1. Industrial Societies

2. Industrialism …
The production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive large machinery

3. When, and How? 18th to end of 19th Century
Characterized by a reliance on mechanical labor to create material goods
EX: Water Power; Steam power (industrial)
EX: human power; animal power (pre-industrial)

4. Benefits …
Labor intensive tasks completed more quickly (months  days)
Better quality Goods produced faster, less expensively
Increase in standard of living; More luxuries available to the average person (paper, glass, gas lights)
Increase in trade specialization: factory jobs (assembly line; textile mills), coal fields
Urbanization
Increase in cultural diversity
Increase in access to education

5. Benefits continued … Technological advancement:
Seeders; threshing machines
Railroads, steam ships, skyscrapers, automobiles
Electricity, home appliances (refrigerators, washing machines)
Telegraphs, telephones, radio, tv, computers

6. Drawbacks …
Shift in focus from maintaining family land and traditions to upward mobility
Erosion of traditional agrarian values
Weakening of relationships and family ties

7. Post-industrial societies
“Information Societies”
“Digital societies”

8. aim: Students will be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of Post-Industrial Societies and the benefits and drawbacks of technology
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Gerhard Lenski’s theory of socio- cultural revolution and related beliefs about societal implications of technology
Apply learned information by exploring the ways in which technology has both improved and negatively impacted society

9. Post-Industrialism …
The production of information and services using computer technology
Electronic devices that create, process, store, and apply information

10. Characterized by …
Use of less labor force for industrial production (+/-)
More jobs are available for those who process information (+/-)
Driven by knowledge
As opposed to material goods
Requires Information-based skills and services
EX: programming ; consultancy
as opposed to mechanical skills

11. Benefits of technology …
Increase in productivity
More personal freedom
Brings people together

12. Drawbacks … Lack of a sense of community Nuclear weaponry
Environmental threats
Negative impact of Lack of access to education and technical skills

13. Gerhard Lenski

14. Types of societies Pre-Industrial Industrial Post-Industrial
Hunter-gatherer
Horticultural/pastoral
Agricultural
Industrial
Post-Industrial

15. Socio-Cultural revolution
Refers to the changes that occur as a society gains new technology

16. Lenski’s beliefs …
The more technology a society has, the faster it changes (converse)
Technology improves society by raising the standards of living
Technology fails to solve all social problems
Social problem = “social conditions that disrupt or damage society”
(EX: social inequality; crime; racism)
Social issues = larger scale; bring in the element of morality

17. Lenski’s Beliefs Continued …
Technology increases some problems
Struggle over resources ($; Jobs) between social classes within a society
Loss of human connection
Environmental issues – reliance upon energy sources that impact the earth’s resouces
WMDs

18. Group activity … In groups of 3: Answer the following questions:
What new technologies have emerged in your lifetime?
How has technology improved society?
How has technology negatively impacted society?