Difference between revisions of "325--2011--Week 5 Questions/Comments"
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Reading the short letters at the end of the reading, we are seeing different ways where people are trying to be more productive by shortening the length of time it takes to do something. In the Laundress writing, you have them shortening the distance the iron was carried and how far the operator was walking per uniform and they were becoming more effective and productive. Whereas with the canoe makers, they create these dry bins to reduce the drying time from ten days down to four. After shipping out the canoes to Macys, 275 of the 500 came back due to warping and cracking. While everyone wants to find new ways to be more productive, however the logistics involved didn't quite add up for the canoes. Shortening the distance someone has to walk to do laundry was clearly a time saver, whereas the canoe makers found out the hard way that canoes need ten days for a reason. - Matthew Beere | Reading the short letters at the end of the reading, we are seeing different ways where people are trying to be more productive by shortening the length of time it takes to do something. In the Laundress writing, you have them shortening the distance the iron was carried and how far the operator was walking per uniform and they were becoming more effective and productive. Whereas with the canoe makers, they create these dry bins to reduce the drying time from ten days down to four. After shipping out the canoes to Macys, 275 of the 500 came back due to warping and cracking. While everyone wants to find new ways to be more productive, however the logistics involved didn't quite add up for the canoes. Shortening the distance someone has to walk to do laundry was clearly a time saver, whereas the canoe makers found out the hard way that canoes need ten days for a reason. - Matthew Beere | ||
| − | + | In the earlier Colonial periods, the degree of civilization was based upon numerous characteristics, such as how the towns were set up, were there towns at all, were the inhabitants naked, did they have social hierarchy? These were the standards utilized by the Spanish, English, and French to justify subjugation, slavery, or conquering. In the industrial age, these ways of categorizing and describing cultures changes with the scientific inquiry and standards of measurement discussed by Adas in his article. | |
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| + | I found fault with his argument though that technology becomes the barometer for civilization, because the colonial powers used technology in earlier periods to describe superiority as well. For example, the use of crude guns, gunpowder, metallurgy, and other trades were seen as far superior to the Native technologies and therefore showed their culture’s lower place in the natural order. If anything, the type of technology and the amount of technology used as a barometer for civilization expands, but it did not begin here. | ||
~~Kyle Allwine | ~~Kyle Allwine | ||
