Technologies make life better because they make life more convenient; that is, they save time, conquer space, and create comfort. Technologies perform tasks we might otherwise have to do for ourselves. They relieve us from drudgery, labor, and physical exertion. They minimize the everyday struggles that were commonplace for our ancestors. In all, they make life easier.(Slack+Wise)
Vacuum cleaners are convenient and they cut the time of cleaning a floor, rug, or carpeted area in half. This kind of technology enables us to get work done faster and more efficiently and this is why so many people use vacuum cleaners. According to Goodway, a prominent vacuum cleaner manufacturere, there are even industrial vacuum cleaners that are used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, plastic molding plants, and railroad stations just to name a few.
In my previous blog I discussed the various kinds of vacuum cleaners. To reiterate, they can range from battery powered hand held vacuums to very large industrial vacuum cleaners. The most common kind of vacuum cleaner is the upright which is a midsize machine. Vacuum cleaners are used at carwashes for the purpose of cleaning cars and you can even find people using them in the mining industry.
The vacuum cleaner as a technology has definitely had an effect on our culture. Years prior, cleaning was always considered the woman’s job but over the years in our evolving world men have also taken a larger role in this area. According to our textbook, Culture and Technology, from a technological determinism perspective, technology is key in defining what culture is. Also it cause effects and such effects are the main cause of cultural change. The way we as a people do practical things such as cleaning or even our methods of communication is what defines our culture. From this position, it is fair to say that the vacuum cleaner has essentially advanced our culture, or to say the least it has changed it.
Vacuum cleaners are convenient and they cut the time of cleaning a floor, rug, or carpeted area in half. This kind of technology enables us to get work done faster and more efficiently and this is why so many people use vacuum cleaners. According to Goodway, a prominent vacuum cleaner manufacturere, there are even industrial vacuum cleaners that are used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, plastic molding plants, and railroad stations just to name a few.
In my previous blog I discussed the various kinds of vacuum cleaners. To reiterate, they can range from battery powered hand held vacuums to very large industrial vacuum cleaners. The most common kind of vacuum cleaner is the upright which is a midsize machine. Vacuum cleaners are used at carwashes for the purpose of cleaning cars and you can even find people using them in the mining industry.
The vacuum cleaner as a technology has definitely had an effect on our culture. Years prior, cleaning was always considered the woman’s job but over the years in our evolving world men have also taken a larger role in this area. According to our textbook, Culture and Technology, from a technological determinism perspective, technology is key in defining what culture is. Also it cause effects and such effects are the main cause of cultural change. The way we as a people do practical things such as cleaning or even our methods of communication is what defines our culture. From this position, it is fair to say that the vacuum cleaner has essentially advanced our culture, or to say the least it has changed it.
In Marshall McLuhan’s “Understanding Technology,” he speaks on the ideal that “The Medium is the Message.” According to McLuhan, the personal and social consequences of any medium result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology. To put this in other words, technology changes us. It changes our perception of things. Vacuum cleaners can be found in use just about anywhere, because of this, people are doing twice the work in half the time. Their jobs are less strenuous and our environment is much cleaner. On the negative side, vacuum cleaners can even take the role of humans in some cases therefore, some jobs are eliminated. Compared to all of the positive advancements, this fact is minor. The idea is to know that the technology, the vacuum cleaner, is the message.
In conclusion, vacuum cleaners can be considered a technology that has helped shape our culture, our lives, and our world. Everywhere you go whether it be your home, the grocery store, car dealership, factory, or several other places you will find one. People use them in every walk of life and as time goes on and we continue to progress and change, the vacuum cleaner will be right along for the ride.
"Cleaning was always considered the woman’s job but over the years in our evolving world men have also taken a larger role in this area."
ReplyDeleteJames Dyson has made the world of vacuuming and cleaning cool for men, at least for me anyway. I've always vacuumed parts of my house growing up, so cleaning was never really a job that was stigmatized as a female-only chore and it's always been somewhat fun, but seeing Dyson commercials makes the activity so much more interesting and fun. Hearing him talk about designing a new, more maneuverable and easier to clean and empty vacuum cleaner makes me recognize the technology behind it, which in turn makes it more interesting for me to vacuum.
I would have to agree with you that the vacuum will be on the technological ride of evolution. It seems like every few months the vacuum companies are finding ways to make the vacuum better than it already is. From having a single ball with swirling wind technology that cleans your floors with the best particle suckers. It is all most scary. I have wondered what we would do without a vacuum cleaner? There is no way that I would ever take a rug out of my house and beat it with a stick or even mop a bunch of hard wood. I will admit that I love to vacuum. It is almost like mowing a yard... I like to see the pattern that I am able to vacuum and how efficiently I can clean a given area.
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