This chapter delves into a pivotal question of media studies: “How do media impact us?" It examines how media technology moulds perception, experience, and cultural consumption. At the core of this exploration lies Walter Benjamin’s essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Written in the early 20th century, the essay primarily addresses archaic media technologies like silent film and photography. Yet, it offers an analysis that probes the dynamics between original and copy, the essence of perceiving an object as art, and the intersections of technology, culture, and politics - themes that endure and resurface with every introduction of new media. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Stina Bengtsson, Staffan Ericson and Fredrik Stiernstedt; individual chapters, the contributors.