The Myth of the Machine: Technics and human developmentAn 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 60
In the beginning was the word ? No : in the beginning , as Goethe saw , was the
act : meaningful behavior anticipated meaningful speech , and made it possible .
But the only kind of act that could acquire a fresh meaning was one that was ...
In the beginning was the word ? No : in the beginning , as Goethe saw , was the
act : meaningful behavior anticipated meaningful speech , and made it possible .
But the only kind of act that could acquire a fresh meaning was one that was ...
Page 67
So far I have discussed ritual , for the sake of clarity , as if it could be understood
as a detached series of collective acts : but these acts had from the beginning ,
one must infer , a special quality : they had to do with that which was sacred .
So far I have discussed ritual , for the sake of clarity , as if it could be understood
as a detached series of collective acts : but these acts had from the beginning ,
one must infer , a special quality : they had to do with that which was sacred .
Page 175
The ancient Sumerian King List expresses no doubt about the origins of kingship
: it was “ lowered down from heaven . ” This means that kingship was from the
beginning a religious phenomenon , not just an assertion of physical prowess ...
The ancient Sumerian King List expresses no doubt about the origins of kingship
: it was “ lowered down from heaven . ” This means that kingship was from the
beginning a religious phenomenon , not just an assertion of physical prowess ...
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Contents
PROLOGUE | 3 |
THE MINDFULNESS OF MAN | 14 |
IN THE DREAMTIME LONG AGO | 48 |
Copyright | |
11 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
achieved activities advances ancient animal association became become beginning body brain called cave century cities civilization collective command complex continued culture divine domestication dream earlier earliest early economy effective effort environment equally established evidence existence experience expression fact forces functions further give hand human hunting important improvement increase institution interpretation invention kind king kingship knowledge labor language later least less limited living machine magic man's material means mechanical megamachine merely military mind myth nature necessary neolithic never noted observation once operations organization original paleolithic performed perhaps period personality physical plants play possible practice present primitive production reason recorded remained ritual seems sexual significant social society speech stone symbolic technical thousand tion took turn village whole York
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Myth of the Machine: Technics and human development Harvest book Volume 1 of The Myth of the Machine, Lewis Mumford The Myth of the Machine; Technics and Human Development, Lewis Mumford |
| Author | Lewis Mumford |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 2 Jun 2008 |
| ISBN | 0151639736, 9780151639731 |
| Length | 342 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |