Difference between revisions of "325--2011--Week 2 Questions/Comments"
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== Leo Marx's "The Machine" == | == Leo Marx's "The Machine" == | ||
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| + | I found the idea of technological expression very interesting – the idea that the type of technology one chooses to own can actually convey aspects of their personality really struck a chord with me for some reason. For instance, a person whom doesn’t own a cell phone or a computer might be trying to communicate something to society about their willingness or lack thereof to participate in modern communication practices. The same might go for somebody whom doesn’t own a television; how many people have you ever might who claim to not own a television? Have you ever asked why? The answer always seems to be 1 of 2 things – “I don’t have time to watch TV,” or “TV makes you dumb, feeds your mind with banal pop culture, and I simply don’t choose to indulge in it.” By walking into a home and seeing a person with a record player, they might be trying to show their appreciation of vinyl records, and a taste for retro music equipment. The reading also discussed how Karl Marx believed the Industrial Revolution stripped many skilled artisans and craftsmen of their identity and humanity, as they were replaced by assembly lines and machines. However, does it really matter that so many artisans were reduced to being menial workers? Is it sad? Perhaps. Important? Probably not. Isn’t technology all about efficiency and innovation? Is it really important to maintain trades and crafts that humans have traditionally held for hundreds of years in the face of a greater, more efficient and productive machines? If improving and innovating technology is all about getting the job done better and more quickly, then the answer is a resounding “no.” --Kevin G. | ||
