Watch one or both film clips from Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times (1936). What statement does it make about early 20th century life? Does the movie suggest that technology makes our lives easier or better? Do you agree? Use examples from the film to support your ideas.
Some Historical Context
Telephone Invented: 1876
Lightbulb Invented: 1879
First Motion Picture Film: 1895
First Airplane Flight: 1903
Ford Model T first produced: 1908
First Motion Picture Film: 1895
First Airplane Flight: 1903
Ford Model T first produced: 1908
I think that 'Take it easy and avoid excitement' statement tells us how the life was in 20st century. Having experience of new technology would bring excitement and easy life. But at the same time, excitement of new technology make people invent more and more machine; negative consequences are followed.
ReplyDeleteThe movie exaggerates negative side of technology too much. In the movie, people are manipulated by technology becasue they work as if they are machine. And their life do not give happiness because they have to work harder to follow the speed of developed technology. Also, a man in the movie are used to test a new machine.
I disagree with the movie because most of people in the world are having better life because of technology. I know that there would be lower class people who work like them. But, technology have brought revolution and it helps us develop our world faster and easier.
For a small few, technology makes life easy. The boss of the company, who sits at his desk with a coffee and newspaper, surely is benefiting from the modern technology. He is relaxed sitting at his desk all day, giving orders. BUT....for the actual workers of the company, work is BUSY, HECTIC, FAST and they are always getting behind in their work and need to catch up. It is a very stressful atmosphere. So in this film we have technology making the lives of the workers more worse and harder....but for the hierarchy, its splendid.
ReplyDeleteI agree with turner. I think they are making the point that machines make life easier for the guy on top. for the workers in the movie had to keep up with the speed of the technology. Also they could be replaced by technology and that is worse because it is better to have a hard job than no job. Overall this video had a pretty negative view of technology. the only person who benefitted was the boss who you knew was lazy because he had games out on his desk.
ReplyDeleteI think that its just portraying the age old story of technology taking over the work of humans like minju said. But at the same time it shows that the technology fails us, falling apart due to human fault. Yet the machinery seems to encompass the humans at the same time, causing the workers to take on robotic movement. So the question is what side is the video taking in the end.
ReplyDeleteI agree with other people on that the technology is good when it helps us, but not good when it rules us. People started to try to develop technology to make our lives convenient, so the purpose of technology should be our aid? or an assistant. We shouldn't let it to rule or control us. At the beginning of the second video, I thought the life with that feeding machine would be very convenient, but once it started to break down, I changed my mind that I would rather do things on my own. If technology becomes too great, then people start to not think and become passive which will make the humans same as animals.
ReplyDeleteI agree with grete and turner, and I think that idea parallels the shot in the beginning with the sheep and the people coming from the subway. The people are all rushing to get to work and are in a sense being herded by what we're calling the guy on top, just as sheep are herded by a farmer or shepherd. And the guy on top is the one who is really profiting from what has come of the new technology, and as we see in the conveyer belt seen the workers are not exactly eased with efficiency.
ReplyDeleteAt that time in early 20th century, people were divided into two completely different parts--the ones on top that benefited from technology living a luxury life, and the ones that are treated like animals working incredibly hard, day by day, for their boss. The movies made the difference of boss and the workers quite apparent through portraying their every day working life in a seemingly relax way. But everybody knows how cruel it was for the lower class people--they are the victim of technology revolution, which was a important step for today's much brighter technological life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Turner and Grete. The invention of machinery can be very helpful to us when the technology is good enough. However, If the machinery is unsettled, It can be dangerous for users.
ReplyDeleteIn the other hand, for workers like in the Video who needs job could be worse situation because they will have hard time working with machinery when the machinery is unstable.
My point is that this movie suggests that the developemnt of technology is beneficial to us when the machine is stable and complete.
I agree with what turner said, it portrays the stress of the workers and how the invention of this machine will make work easier and faster, but like skylar said it is dangerous for it users. I feel this film portrays the beginning of the use of technology, probably at that time that machine was the best of the best, but now that we can compare it with technology we have today, it is clearly unstable and dangerous. also, since its a comedy i feel they exagerate everything so make it funnier
ReplyDeleteI agree with others that the technology in this video seems to be making our lives worse. At first, the man in the video who seems to be the owner is happy that there's a machine that helps reduce the time that people eat. This means that there's more time for the workers to work. However, I create dangerous and unpractical problems. Since the machine is not recognizing the human figure, it creates problems such as spilling the soup and hitting the person. I agree that sometimes technology is unnecessary but, I don’t agree that it always creates a problem shown in the video. I think the video is trying to show that 20th century was focused on manufacturing large amount of good.
ReplyDeleteI agree with that Turner said, technology could makes life easy. It is fast and easier. However it is only helpful when the users know how to 'move it'. Technology in this video (this time period) is the best and best machine for the users. I love the 'feeding machine' that it is very convenient and no longer to use body energy to move them self. They just sitting down on their chair and do nothing, machine will do everything for them. What if machine is getting smarter than human? What if machine control the human not the human control the machine? These video are just showing that 20th century was much depend on and focus on to machines.
ReplyDeleteI think that the film had the overall feel that technology is not a good thing when it expands too fast. Going off of what Grete said, technology makes life for the workers harder and it could even replace them eventually. But, in terms of a factory setting it could even imply that technology takes over everything in the end. Because in a factory everything starts with the lower workers and what they do affects the people above them, which affects the people above them, and so on.
ReplyDeleteThe machines that exist in the world of the film are mechanical and practical. However people are not mechanical and practical, in the same sense. We are relatively unpredictable, and no matter how many are doing one thing,there is still a likely chance at least one person will be doing the opposite. In the film, it is not really the machines that are insufficient, it is the humans. Charlie is too slow eating, as apposed to the machines being to fast. So as long as humans are humans, the irresponsible, crazy, wild animals we truly are, the machines will never be truly "practical" like the inspector said. What was almost beyond the capacity of charlie chaplin and many of his generation is the idea that not only machines will advance but humans as well. Eventually we will be able to genetically engeneir humans and machines so the world will be one unpredictable productive place devoid of art, passion, and happiness.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though I agree with Turner and Grete completely. I feel like this movie makes technology out to be something that in theory is useful and positive, but when actually put to use, is actually a pretty negative thing. This kind of goes along with what Skylar was saying about the machines being a positive thing if they are stable, safe, and properly working (which in theory, is what they would be), but in reality they are dangerous and unreliable, and do have flaws which is what makes the use of these machines a more negative experience. Technology is something that seems like it would be a good idea, but actually really isn't, and I feel that this idea is something the video could definately support.
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