ABSTRACT
In this essay I want to reread McLuhan in order to understand, as Derrick de Kerckhove states, how his work can serve as a ‘ lter or lens’1 to conceptualize media in the twenty- rst century. erefore I would like to discuss the example of smartphones and their role in our current media culture. Considering that it is important to note the deep technological developments that McLuhan could neither experience nor predict, this case study discusses some of the aspects of ‘new media’ a er McLuhan. Furthermore I want to discuss to what extent McLuhan provides us here with ideas for a critique of some of the developments we are currently facing.
