The Myth of the Machine: The pentagon of powerHarcourt, Brace & World, 1970 - Technology and civilization An in-depth look at the forces that have shaped modern technology since prehistoric times. Mumford criticizes the modern trend of technology, which emphasizes constant, unrestricted expansion, production, and replacement. He contends that these goals work against technical perfection, durability, social efficiency, and overall human satisfaction. Modern technology fails to produce lasting, quality products by using devices such as consumer credit, installment buying, non-functioning and defective designs, built-in fragility, and frequent superficial "fashion" changes. "Without constant enticement by advertising," he writes, "production would slow down and level off to normal replacement demand. Otherwise many products could reach a plateau of efficient design which would call for only minimal changes from year to year." |
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Page 233
... atom bomb as a cheaper means for effecting the same result . The other name for this explosive increase of energy , then , was totali- tarian de - moralization : the same animus that since 1945 has led the chief garrison states to ...
... atom bomb as a cheaper means for effecting the same result . The other name for this explosive increase of energy , then , was totali- tarian de - moralization : the same animus that since 1945 has led the chief garrison states to ...
Page 255
... atom bomb , it was their innocence that concealed from them , at least in the initial stages , the dreadful ultimate consequences of their effort . Certainly the physicists who were alert to the immediate threat the splitting of the atom ...
... atom bomb , it was their innocence that concealed from them , at least in the initial stages , the dreadful ultimate consequences of their effort . Certainly the physicists who were alert to the immediate threat the splitting of the atom ...
Page 474
... Atom , secrets of , 314 Atom bomb , Adams ' anticipation of , 233 ; demoralizing effect of , 252 ; failure to provide safeguards for , 255 ; initiative to invent , 256 Atomic energy , portable , 214 ; problems raised by , 233 Atomic ...
... Atom , secrets of , 314 Atom bomb , Adams ' anticipation of , 233 ; demoralizing effect of , 252 ; failure to provide safeguards for , 255 ; initiative to invent , 256 Atomic energy , portable , 214 ; problems raised by , 233 Atomic ...
Contents
NEW EXPLORATIONS NEW WORLDS | 3 |
RETURN OF THE SUN GOD | 28 |
THE MECHANIZED WORLD PICTURE | 51 |
Copyright | |
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absolute abstract achieved activities actually already ancient atom automatic automation Bacon become biological Christian civilization Comenius communication contemporary cosmic culture Descartes destruction dream economy economy of abundance effect electronic energy environment established evolution existence experience exploration extermination fact fantasies final forces Francis Bacon functions further future Galileo habitat Henry Adams idea ideology immense increase industrial institutions intelligence invention Kepler knowledge labor limited machine man's mass production mechanical world picture megamachine megatechnics ment merely method military mind mode modern moral myth nature nineteenth century noösphere Norbert Wiener nuclear observed once original Patrick Geddes physical planet plenitude political absolutism population possible potentialities power complex power system practical present progress purpose Pyramid Age quantity reality result scientific scientists social society space subjective symbolic technical Technics and Civilization technocratic tion totalitarian transformation turn ultimate utopia whole York