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 161
... successful invention ; but happily this too - easy type of success evaded him . Except for these temporary aberrations , Leonardo never succumbed completely to such utilitarian projects ; and despite the intensity of his studies in ...
... successful invention ; but happily this too - easy type of success evaded him . Except for these temporary aberrations , Leonardo never succumbed completely to such utilitarian projects ; and despite the intensity of his studies in ...
Page 342
... successful and universal , will import these terminal disabilities into ever earlier stages of life : until at some ... success was their command of limitless amounts of food and drink , limitless quantities of clothes and jewels : the ...
... successful and universal , will import these terminal disabilities into ever earlier stages of life : until at some ... success was their command of limitless amounts of food and drink , limitless quantities of clothes and jewels : the ...
Page 487
... success of , 23 New World dream , components of , 43 New World generation , 16 New World methods , ferocity of , 9 New World utopia , 21 , 24 New World vision , 4 ' New York , Homage to , ' [ 20 ] New York State Housing and Regional ...
... success of , 23 New World dream , components of , 43 New World generation , 16 New World methods , ferocity of , 9 New World utopia , 21 , 24 New World vision , 4 ' New York , Homage to , ' [ 20 ] New York State Housing and Regional ...
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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