Innis Take Two
Not to sound parochial, but I think that the Internet would literally blow Innis’s mind. I think this for a couple reasons. First, I am not sure if he would know how to categorize the Internet as having either a space or time bias. Digitalization has revolutionized the way in which information can be seen as permanent (time bias). With the Internet, there is no stone or papyrus or permanent object on which the information is written. The information is displayed semi-permanently on a screen. However, the information for all intents and purposes, is always there. This represents a paradox in the time bias of the Internet. How can you define the Internet’s time bias when it is always available, always there, yet at the same time comes and goes on and off the screen? Additionally, the digital aspect of the information can be easily moved. Similar problems arise when trying to define the space bias of the Internet. The Internet is portable, as previously mentioned. We can get to it easily. As Wikipedia, blogs, and chat are evident, the Internet is also easily changed.
Secondly, I think that Innis would have a very difficult time trying to decide how the Internet is monopolizing knowledge. Innis seems to have a large problem with the education system noting that it is born out of the idea of a “natural state.” This natural state then influences how people learn, think, and communicate about the idea of knowledge and the idea of ideas. I am having an internal struggle as to whether or not Innis would see the Internet as liberating us from the natural state of education, or further cement us in our own thoughts.