In the book, Technopoly, The Surrender of Culture to Technology, the author, Neil Postman cites Karl Marx and says "Among the famous aphorisms from the troublesome pen of Karl Marx is his remark in The Poverty of Philosophy that the 'hand-loom gives you society with the feudal lord; the steam-mill, society with the industrial capitalist.' As far as I know, Marx did not say which technology gives us the technocrat, and I am certain his vision did not include the emergence of the technopolist. Nonetheless, the remark was useful. Marx understood well that, apart from their economic implications, technologies create ways in which people perceive reality."
It is interesting to note this quote in Postman's book because it explains how much technology influences each individuals life but also specific cultures as a whole. Postman goes on to explain the different types of culture that inhibit the earth in regards to technology. You have the "tool-using societies" upon which many ancient civilizations are categorized by Postman. This did not mean that they were completely inferior (ancient civilizations made many remarkably wonders of the old world like, the pyramids), it just meant that they did not let tools (technology) rule their lives or let it change the very foundations that created their societies. They just had tools to help in survival. Of course this could not stay the same as eventually certain tools would lead about change and would inevitably change the whole platform upon which people perceived their worlds and how they went about their day-to-day lives. Though technology played a significant role in how people lived, they still held onto important aspects of their society like religion, family hierarchies, etc. These cultures and civilizations now became "technocracies." What would then take place was another huge leap in technology that would engulf said society completely where as put by Postman "Technopoly- the submission of all forms of cultural life to the sovereignty of technique and technology." Technopolies are the last step of the chain upon which technology completely changes or eradicates all known culture and replaces it with a new style of culture dependent upon technology itself. Technology creates a whole new social order as stated by Postman.
This is a large process to understand and really makes for some interesting discussion. Postman really drives home the concept of technological dependency and I believe him. everywhere one looks, one is bombarded with new forms of technology. The printing press altered society completely it gave people better access to information and let people become more aware. The clock drastically altered the way one utilized their day. Stirrups on a horse altered the social classes of feudal Europe to add knights into the mix. The computer has completely changed the way people of current society go about communicating with one another. There are also backlashes to these new forms of technology though. Luddites have extreme prejudice towards any form of technology because they realize that they replace people with machines.
You see, the Evolution of technology spurs on the revolution of society, for better and worse. Also, food for thought, how might we be when a new form of technology replaces our ability to feel and be empathetic to others? When family structures are seemingly being changed along with metaphysical beliefs what will be next on the horizon? Will emotions be next on the chopping block? Will humanity be completely altered one day to just resemble organic machines, completely autonomous and detached of life? As stated by a quote from Freud delivered to us by Postman "What good to us is long life if it is difficult and barren of joys, and if it is so full of misery that we can only welcome death as a deliverer?" We should not let technology make things so mundane with shortcuts that we virtually sap all inspiration out of life.
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