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 162
... destruction and conquest that enabled small gangs of resolute men to perform acts of both construction and destruction that had hitherto called for tens of thousands of brawny bodies . Not the least notable thing about Leonardo's mind ...
... destruction and conquest that enabled small gangs of resolute men to perform acts of both construction and destruction that had hitherto called for tens of thousands of brawny bodies . Not the least notable thing about Leonardo's mind ...
Page 324
... destruction . This was mass consumption with a vengeance . As a result of war itself , the economic center of gravity shifted to the State , that is , the national megamachine : and between repairing the de- structions of the war itself ...
... destruction . This was mass consumption with a vengeance . As a result of war itself , the economic center of gravity shifted to the State , that is , the national megamachine : and between repairing the de- structions of the war itself ...
Page 364
... destruction . With every fresh increment of megatechnic order and regimentation came a subjective counterblast of rejection and rebellion . To give anything like a detailed description of this subjective deface- ment and destruction ...
... destruction . With every fresh increment of megatechnic order and regimentation came a subjective counterblast of rejection and rebellion . To give anything like a detailed description of this subjective deface- ment and destruction ...
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