A dictionary of Marshall McLuhan’s quotations

[That the effects come first] This is true in all social situations. It’s true of the motorcar. The effects of the motorcar came long before the motorcar. The speeded-up transportation came with the bicycle, pneumatic tires, and smooth roads. Until these existed, there was no question about having a motorcar. The effect of the motorcar came before the cause, which is the car itself.
David Sohn interview (1978), p 18
Year: 1978
Chapter: Causality
Compiled by William Kuhns
© 2026, The Estate of Marshall McLuhan