Mahan as a modern public communicator

Mahan was comfortable acting as a visible commentator, unlike the more behind-the-scenes Corbett. Corbett's family wealth allowed him to influence Admiralty thinking without depending on public attention, while Mahan relied much more heavily on income from prolific paid writing. Armstrong suggests that modern media would therefore suit both Mahan's livelihood and his effort to reach the audience whose sea blindness he wanted to overcome. Long-form formats might fit his expansive style better than short television sound bites.