"The literate man... develops the tremendous power of acting in any matter with considerable detachment from the feelings of emotional involvement that a nonliterate man... would experience." -- Marshal McLuhan in "Understanding Media"
Just by absorbing the Phoenix the reader is given a certain degree of power: "...some power is given to an average mind just by looking at files: domains which are far apart become literally inches apart; domains which are convoluted and hidden become flat; thousands of occurances can be looked at synoptically" (Latour, 25). However, the question remains whether the reader will chose to act on this power. Will he merely complain about the political bias of the Phoenix's editorial writers, or will he take action by writting a letter to the editor, posting on a blog, or raising the issue with the community at large?
"The 'great man' is a little man looking at a good map" (Latour, 26). The Providence Phoenix can be interpreted as a good map of a community. However, the man viewing the map has no obligation to act on his greatness. In fact, it is easy for him to fall prey to inactivity and outward apathy. Media specialist John Vivian describes Narcotizing Dysfunction as a media-induced state in which "intellectual involvement becomes a subsitute for actual involvement" (Vivian, 366). After absorbing an accessive amount of media information on a particular subject, such as low employment rates in Providence, it is easy to mistake being well-informed with being socially active. However social activity and involvement in the community are encouraged in each issue of the Phoenix by the presence of contact information for everything from concert venues and art galleries to food pantries and local activism groups.
Back to basics: The paradox
Does the Phoenix reader use the material newspaper to block his face, and in doing so separate himself from human interaction? Or does he use the paper to inform himself of events in the community so that he can become an active participant? Maybe the answer to this question isn't black or white. The blessing of the Providence Phoenix is that it is always there to suit the reader's immediate needs. The individual finding himself in an uncomfortable situation on a lonely bus ride or in a crowded cafe can seek solace from the Phoenix's shield. At the same time, the restless individual can peruse the Phoenix in search of an upcoming concert, or even to find the address of a local club or bar (see individual/community relationship).
Back to Miscellaneous: Getting 'Joe Providence' in print
The individual reader wants the Phoenix to:
-->Serve immediate social needs. John Vivian presents surveillance, socialization and diversion as the three main needs gratified by print media.
Readers can use the Phoenix to survey their surroundings through the lens of commentary on news, entertainment, and the arts. Vivian suggests that all human beings seek reliable information on their immediate environment because they desire to present themselves as informed community members (369).
The need for socialization is met by the Phoenix in two respects, though one is more tangible than the other. It is a fact that without paying attention to the media, it is more difficult for the individual to participate in conversations on the latest news topics. The well-informed individual is guaranteed the ability to converse on topics of local interest, including concerts, venues, restaurants and politics. Although the Providence resident who seldom reads the Phoenix is not incapable of garnering information about his community and the wider world, he does not have the guaranteed safety blanket of locally-relevant information taken directly from the newspaper. The less-tangible mode of socialization provided by the Phoenix is "parasocial interaction" (369), defined by Vivian as the relationship between the individual reader and his or her favorite columnists. Readers who read a particular column on a weekly basis get a feel for the writer's style and opinions, and often develop a false sense of reciprocal dialogue with the writer (see reader/journalist relationship). In reality, the writer has no notion of which individuals read his column, and therefore cannot reciprocate the reader's sense of connection and intimacy. The danger is that an individual reader will satisfy himself with such parasocial interactions, and as a result see less of a need for face-to-face interactions with other members of the community.
*Remember what the Paradox tells us: that a print newspaper can promote isolation as easily as it can promote socialization. See below image of man reading newspaper on bench.*
The individual's need for diversion is met by print media because newspapers allow the individual to focus his senses on text and images rather than on the surrounding environment. For the bored individual the newspaper can provide stimulation, while for the stressed individual it can provide relaxation. For the procrastinating individual, the paper can provide an excuse for bypassing the task at hand.
The individual reader also wants the Phoenix to:
-->provide a place for him to see his name in print.
"...for anybody who appears only in the newspapers is, by that token, an ordinary citizen." --McLuhan 288
General view, showing Woman walking with Dog at center, and Man on Bench reading Newspaper at left, Stuyvesant park, Manhattan, June 1, 1936, New York City Parks Photo Archive (link)
Look closely at the man reading the newspaper in the foreground of this photograph. It is clear from his reclined position, his lack of rigidity and crossed legs, that he is relaxed in this scene. He is comfortable enough in this park setting to ignore his immediate surroundings and absorb himself entirely in paper at hand. Note the downward angle of his neck, and the manner in which his face is turned away from the other person on the bench. It is clear that the man is not inviting interaction, much less conversation, with his fellow park visitors. This is a perfect illustration of the the print newspaper serving as an isolator. Whether or not the man is looking up the address of a local club where he hopes to see some music later that evening is beside the point. In this moment social interaction is prevented by the presence of the newspaper in his hands.
Back to How we use the darn thing
