The Myth of the Machine: The pentagon of powerHarcourt, Brace & World, 1967 - 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 302
... extermination and torture , such as the use of napalm bombs ( Dresden , Tokyo ) , or , as in the Nazi German extermination camps , by poison gas . In addition , the wreck of two planes carrying a nuclear bomb has strewn atomic debris in ...
... extermination and torture , such as the use of napalm bombs ( Dresden , Tokyo ) , or , as in the Nazi German extermination camps , by poison gas . In addition , the wreck of two planes carrying a nuclear bomb has strewn atomic debris in ...
Page 362
... extermination are still lavishly subsidized by national governments and passively approved as a guarantee of stability and ' peace ' by their citizens . These projects for extermination are not less morbid because they have materialized ...
... extermination are still lavishly subsidized by national governments and passively approved as a guarantee of stability and ' peace ' by their citizens . These projects for extermination are not less morbid because they have materialized ...
Page 480
... Extermination , Assyrian model for , 251 ; compulsion to , 262 ; Darwinian accept- ance of , 387 ; Nazi plans for , 249 ; projects for , 362 ; Western man's , 9 Extermination bombing , military futility of , 252 Extermination camps ...
... Extermination , Assyrian model for , 251 ; compulsion to , 262 ; Darwinian accept- ance of , 387 ; Nazi plans for , 249 ; projects for , 362 ; Western man's , 9 Extermination bombing , military futility of , 252 Extermination camps ...
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absolute abstract achieved activities actually already ancient atom automatic automation Bacon become biological Christian civilization Comenius communication contemporary cosmic culture 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 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 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