One example of this issue can be found in the invention of the printing press. The benefits of the printing press were monumental when it began being used widely around the 16th century. It allowed information to be relayed along to the rest of the population much faster, allowing for the distribution and preservation of knowledge. This feeds into the idea of knowledge production, as the printing press allowed for an "information revolution" where new impactful ideas could be spread very quickly. However, at the core of the printing press is the concept of mass production of the same materials, which essentially takes away from creativity and art. Although literacy did go up because of the press, it created a sense of uniformity in the knowledge presented.
(A Gutenburg Press in 1440, http://cronkitehhh.jmc.asu.edu/blog/2015/04/disruptive-innovation/)
Another example of technology inhibiting the growth of art and creativity is Henry Ford's assembly line. The primary goal of the Model T, which was Henry Ford's first signature car, was to mass produce a mode of transportation for the general public. In this hunt for efficiency, the artistic value of this vehicle dropped tremendously. People making these cars would form assembly lines where they would each do simple and repetitive tasks in order to essentially "democratize the automobile."
(Henry Ford's Model T assembly line, http://acabrerahistory12.weebly.com/henry-ford-assembly-lines-and-the-model-t.html)
Next, I want to cover the dependence on technology humans have acquired over the years, which is apparent in the movie Big Hero 6. Hiro, the main character, has an older brother named Tadashi, who designs a robot named Baymax. However, Tadashi's life is cut short deep-rooted dependency on his robot best friend, Baymax. Similarly, I believe our society has grown a reliance on technology, to the point where we may actually not be able to live without it. In a parallel to Hiro's life, if asked who or what is our best friend, I wouldn't be surprised if we actually reply that is in fact our cellphones, laptops, or any technology around us.
(Baymax from Big Hero 6, https://www.usatoday.com/videos/life/movies/2015/02/13/23371623/)
References
Kelso, Julia. “The Story Formation and Symbolism In Big Hero 6.” Center For Creative Media, 3 Feb. 2016, dev.centerforcreativemedia.com/index.php/the-story-formation-and-symbolism-in-big-hero-6/.
Kreis, Steven. “The Printing Press.” The History Guide, 2 May 2016, www.historyguide.org/intellect/press.html.
Littlejohn, Amanda. “Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press: Social & Cultural Impact.” Owlcation, Owlcation, 15 Dec. 2017, owlcation.com/humanities/Johannes-Gutenberg-and-the-Printing-Press-Revolution.
“Model T.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 30 June 2017, www.britannica.com/technology/Model-T.
Vesna,Victoria. “Lecutre Part 2.” Math + Art. 12 Oct. 2012. Lecture.
From your blog I get the sense that you are not a huge fan of industrialization/automation. While I agree that in Henry Ford's case automation lead to loss in artistic value, I think overall automation and the expansion of technology allows us to be more creative. It's the very same automation principles that have lead to the Tesla Model S. The Model S, in my opinion, is a very beautiful piece of machinery that shows what can be achieved with the right amount of automation, technology, and artistic intuition. Without the evolution of technology and automation we wouldn't be able to produce cars that are sleek, aerodynamic, and relatively cheap.
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