Understanding McLuhan/Understanding McLuhan (1996)(Voyager)[Mac-PC].iso/pc/mcluhan.dxr/06529_Field_TCUM T94.txt

Text File | 1996-04-10 | 923b | 16 lines

when the perceptual power cannot locate or avoid the cause of
irritation. Our language has many expressions that indicate
this self-amputation that is imposed by various pressures. We
speak of “wanting to jump out of my skin” or of “going out of
my mind,” being “driven batty” or “flipping my lid.” And we
often create artificial situations that rival the irritations and
stresses of real life under controlled conditions of sport and
play.

     While it was no part of the intention of Jonas and Selye to
provide an explanation of human invention and technology,
they have given us a theory of disease (discomfort) that goes
far to explain why man is impelled to extend various parts of
his body by a kind of autoamputation. In the physical stress of
superstimulation of various kinds, the central nervous system
acts to protect itself by a strategy of amputation or isolation