Technology as Magic: The Triumph of the Irrational
In this convincing and lucid study, Stivers (sociology, Illinois State) warns against our current veneration of technology. Too many of us, he argues, believe that technology can rationally control nature and alleviate boredom and unhappiness. In reality, he suggests, technology has a lot in common with the irrational and ineffective methods of magic. Likewise, Stivers mourns the increasing reliance on quantitative, statistics-based information instead of meaningful qualitative evaluation and fears that individual creativity, compassion, and freedom are being sacrificed: "Advertising ritualizes happiness (as consumption); therapy ritualizes health (as adjustment)." Persuasive and erudite, this work is recommended for larger public and academic libraries.ASuzanne W. Wood, SUNY Coll. of Technology, AlfredCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.