Marshall McLuhan

McLuhan’s influential ideas about the social, cultural and informatic implications of media new and old received a boost with the internet’s exemplification of his prescience. He described himself to Wiener as a student as well as friend of Giedion, though his formal studies were with Richards. He visited Pound (exasperated by McLuhan’s sycophancy), was visited by Lennon and Ono (unannounced), taught Ong, and suggested Cage write a piece based on Finnegan’s Wake. Allen cast him in a cameo role. Ellington, Sontag, Ionesco, Fuller and Atwood all corresponded. Barthes, met in Paris, asked him to collaborate on a book (they didn’t).