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 131
... nineteenth century and even later : it thus paved the way for hydro - electric installa- tions . So slow was the ... nineteenth century , the Bessemer furnace and the open - hearth furnace , were likewise end - products of the Iron Age ...
... nineteenth century and even later : it thus paved the way for hydro - electric installa- tions . So slow was the ... nineteenth century , the Bessemer furnace and the open - hearth furnace , were likewise end - products of the Iron Age ...
Page 132
... century on , all over Europe , beginning in Italy , there was a resurgence of technical activity , stimulated by ... nineteenth century , its significance has been played down , or completely overlooked . The basic source of energy and ...
... century on , all over Europe , beginning in Italy , there was a resurgence of technical activity , stimulated by ... nineteenth century , its significance has been played down , or completely overlooked . The basic source of energy and ...
Page 244
Lewis Mumford. During the earlier part of the nineteenth century , with the abandon- ment of serfdom and the suppression of slavery , strong counter - forces had seemed to be rising , leading to the universal reign of law , self ...
Lewis Mumford. During the earlier part of the nineteenth century , with the abandon- ment of serfdom and the suppression of slavery , strong counter - forces had seemed to be rising , leading to the universal reign of law , self ...
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absolute abstract achieved activities actually already ancient atom automatic automation Bacon become biological Christian civilization Comenius contemporary cosmic culture Descartes destruction dream economy economy of abundance effect effort 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 noƶsphere Norbert Wiener nuclear observed once original Patrick Geddes physical planet plenitude political absolutism 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