Comments on: Blame Lewis Mumford

by: dan bertolet

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:12:53 +0000

Josh, I can die happy now knowing that I’ve convinced at least one other person to read the Myth of the Machine. Seriously! Not one of my big-brained friends or urbanist geek colleagues have read it.

by: Josh Mahar

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:44:09 +0000

Great Post Dan, and props for inspiring me to read The Myth. I too was utterly mind blown.

What I think you left out of this little synopsis though is that when Mumford talks about Machines he isn’t always talking about technology as we know it, but rather the fundamental ability to control large amounts of energy at one time. The megamachine, as first developed in the Pyramid Age was a mass manipulation of people to manifest the wild dreams and ideas that inhabit the subconscious. I think where are culture is heading for disaster is the idea that our culture not only believes that our fantasies and delusions all need to be materialized, but that it is our sole purpose as a functioning society to develop machines which can accomplish this.

Where I was really turned while reading The Myth was how a MASS transportation fits into this. It almost seems like the innovation and creativity involved in personalized, diversified transportation would be ideal when compared to a centralized transit systsem always aimed at moving MORE people at HIGHER speeds. Realistically the idealism spouted in the ideas of contemporary Light Rail advocates can be parralleled to the idealism of the interstate highway and freeway system through the 40’s and 50’s. Its inherent megamachine construction will inevitably cause disaster.

by: jim stenerson

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:27:55 +0000

Great Post!!! Long live Mumford! I encourage all to read Mumford and get to understand where we are headed with technology. I recommend his 1934 epic—”technics and Civilization.”

by: Administrator

Sat, 24 May 2008 06:45:04 +0000

From now on all sarcastic comments will be deleted immediately if not sooner, including this one.

by: Brian

Thu, 22 May 2008 19:31:44 +0000

Dan… this is a great post. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I feel I have gleaned a little bit of your wisdom. Should I worry about reconciling the paradox of how you are sharing it?

I know you’re not suggesting we all unplug forever, but the computer I’m using to read your life-affirming post has been known to be life-suffocating as well (especially when I “accidentally” spend five hours on cuteoverload.com, for example).

Help!

by: Joshua

Thu, 22 May 2008 19:24:49 +0000

Do you mean to tell me that a person’s pay does not match their own perceived value to society? I’m shocked!

(Yes, you deserved that sarcasm)

by: dorian gray

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:23:25 +0000

You see!? You see what reading does!? NOTHING!

/investigates how to change screen name from literary figure.

Yes you make didly squat, and that is IF you are fortunate enough to get a job. The more important your job the less you get paid it seems when government is related (planners, teachers etc.)

by: Dan Staley

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:19:26 +0000

Dirty secret: Those who design the places in which people spend most of their lives make diddly-squat compared to those who design technological widgets that people don’t really need.

Yes. In many western capitalist societies it is far, far, far more important to distract the masses with shiny baubles* than it is to make comfortable, attractive places for people.

* Think I’m kidding? Listen to commercial radio and count the ads for distracting, shiny baubles such as cell phones, cars, Cialis, etc.