Abstract: North American ecology school is the third communication school after empirical school and criticism school,which focuses on the influence of media technology on social development.However,attitudes towards the development of media technology vary greatly among different theoreticians of this school.Theoreticians of the first generation,represented by Innis and Mcluhan,mainly reveal the characteristics of technology and the influence it bring to society,showing the problems neglected in the communications circles with a scientific attitude.Standing on the ground of cultural criticism,theoreticians of the second generation,represented by Postman,hold a pessimistic attitude towards the technological development,fearing the disorder and turmoil brought by media technology.Theoreticians of the third generation,represented by Levinson,show an over-optimistic attitude towards the development of media technology,believing that it will bring convenience to information communication and life as well.The transfer of the attitudes toward media technology within the North American media ecology school not only shows the attitude of individual theoreticians,but also shows the historical and logical cognition of the school toward media technology,presenting a rich and stereo understanding of the school.

Key words: North American media ecology school, attitude towards media technology, scientism, pessimism, optimism