History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

History - Essay Example nce and Technology were taking place, there were a lot many uncertainties pertaining to the stability and political administration of various kingdoms across Europe. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that progress and prosperity came to a halt, if not a decline, during this period primarily due to rampant warfare, theological uncertainty and natural calamities. The Great Famine of the early fourteenth century and the subsequent Black Death (the mysterious epidemic breakout) nearly reduced the European population by one thirds. Given the backdrop of this catastrophe, one can understand the stagnation of fine arts; as at this time basic survival proved a challenging proposition in itself. Other contributors to a general social unrest during this era included collective rebellion of the peasants, witnessed especially in France and England. The other conflict on a larger scale was the notorious Hundred Years’ War. But the most destabilizing event during the period was the decline in authority of the Catholic Church, due primarily to internal disagreements between different denominations. Hence, the Late Middle Ages were a period of chaos, confusion and listless in many aspects. Yet, much of Europe had endured these tough times and had managed to keep the uniqueness of its civilization intact, till the advent of Renaissance, wherein the dormancy of European culture gave way to a new blooming. What prevented Europe from sinking into the abyss of the Dark Ages that was suffered by kingdoms in the Mediterranean, was the continued progress seen within the faculties of arts and sciences, albeit at a less vigorous pace. The most critical element of the artistic preservation and improvement during this era came in the form of a revival in ancient historical texts, especially the ones left behind by the Great Roman Empire. In effect, the founding principles of the Renaissance are to be found within this historical framework. While resources were being made

Relationship between the physical body and the technology Essay

Relationship between the physical body and the technology - Essay Example Relationship between the physical body and the technology â€Å"The nineteenth century demanded the functional specialization of man and his work; this specialization makes one individual incomparable to another †¦, however, this specialization makes each man the more directly dependent upon the supplementary activities of all others† (Simmel, 1903). Surveillance strategies were enacted to negotiate pay or to track wages. This dictated the impersonal ordering of the clock, engendering feelings of alienation as the individual perceived themselves different from, yet the same as, their co-workers, yet had no room to explore this difference. Explorations into this mechanized realm produced the phantasmagorical, characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions. Through this imagery of the Dada, Surrealism and Letterism movements, the Situationists Movement arose, providing â€Å"their critique of modern culture, their celebration of creativity, and their stress on the immediate transformation of everyday life† (Marshall, 2000). ‘Everyday’ life, they maintain, deadens the mind into numb acceptance, while exploration of the surreal awakens subjectivity. This led to the concept of psychogeography as part of the system of unitary urbanism or â€Å"the study of specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals† (Situationnise Internationale, 1958).