The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects is a book co-created by media analyst Marshall McLuhan and graphic designer Quentin Fiore, and coordinated by Jerome Agel. It was published by Bantam books in 1967 and became a bestseller and a cult classic. Technologies—from clothing to the wheel to the book, and beyond—are the messages themselves, not the content of the medium. In essence, The Medium is the Massage is a graphical and creative representation of his 'medium is the message' thesis seen in Understanding Media. By playing on words and utilizing the term 'massage,' McLuhan is suggesting that modern audiences have found current media to be soothing, enjoyable, and relaxing; however, the pleasure we find in new media is deceiving, as the changes between society and technology are incongruent and are perpetuating an Age of Anxiety.