I’ve been pulling at a bizarre intellectual paradox. I am simultaneously a strong believer in progress, but believe we ignore the wisdom of tradition at our own peril. Drawing on the two edges of a single string makes me a progressive and a reactionary. I’ve been studying mid-20th-century technological theory to resolve the tension. I’ve cited McLuhan in a handful of essays, and Ellul’s ideas mesh with McLuhan’s observations. This is the best introduction I’ve found to the similarities and differences between them. You’ll enjoy the ideas, even if you don’t have any background knowledge on Ellul or McLuhan.