The Globe and Mail reports that a Street named after ‘rogue scholar’ McLuhan
was designated in a celebration yesterday. A portion of St. Joseph’s street in St. Michael’s college was named, Marshall McLuhan Way. Now we need a median so we can say, “the median is the way of the message.”
The article makes it sound like U of T has neglected McLuhan compared to Innis and
Frye. Frye has a building, Innis has a college, only now does McLuhan get a way. I think this is how McLuhan’s legacy is maintained. It benefits those who position themselves as McLuhan’s disciples to represent his legacy as embattled. Ignoring people is U of T’s way – McLuhan, after all, has a program which is alive and active – FIS is looking to build on McLuhan. Innis and Frye are effectively pickled in buildings. I am tempted to say that having the way named after him is the beginning of the end for McLuhan at Toronto – now that he is safely paved he is not at stake.
Reference: “Street named after ‘rogue scholar’ McLuhan”, subtitle, “Onlookers invited to inscribe their own phrases about the future on the pavement”, by JOE FRIESEN
Thursday, August 19, 2004 – Page A11.