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 133
... established typically in equally self- governing cities , which provided for the education , the discipline , and the sustenance of their members , from youth to old age , in sickness and in health , and cared for the widows and orphans ...
... established typically in equally self- governing cities , which provided for the education , the discipline , and the sustenance of their members , from youth to old age , in sickness and in health , and cared for the widows and orphans ...
Page 249
... establishing the dominance of their national organization and their ideology over rival systems . The enslavement or ... established Churches . Without serious opposition he restored the most virulent forms of racialism , existentialism ...
... establishing the dominance of their national organization and their ideology over rival systems . The enslavement or ... established Churches . Without serious opposition he restored the most virulent forms of racialism , existentialism ...
Page 322
... established needs , but by multiplying the number and variety of putative needs , and by raising the ' standard of living ' - or more ac- curately by raising the standard of expenditure — throughout the whole population . That standard ...
... established needs , but by multiplying the number and variety of putative needs , and by raising the ' standard of living ' - or more ac- curately by raising the standard of expenditure — throughout the whole population . That standard ...
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