Customer Reviews

Technology as Symptom and Dream

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Technology as Symptom and Dream, Romanyshyn discovers that with the 'invention' of linear perspective vision came many changes in who we imagine ourselves to be. The mathematization of the world provided a new kind of freedom for (literally) seeing the world differently. The subject of the artist in paintings and the artist became broken up, or fragmented, through the process of using a veil based on a geometric understanding of space. Within that space one can see how the 'depth' of things changed, from a depth of levels to a depth of linear measurement. It is this frame that makes possible the anatomical view of the body, and it is the anatomical view that gives rise to the corpse, or what Romanyshyn calls the 'anatomical body' of science. We thus have a psychological and cultural division between the body as corpse and what Romanyshyn calls the 'pantomimic' body, or what phenomenology distinguishes as the 'lived body' of experience. Throughout the last 500 years we have seen these two possibilities manifest themselves in our culture. Romanyshyn has shown us that when our culture place too much of an emphasis on just one aspect of the body, certain aspects of the other (the pantomimic) show through in a not so glorious fashion. So we can understand Romanyshyn's discussion of the shadow side of the anatomical body (the witch, the madman, the monster, the anorexic) as a way of telling us what's wrong and as a remembrance for how to make things right. The pantomimic body, as a shadow of the anatomical body, reminds us that there are different ways of seeing the world, and that certain ways we think are the best (e.g. our technological worldview) come to us with a very expensive price tag.

In general, I have mixed feelings toward this book. For example, I found a lot of the content to be unnecessarily repititious. However, the general thesis was good food for thought.

In this volume, Romanyshyn looks at a our propensity as culture to look at life from a very monucular linear perspective. He borrows many analogies from art and this is helpful in understanding his ideas.

Basically, this book deals with our alienation from our bodies, nature and what makes us basically human. He claims much of this evolved out of Cartesian dualism and ties it in to the development of perspective in painting and the rise of technology.

I enjoyed many aspect of this book, but at times found the repitition and verbose language frustrating. However, the underlying premises and arguments seemed to hold. In short, I think this book needed more exacting editing. If this was the case, I would give it a much higher rated review.

Really intelligent, original work. Highy recommeneded to anyone interested in psychological matters concerning technology, beautiful writing.

This "jumped off the shelf" for me years ago at a college library, and I couldn't believe my good fortune. Though an academic, Romanyshyn, a man I later interviewed on radio, is one of the most profound thinkers and feelers of our time. He's a contemporary phenomenologist, a soulful writer. Check out THE SOUL IN GRIEF if this one seems too heady for you. It was written after his beloved wife's untimely death. But honestly, I feel TECHNOLOGY AS SYMPTOM AND DREAM is approachable to anyone with interest in discovering more about how westerners have sacrificed a certain humanity in the face of technology (also good reading, "My Name is Chellis and I'm in Recovery from Western Civilization" by Chellis Glendenning).

If we can understand that our cultural body/mind disconnect began with the advent of linear perspective in art (leading us to observe rather than to flower into being) and the anatomical perspective in western medicine (leading us to experience the body as an assemblage of parts instead of an integrated whole), we can individually begin to reconnect ourselves back to the earth and to our bodies - begin to live more intuitively and soulfully in the cosmos.

Though technical in nature, this book enthralled me, and remains one of the best books on my shelves.

...in its numinous potential, both dark and bright. Dr. Romanyshyn invites the reader to see the sense in the symptom of what we do with our linear-perspectival progress through time...and what it does to us. Highly recommended. -- Craig Chalquist, M.S., designer of the Thine Own Self self-exploration site.

Anyone interested in how technology wounds consciousness should read this book. It links linear perspective with the space program and Frankenstein. A brilliant interdisciplinary look at our collective dream of technological madness.

This book is intellegent, well written and provocative. A challange to the mindless technological growth that seems to have griped our planet. Let this book serve as a wake up call. Its a shame that it is out of print.

One of the most interesting and original books I have read in years. Romanyshyn writes clearly and convincingly.