Gods and Monsters: The Best and Worst Technological Inventions of the Last 100 Years.
No one would argue that technological advances of all kinds and types—from the printing press to the smart phone—have left an indelible mark on human culture. The debate about the type of impact technology has made, however, is rising in the world of design discourse. As a cautionary and critical voice, Sherry Turkle, author of Alone Together, argues that “we look to technology to for ways to be in relationships and protect ourselves from them at the same time” (xiii). Simultaneously, in the book Enchanted Objects author David Rose advocates for a world in which “the human-computer interface is an empowering and positive experience” where we are actively asking “What other kinds of future interfaces might [be envisioned]?” (3). These two statements demonstrate the complicated and complex relationship that we have with technological objects. The also illustrate the very need for a critical discourse on the impact design and technology have human culture and behavior. The posters in this exhibition are part of a sophomore design studies course that aims to explore the many ways that design studies impacts design theory and practice. Specifically, they explore both the benefits and disadvantages that these technologies place on us—and seek to understand the design of them as reflections of human culture and innovation, and devices that shape it.
References
Rose, Davis. Enchanted Objects: Innovation, Design, and the Future of Technology. Schribner, 2015.
Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together. Basic Books, 2012