Wednesday, April 8, 2009
"Cheerful Robots"
C. Wright Mills strongly disagrees with David E. Lilienthal that freedom and democracy are both equivalent to the right to choose whatever one wants to buy. To Mills, freedom is more than “the chance to do as one pleases” (212). But to many Americans, Lilienthal’s definition of freedom suited and still suits most Americans. Most Americans are more concerned with what they want to buy than whom they want to vote for and why. The term “Cheerful Robots” seems to fit most Americans perfectly. Americans enjoy the complacency of having unlimited amounts of anything they want. The technology of American products is generally considered very advanced, but many dismiss the advancement of the human mind and its infinite abilities. Life Magazine stated that freedom was in danger from disuse. This can also be said of the rampant apathy and materialism of today. People are not truly free when they are tied to material possessions. Technology and materialism often isolates people. T.S. Eliot stated “Television is a medium of entertainment which permits millions of people to listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain lonesome”.
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I like how you not only contrasted Mills opinion to that of Lilienthal, but also used the quote from T.S. Elliot. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI think this was one of the best blogs I read. You brought in outside information on David E. Lilienthal, someone who I've never heard of, but you used him to contrast with Mills theory. That was an excellent idea. Your reaction was professional and it mentioned alot of very important points. Impressive!
ReplyDeleteLiz
ReplyDeleteWell written. I must agree with Tiffany on the use of Lilienthal and Elliot for support to your claim. If anything I might suggest, you may consider expanding out some of those points a little more.
Liz, you always do a good job reaching outside the classroom readings. Commendable, as usual.
ReplyDeleteI would've liked to hear more about the robotic nature of (middle class white) Americans during the 1950s.
Good job using outside sources such as Lilienthal. However you could have also talked about the the white Americans who lived in suburban, cookie-cutter houses and how they were all similar.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you about how we are tied to materialism but that is because we have that opportunity and that we, in a sense, neglect to acknowledge it. It is how we grew up to be, we may want to break it but we just cant especially with what we are exposed to. GReat Points!
ReplyDeleteI like this blog a lot. I really like how you included evidence from the text and also added in something extra at the end. Very good job.
ReplyDeleteGood job and I like how you quoted Lilienthal also
ReplyDeletelooking for tonight's post...
ReplyDelete