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Technology and Civilization
History技术与文明
(us) Lewis Mumford
"Technology and Civilization" brings together pioneering methods and rich and informative historical data, and it also explains a novel theory that is still very forward-looking today: people internalize the external world and externalize the inner world - our greatest success in material activities is often the projection of our deep spiritual needs and the greatest rational and irrational passions. Therefore, understanding technology is not only the first step in reorienting our civilization, but also a means of understanding society and, by extension, ourselves. Mumford is surprisingly optimistic in his examination of the plight of early modern society. He identifies the nature of the problems that lead to economic, social, and environmental collapse, including the militarization of social organization, the waste of resources, the gross destruction of natural systems, and the promotion of mindless consumerism as the ultimate satisfaction in life. He believes that it is entirely possible that the injustices of the paleotechnical period will eventually be replaced by a humanizing new technological era. But after witnessing the Cold War, the nuclear arms race, the mystification of public opinion, and more, his original confidence no longer existed and was replaced by growing skepticism. Perhaps it is for this reason that we should revisit Mumford's former thinking. Back then, the light had not yet been obscured by shadows and the best possibilities still existed. Let us ask with young Lewis Mumford: What kind of world do we want to build?
"Technology and Civilization" brings together pioneering methods and rich and informative historical data, and it also explains a novel theory that is still very forward-looking today: people internalize the external world and externalize the inner world - our greatest success in material activities is often the projection of our deep spiritual needs and the greatest rational and irrational passions. Therefore, understanding technology is not only the first step in reorienting our civilization, but also a means of understanding society and, by extension, ourselves. Mumford is surprisingly optimistic in his examination of the plight of early modern society. He identifies the nature of the problems that lead to economic, social, and environmental collapse, including the militarization of social organization, the waste of resources, the gross destruction of natural systems, and the promotion of mindless consumerism as the ultimate satisfaction in life. He believes that it is entirely possible that the injustices of the paleotechnical period will eventually be replaced by a humanizing new technological era. But after witnessing the Cold War, the nuclear arms race, the mystification of public opinion, and more, his original confidence no longer existed and was replaced by growing skepticism. Perhaps it is for this reason that we should revisit Mumford's former thinking. Back then, the light had not yet been obscured by shadows and the best possibilities still existed. Let us ask with young Lewis Mumford: What kind of world do we want to build?