The Danger of Spoken Words - Blog Post #2
In Pontypool, language becomes dangerous because certain spoken words can spread a virus that causes people to lose control of themselves. This connects well to Marshall McLuhan's ideas about speech and how it affects people. McLuhan explains that spoken language involves more than just hearing words. It also connects to our senses and the way we understand the world around us. This relates to his idea of the human sensorium, which looks at how our senses shape the way we experience the world. In his reading, he discusses how spoken words allow people to react to each other and become more involved with communication. He also explains that language is connected to human consciousness. This is important because the virus in Pontypool spreads when people understand certain English words instead of just hearing them. The movie shows how something we use every day to communicate with each other can become dangerous because of the meaning people give to different words.
Overall, I think this movie connects well to McLuhan's ideas about speech and our senses. It shows that language is more powerful than we realize because understanding words can affect how people think and act.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point that understanding the words, rather than just hearing them, is what makes language dangerous in Pontypool. This makes your connection to McLuhan interesting because communication becomes something that directly affects people’s thoughts and actions. I also think the radio setting adds to this idea, since listeners rely on voices to understand events they cannot see. The same medium that helps them make sense of what is happening can also expose them to the danger.
I like how you connected the virus in Pontypool to McLuhan’s idea of the human sensorium. I think it’s interesting how the virus spreads not just by hearing words, but by understanding their meaning. This shows how language is more than just sound because we attach meaning and emotions to the words we hear. It also makes me think about how certain words can trigger emotional reactions or influence how we respond to situations in our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point and I wrote something similar, one other thing I wanted to mention about McLuhan's medium theory was that the radio is portrayed both positively and negatively in the film. It can be both a vehicle for the virus to travel as well as an opportunity to tell people about a cure, which is what Grant tried to doat the end. I think this is true of all media; they are inherently neutral, and us humans are responsible for the effect they eventually have.
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