Blog Post #2 - Ethan Guevara

 Harold Innis’ discusses the time and space biases of communication. He defines a time bias as something that is not transportable, something that is very durable and heavy. In turn, he describes space bias as something which is light and easily transportable. When looking at the plague of Pontypool, the vector of infection of the language would be an example of space bias. This is due to the fact that the virus did not occupy any physical space but instead was transportable through speech, covering a large area with no physical space being occupied.

Mediums such as the Radio, telephone, and other electronic amplifications played a major role in the sustainment of the virus. All of these mediums are contemporary forms of orality, this is due to the amplification of sound that is being transmitted to all of these media, they allow for the voice of  Grant Mazzy to be amplified all over leading to the immediate spread of the virus. For example, in the film, the radio was the media that was being unknowingly used in order to spread the virus so rapidly.

Comments

  1. marina florencioFebruary 10, 2023 at 8:14 AM

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  2. marina florencioFebruary 10, 2023 at 8:15 AM

    Hi Ethan,

    Great post! I like how you explained time bias versus space bias, according to Harold Innis discussion about the mediums of communication. As you said, the vector of infection of the language is a perfect illustration of space bias - as it is transportable through speech. Indeed, radio, telephone, and other electronic amplifications are key mediums that lead to the spread of the virus. Overall, great work!

    -Marina Florencio

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  3. Sara HancockFebruary 12, 2023 at 9:33 AM

    Hi Ethan,

    I enjoyed reading your discussion on Pontypool in relation to Harold Innis' notion of time and space bias, great work! To be specific, I liked where you mention how as a result of the virus's intangibility and transmission through amplified orality, it was able to come into existence immediately and largely. Further, the use of the words such as transportable, immediate, amplification, transmitted, and rapidly to explain the space bias characteristics of the sound virus' made for a strong argument.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Danielle AlonsoMarch 30, 2023 at 9:31 AM

    Hi Ethan,
    I enjoyed reading your post In your connection between Innis understanding of time and space bias of communication and the movie Pontypool. I agree that the type of biases that was shown within the movie was space bias for the reasons you stated.

    Did you find that while watching the movie in class the loud beeping noise also helped give the idea of the virus being transportable and covering a large area? While I understand that this noise was done on accident, after critically thinking about the movie I believe that it helped prove the space biases argument.

    Danielle

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