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." |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 54
Page 293
... ELECTRONIC ENTROPY But perhaps another fate is actually in store for mankind if it should continue blindly on its present course : not an arrested development , with an eventual lapse into unconsciousness , or a transmutation of all ...
... ELECTRONIC ENTROPY But perhaps another fate is actually in store for mankind if it should continue blindly on its present course : not an arrested development , with an eventual lapse into unconsciousness , or a transmutation of all ...
Page 298
... electronic technology have been widely accepted , I suggest , because they magnify and vulgarize the domi- nant components of the power system in the very act of seeming to revolt against its regimentation . In treating the planet as a ...
... electronic technology have been widely accepted , I suggest , because they magnify and vulgarize the domi- nant components of the power system in the very act of seeming to revolt against its regimentation . In treating the planet as a ...
Page 479
... Electronic dissociation , 294 Electronic inventions , Mumford's early interpretation of , 295 Electronic media , heavy price of , 297 ; juvenile rapture over , 304 Electronic super - brain , 315 Electronics , 394 Eliade , Mircea , 35 ...
... Electronic dissociation , 294 Electronic inventions , Mumford's early interpretation of , 295 Electronic media , heavy price of , 297 ; juvenile rapture over , 304 Electronic super - brain , 315 Electronics , 394 Eliade , Mircea , 35 ...
Contents
NEW EXPLORATIONS NEW WORLDS | 3 |
RETURN OF THE SUN GOD | 28 |
THE MECHANIZED WORLD PICTURE | 51 |
Copyright | |
14 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
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