Mechanization is the shift from work being done by hand, to being done by machinery. This concept originated with Gutenberg and the invention of the Printing Press, which was the beginning of assembly line production, allowing for mass production and mechanical reproduction. This occurred during a time period called the Second Industrial Revolution.
The Printing Press
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Assembly Lines
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Walter Benjamin was a German-Jewish literary critic, philosopher, social critic, translator, radio broadcaster and essayist. In his 1936 essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," he criticized mass production for tarnishing the uniqueness and authenticity of art. He believed that reproduction destroys uniqueness and detaches the object from tradition. This affected the way that society viewed the art that was being mechanically reproduced. As Benjamin wrote in his essay, "the greater the decrease in social significance of an art form, the sharper the distinction between criticism and enjoyment by the public." Society was not receptive to art that they didn't feel was original, authentic or unique.
Mass Production of Art
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Moulin Rouge (2001) is a movie that I have seen that takes place during the Second Industrial Revolution in 1890. The Moulin Rouge was a cabaret show where the people of Paris could move on from thoughts of war to the exciting thoughts of technological advancements. The movie contains a lot of singing and dancing, and displays the importance of culture in that time period.
Moulin Rouge
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Mechanization and industrialization created a major social change. Work shifted from being done by man, to being done by machines, and eventually computers. People went from working outdoors on farms to indoors in factories, in large assembly lines. This was a difficult time as it was a large adjustment for society, but it was also a time of exciting technological advancements, and the potential for daily life to get easier.
Technological Advancements
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Citations
Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." 1936. 1-7. Print. 12 Apr. 2016.
Grimes, Elin. "What Major Influence Did the Industrial Revolution Have on Art?" Quora. Quora, 29 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt.1." Youtube. Uconlineprogram. 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics pt.2." Youtube. Uconlineprogram. 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Wilson, Ariel. "Moulin Rouge." Prezi. 2016 Prezi, 18 Dec. 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
It's amazing how many trickle down effects factories end up having on society. Just the simple need for people as factory line workers, maintenance/repair men, foremen, an overseer, and finally a boss; these industries suck up a lot of man power. It forms its own sort of hierarchy, and just like any other hierarchy it requires a much larger subservient population. And like you said, that population is taken primarily from established farmers. As a result, our agricultural manpower has declined heavily putting pressure on the farmers that remain to produce more food with less available resources. This leaves many farmers with the inevitable choice to use genetically modified seeds which can produce a greater quantity of food. More food sounds like a good thing when we're trying to support a growing population, but these GM plants leave a much greater environmental impact and studies are inconclusive as to their long-term effects on humans and wildlife. It sometimes seems like these trickle down effects of industry are worse than the direct effects such as pollution and depletion of resources.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicole!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It is so interesting how mechanization started as a line production like the printing press and assembly lines but now has transformed into a huge business of mechanical developments/production lines using machinery. Benjamin helps explain how mechanization has taken away the unique and authentic feel and that society prefers original and traditional artwork. Moulin Rouge is a great movie and example of technological advancements during the industrial revolution and how play productions of theatre and art evolved over time.
Hi Nicole. I really liked your post and thought that your photos enhanced your content. I agree with you mechanization created a significant social change. I think we have always ben advancing in our technologies throughout the course of human history but we are progressing more rapid now than we ever have. When I stop and think about where we are technologically now versus 100 years ago, it is almost frightening. It truly is amazing how industrialization has impacts on all aspects of life; the economy, daily life, social construction, politics and much more. I think your post did an excellent job demonstrating how life has changed because of it.
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