ABSTRACT

Gary Lee Downey investigates the body/machine interface in his remarkable ethnography of computer engineers. Drawing on interviews, observations and personal interaction with engineers, he documents the everyday power of technology's dominant image in our society, a force widely regarded as monolithically progressive. The Machine in Me will lead the reader to understand how deeply connected we are to The Machine and how beneficial it would be for us to really understand ourselves and machines as partially configured of the other--we as part machine, machines as part human. In this way, we can begin to see both the power and limitations of technology.

chapter 1|31 pages

Images Count

chapter 2|26 pages

We Put You in Control: The Trade Show

chapter 3|24 pages

Does Productivity Fit?

chapter 4|25 pages

Seducing Money

chapter 5|27 pages

Adapting a Nation Around Automation

chapter 6|25 pages

Beyond Control and Submission

chapter 7|27 pages

Locating Me Inside It: Coding

chapter 8|24 pages

Locating It Inside Me: Confusion

chapter 9|27 pages

The Making of Experts