Blog Post #2 - Cassidy Bradshaw

  After watching the film Pontypool, and seeing how the language virus spreads and infects the other characters, I would say it is an example of Harold Innis’s space bias. Innis defines time bias as a medium of communication that is both stable, but not mobile. Whereas space bias is a medium of communication that is less stable, but very mobile. I think the plague of Pontypool is an example of space bias communication as the virus is spread through the words we use. The virus can easily be passed along from person to person, and radically affects their minds with no certainty on how to save them. 


Radio, telephone, and electronic amplification all play an important role in sustaining the virus because the infected are attracted to sound. These media forms are considered contemporary forms of orality simply because we are able to communicate with one another through spoken word. Even though you cannot see the radio host, you are still able to listen to the words he/she is saying, and communicate back to them verbally with the telephone. An example of this in the movie is when the characters use the electronic amplification to play a recording on loop in order to steer the infected in another direction.




Cassidy Bradshaw



Comments

  1. Megan YamamotoFebruary 6, 2023 at 10:51 AM

    Hi Cassidy, I agree that the language virus exhibits characteristics of space biased media because it is very mobile and can transmit over vast distances. I also agree that the radio, telephone, and electronic amplification had a significant role to play in the spread of the virus. It was interesting that the main characters were also able to manipulate the technology to their advantage to save themselves from those with the virus by playing that loop like you mentioned. Great blog post!

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  2. Jessica KopecnyFebruary 8, 2023 at 1:25 PM

    Hi Cassidy,

    Great Post! I really enjoyed your point about how the characters in the show used a recording in order on loop in order to steer away the infected, as I completely forgot about this scene in the film. I agree that this is a great example of a contemporary form of orality and as well space bias as this would not have been possible with a form of time bias media or older forms of orality.

    - Jessica Kopecny

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