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 270
... York to say publicly : " If the great powers continue to look for solutions in the area of science and technology only , the results will be to worsen the situation . " Though in the quarter century since 1945 much has been accom ...
... York to say publicly : " If the great powers continue to look for solutions in the area of science and technology only , the results will be to worsen the situation . " Though in the quarter century since 1945 much has been accom ...
Page 493
... York , 143 ' Survey Graphic , ' Regional Planning Number of , [ 20 ] Survival , Byzantine , cost of , 432 Swift , Jonathan , [ 18-19 ] , 193 , 223 Symbiosis , 382 Symbolic organization , 416 Symbols , durability of , 426 ; invention of ...
... York , 143 ' Survey Graphic , ' Regional Planning Number of , [ 20 ] Survival , Byzantine , cost of , 432 Swift , Jonathan , [ 18-19 ] , 193 , 223 Symbiosis , 382 Symbolic organization , 416 Symbols , durability of , 426 ; invention of ...
Page 496
... York , Herbert , 270 York , survey of , 143 Young , J. Z. , 188 Young Goodman Brown , 372 Youth , mass mobilization of , [ 26 ] ; regi- mentation of culture of , [ 26 ] ; revolt of , 372-374 Xerox duplicating machine , 175 Xosa people ...
... York , Herbert , 270 York , survey of , 143 Young , J. Z. , 188 Young Goodman Brown , 372 Youth , mass mobilization of , [ 26 ] ; regi- mentation of culture of , [ 26 ] ; revolt of , 372-374 Xerox duplicating machine , 175 Xosa people ...
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 demands 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 ideological 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 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