Action Quote by Jacques Ellul
“Totalitarianism extends to whatever touches it...psychological technique, as it operates in the army or in a great industrial plant, entails a direct action on the family. It involves a psychological adaptation of family life to military or industrial methods, supervision of family life, and training family life for military or industrial service. Technique can leave nothing untouched in a civilization. Everything is its concern. Technique, which is destroying all other civilizations, is more than a simple mechanism: it's a whole civilization in itself.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Technological Society, 1954
Technology infiltrates every aspect of life, reshaping families and societies into extensions of industrial or military systems.
In simple terms: Tech changes how families live and work.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and protect human values from technological domination.
Themes
technology
society
family
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
social.
When to use this quote
- Education reform
- urban planning
- family counseling
Key Concepts
technological determinism
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance tech benefits with human autonomy?
- What safeguards preserve family life?
A Different Perspective
Technology can also empower, not just dominate.
