Difference between revisions of "325--Week 1 Questions/Comments"

In response to Kelly's point - I really had a hard time swallowing this Masculinity and Technology article. It raised a lot of questions in my mind as well. I can follow some of what Pursell was getting at, but there is a certain point where my "girl power" feminist-like mantra isn't enough to carry me through an article that ignores that technology TODAY is not necessarily all made for men by men. I agree that historically masculinity and technology coincide, but I would like to think that Leo Marx's definition of technology as a hybrid of words to describe one non-specific institution is best - with no implication that man or woman reigns supreme. I would really like to open this one up to discussion in class because I really would like to further dissect Pursell's argument, maybe I misread or overlooked something eye-opening. – Elle

In response to Kelly's point - I really had a hard time swallowing this Masculinity and Technology article. It raised a lot of questions in my mind as well. I can follow some of what Pursell was getting at, but there is a certain point where my "girl power" feminist-like mantra isn't enough to carry me through an article that ignores that technology TODAY is not necessarily all made for men by men. I agree that historically masculinity and technology coincide, but I would like to think that Leo Marx's definition of technology as a hybrid of words to describe one non-specific institution is best - with no implication that man or woman reigns supreme. I would really like to open this one up to discussion in class because I really would like to further dissect Pursell's argument, maybe I misread or overlooked something eye-opening. – Elle

Langdon Walker's article "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" and Donald MacKenzie's article "The Social Shaping of Technology" address the premise that technology itself is not merely technical. Rather, "technological advancement" brings social, economic, and political consequences that often have negative repercussions for different groups of people often lost in the historical narrative. We view the latest technology as the "best" and often do not consider the how "advancement" might effect the way society progresses and develops norms (Robert Moses' parkway overpasses discriminating against the poor and minorities). Similarly, the development of the mechanical tomato harvester by the University of California in the late 1940s put small tomato farmers out of business and cost thousands of people their jobs. As MacKenzie asks, what are the characteristics and qualities that make a certain mode of technology "best"? Who benefits from these new additions? -Bryan Lees

Langdon Walker's article "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" and Donald MacKenzie's article "The Social Shaping of Technology" address the premise that technology itself is not merely technical. Rather, "technological advancement" brings social, economic, and political consequences that often have negative repercussions for different groups of people often lost in the historical narrative. We view the latest technology as the "best" and often do not consider the how "advancement" might effect the way society progresses and develops norms (Robert Moses' parkway overpasses discriminating against the poor and minorities). Similarly, the development of the mechanical tomato harvester by the University of California in the late 1940s put small tomato farmers out of business and cost thousands of people their jobs. As MacKenzie asks, what are the characteristics and qualities that make a certain mode of technology "best"? Who benefits from these new additions? -Bryan Lees