The British polymath whose 1971 McLuhan (in the Fontana Modern Masters series) is the best-known hostile reading of McLuhan, invoked by Bob and Cameron as the type of the early admirer who turned attacker. In their telling McLuhan "alienated" Miller , who "didn't understand anything about McLuhan" and whose attack Cameron calls "just ridiculous" . His 1971 book is dated against Donald Theall's of the same year . The page holds their assessment of Miller as interpreter and critic. New to it — start with dialogue 44.
Across the dialogues
Enters as the fan-turned-attacker — one of the admirers McLuhan "alienated," whose later assault Cameron calls ridiculous
Bob places Miller among the early admirers McLuhan drove off — a pattern Bob attributes to McLuhan "letting his mouth run," turning initial fans into later opponents.
"he alienated Frank Kermode and Jonathan Miller, who were fans of his at the beginning."
Cameron's verdict separates Miller from Kermode — where Kermode "tried to learn from McLuhan," Miller grasped nothing yet went on the attack, making his 1971 book, for Cameron, worthless rather than merely wrong.
"but Jonathan Miller didn't understand anything about McLuhan. And then his attack is just ridiculous."
Fixed to a date — his 1971 book placed beside Theall's as part of the wave of hostile readings that year
Bob dates the attack — Miller's book arriving in 1971 alongside Theall's, marking that year as the moment the hostile and the serious readings of McLuhan surfaced together.
"Jonathan Miller's book came out in 71."
Connections
Author of the hostile 1971 McLuhan book; Bob and Cameron treat him as an early fan who turned on McLuhan without understanding him.
Miller's 1971 attack and Theall's 1971 book came out together; the dialogue rates Theall's engagement far above Miller's.