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 396
... plenitude . Such plenitude is distinct from mere quantitative affluence or unqualified abundance . As soon as this organic standard prevails , that which is small , quan- titatively insignificant , or unrepeatable may turn out to be ...
... plenitude . Such plenitude is distinct from mere quantitative affluence or unqualified abundance . As soon as this organic standard prevails , that which is small , quan- titatively insignificant , or unrepeatable may turn out to be ...
Page 401
... plenitude and the possibilties for corruption that an economy of profit - conditoned abundance , often confused with plenitude , carries with it . The rewards of such a life have often been undeniable : out of the surplus came confident ...
... plenitude and the possibilties for corruption that an economy of profit - conditoned abundance , often confused with plenitude , carries with it . The rewards of such a life have often been undeniable : out of the surplus came confident ...
Page 402
... plenitude - including the luxury of turning one's back upon specious luxuries — are lacking almost by definition from the power system . If we dare to forestall the ugly future that the prophets of megatechnics predict , if we reject ...
... plenitude - including the luxury of turning one's back upon specious luxuries — are lacking almost by definition from the power system . If we dare to forestall the ugly future that the prophets of megatechnics predict , if we reject ...
Contents
امو | 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 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