CodySchrierDESMA9 - Blog 3
Blog 3
Machines have had a constant importance and improvement throughout history that has helped shape our world in so many different ways. Professor Vesna touches on this directly in the Intro Video stating that "everything we do is related to manufacturing" (Vesna 0:21). The earliest known process of mechanization can be tied to Gutenberg and the printing press. Having the printing press available meant ideas and knowledge was going to be spread at a much easier rate and shifted work to be much more machine based. Just about 40 pages were able to be printed daily before the printing press, after the invention is moved to about 1,600 pages a day which is a vast difference. There was also a production and reproduction change in art where not any art piece could be reproduced and look just like the original piece. In The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction, Douglas David says that "any video, audio, or photogenic work of art can be endlessly produced" (David 382).
The printing press was just the beginning of the inventions as next we saw many household appliances come to life along with, office tools, cars, and AC systems. All these inventions changed the way we lived our everyday lives. Having the mechanization process now opened the door to produce goods in masses along with appliances. Through Walter Benjamin's The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, he recognizes the effects of mass production and says "mass production systems influence culture, art, and the way we work in general" (Vesna 12:49).Resources:
“1940 Ford - Frame Off Restoration - Original California Car.” Classic Cars LTD, https://classiccarsltd.com/vehicles/1940-ford-restored-california-car/ . Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Benjamin , Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” 2018, https://doi.org/10.4324/9781912284894.
Davis, Douglas. “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction (An Evolving Thesis: 1991-1995).” Leonardo, vol. 28, no. 5, 1995, p. 381., https://doi.org/10.2307/1576221.
“Encyclopædia Britannica, First Edition, Art: Printing Press.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-press. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Kaya, Kayahan. “Robots Replacing Mankind. Machines vs Humans. Factory Workers Protesting Machines.” Dreamstime, https://www.dreamstime.com/machines-vs-humans-robots-replacing-mankind-factory-workers-protesting-image128517360 . Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Vesna, Victoria. Industrialization, Robotics, Kinetic / robotic art. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Vesna, Victoria. Robotics Intro. YouTube, UC Online, https://youtu.be/dJcPtv7tnKY . Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Vesna, Victoria. Robotics Part 2. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
ReplyDeleteHi Cody! I really enjoyed reading your discussion post and think you brought up some really interesting points regarding robotics and art. I agree that mechanization like the printing press and assembly lines have greatly impacted the way people live and work. I really enjoyed how you contrasted the benefits of mass production, like affordability, with the potential risks, like less original goods. Overall, I think you did a really great job!
Hi Cody, I found it interesting how you talked about the production process from the point of view of the worker, I took an interesting class last quarter about the production process and how it alienates the worker. The whole point of the class was that even though mass production does make stuff cheaper, and machines do make mass production cheaper, machines don't necessarily help the worker, in a sense they just get over worked in a different way. I think you really touched on that subject when you said "As a worker, it was not an amazing feeling being treated this way, almost like a machine, but for the buyers of these goods it was amazing having them cheaper and easily accessible". Anyways, great post!
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