview and the message he was trying to convey.
Overall, I still preferred watching and listening to just listening, because I believe that the additional dimension of the visual alongside the audio created a far more complete experience – even if I was momentarily thrown by the shift in the visual display.
Keywords: cooper, mcluhan, phenomenology, week4, wri330
Comments
I agree with you - it's very hard to concentrate when you have to focus only on the audia part of the show. Like you, I had to close my eyes to focus on the voice and the message being conveyed, or else my concentration would fray.
And I agree! The last images of the large machines were very distracting; I found myself wondering what significance they brought to the video, and almost forgot to listen to McLuhan himself.