/lit/ - Literature

>>19289821
This was probably the best "social science" book I've ever read, if that is even an accurate category for it. I have the same experience of feeling overwhelmed by the entire technical edifice since reading the book -- technique and standardization is so dominant and total. Particularly the section about the "characterology" of technique in chapter 2: automatism of technique, self-augmentation of techniques, monism in the technical phenomenon, the necessary linking together of techniques... This section is really the heart of the argument (the remainder is largely examining the ramifications of what is laid out here) and he presents it extremely well. It is a kind of all consuming self-sustaining self-organizing system that is above politics or even biology. Any other kind of political science argument I get involved in always falls back on technique, the ultimate force sweeping all others away in the current era.

I feel like I arrived at the conclusions of this book (or at least what I've heard are the conclusions) on my own, and when I went to read it I was a little disappointed in his historical analysis. Is it worth it to keep going?

>>19289881
Paris Hilton has aged

>cool wine aunt gf.png
“Cool”? You’re attracted to her.

>>19289881
I thought the historical section felt a little flimsy as well (although I'm not strong in detailed European history) but the later sections, particularly chapter 2 where he describes the self-sustaining and ineluctable qualities of technical development I thought was quite good. Yes, in some ways it may come across as obvious as it is the world all around us now, but sometimes you don't go through the trouble of thinking through the implications deeply, which I think is what he does here. Also he was writing in the 50s when it was not necessarily as clear how all encompassing the phenomenon was.

>>19289881
Honestly the book itself is a little padded out just to convince skeptics so if you're already on board with the idea it's not essential. Just be sure you have proper knowledge of how this system works, how technique comes to dominate every facet of human life/organization, how technique used to be just one factor out of many when making decisions, and how there is really no realistic way this will change any time soon, and in fact it will probably only intensify from here on out. If you know all the essential stuff then you're fine

>>19289892
She's much more attractive than you, no doubt. High chance she also had a much better personality

>>19289925
>High chance she also had a much better sex life
Mhm.
Hey, watch the salt content there.

>>19289897
I don't mean it in a 'that's obvious' way, just I feel like I've come to similar conclusions about a weird, infinitely refining technological system that perpetuates itself through time, which seems to be the crux of Ellul's argument.

>>19290021
lrn 2 greentext whore

>>19290370
That’s how.
It’s a “ftfy”
How new?

>>19290021
>le quirky pic advertising how cool sluts are
Only a trollfaced dyke would admire her

>>19290374
>>19289881

>>19290373
Do you ever contribute ideas to this board without needing to rely on insecure, stupid snipes?

>>19289821
>it's like we're sucking the color out of the world itself.
I agree, OP

>>19290386
Butterfly occasionally makes insightful anti-capitalist posts, but in general she just shit-posts like the rest of us, except in an even shittier way [insert shit-stained-panties.jpg image]

>>19290380
I think I have you figured based on my research on your posts here. You grew up hanging around nerdy men who had little experience of women and you were a kind of calming influence on them. And so you still come here to relive that feeling. Instead of seeing the men here as divided and not connected by that trait, you just project it onto them because of your fleeting ability to ‘mentor’ anyone outside of 4chan.

Tl;DR Go away pest.

>>19290392
See now, that was anonymous who did that.
Quit the slander

>>19290373

>>19290406
Live by the tripcode, die by the tripcode. The easiest and surest way to avoid being slandered on an anonymous image board is to retain your anonymity when posting, dearest butterfly.

>>19290575
>is to retain your anonymity and slander each other and live in rage and misery
Hey hey, guess what. Look at that.