Blog #6

For my source I picked Mulford Q. Silbey's, Utopian Thought and Technology from the American Journal of Political Science vol. 7 No. 2 (May, 1973, pp. 255-281. In it Silbey talks about the Utopian views and how they conflict with modern technology, "The very noise of the technological explosion during the past two centuries has often deafened us to the questions the utopist have asked: Why? To what ends? Within what priorities? Under what controls? With what consequences? With what effects on human beings? Why go faster and faster and faster?" (Silbey, p. 255) Much of Silbey's essay doesn't have much to do with technology driving the markets as David Nye writes in his book but it does deal with technology driving the social evolution. Silbey references a lot from the bible in his argument in a way that I believe would be very useful to Nye in his book about technology and society. Silbey relates technology and religion in a way I've never seen done, "Cain, representing the agricultural stage of development, kills Abel, thus becoming the first murderer. He is "cursed" for his deed but in his there still remains the urge to improve the world technologically. Hence the first murderer becomes the founder of the first city. One of his decedents, Turbal Cain, is described as the earliest worker in brass and possibly symbolizes the development of a more complex technology, which, while it reflects man's ingenuity, makes it probable also still greater misery, pain, and death" (Silbey, p. 257) The association of technology and Christianity is interesting because not only does that relate to modern society but hes connecting to entities that have never gone together: Science and religion. This I believe is a important aspect on technology and modern life because religion plays such a huge part in society. If Nye used anything else from Silbey in his book it should be that because it so directly relevant to his subject matter.

Silbey has the same overall opinion as Nye, in that they believe that technology should be regulated in some way. I noticed this was written in 1973, a literal dark age for technology. Overshadowed by Vietnam and an even larger cold war with Russia, nuclear weapons were the threat of the day. Today, even though its still a terrifying thing to think about, much more seems to be known and nukes and their technology. Back then, nuclear bombs were relatively new and kept away from the general public, paralyzing the country in blind fear. Should Nye use such an old reference to write a current observation on technology and society? Technologically speaking, the seventies look like the stone age compared to today's world and I wonder if a source that old is useful for commenting on technology driving today's market. Today the market seems much more commercially driven through technology than defense driven as in Silbey's time. I feel that as the market changes the rules and trends that govern the market change too.