A dictionary of Marshall McLuhan’s quotations

The message is the effect of interplay between the user and whatever extension of himself is in play. Clothing is obvious as a ground for these figures. Monarchy or a movie star is less obvious as a service environment. A reading public as a service environment created by a writer or an entertainer is even less obvious as message.
IF figure and ground relationship are carefully heeded, no confusion need arise.
“Bull’s Eye, Cow’s Eye” 1971 broadsheet dated February 3, 1971, typescript
Year: 1971
↪ Also at #4684
Compiled by William Kuhns
© 2026, The Estate of Marshall McLuhan