In chapters 1-7 of Robert Logan’s Understanding New Media: Extending Marshall McLuhan, we are introduced to the notion that there are two types of media, old and new. Old media of the past, of course, consisting of television, newspaper, and radio, while new media is current, comprised of a multitude of different sub-media of the Internet.

As I read the through the chapters I started to wonder if the relevance of time (old and new media) was based on the demand of the users. For example, there are new mobile-based social media that have been popping up quite frequently in the past year or so, but most are swept under the rug, because not many people use them, and therefore it is not in demand. Twitter only became popular when people got bored with Facebook, and now there’s Instagram.

One of the more interesting points that Logan made, and one that I have recently learned myself through personal experience is that social media is heavily dependent on the user. Users are able to create a feed totally based on their interests; Tumblr is a great example of this. Depending on the blogs you follow and the posts you like, Tumblr takes the initiative to give you more of what you want through suggestions.  Just to note, Netflix also has function similar to this based off the movies you watch and rate. Most of Logan’s points were relatable and familiar, given my experience with Marshall McLuhan’s teachings from a course I took last semester, Logan has just simply clarified some of Marshall’s more complex theories.