The Manifestation of Technology-Human Relations in Theatre: A Critical Analysis of Plays in the Context of ‘Unintended Consequences’
Abstract
Technology, which has always existed in human life from the primitive tools at the beginning of human life to today’s most advanced devices, has established itself at the centre of life in today’s modern world. Technological elements have managed to take up more and more space in human life, providing people with convenience in many areas from industrialisation to communication, from healthcare to education, and form workplace technologies to entertainment. The fact that many technological products have made great contributions to their lives by enabling people to save time and effort also brings with it ‘unintended consequences’ that may arise when people use technology. American sociologist Robert K. Merton uses this term to define unanticipated outcomes of actions, decisions, and regulations. With the developments and advances of the modern era, technology has become an indispensable part and basic requirement of people’s lives, however, depending on the use of technological devices, several undesirable or unforeseen physical, psychological or social problems arise in addition to the positive effects for people. The ‘unintended consequences’ that may arise due to people’s mispositioning of technology in their lives, over-dependence on technology or inability to use technology for its intended purpose will be revealed in this study by presenting a glimpse into the lives of fictional characters. The selected plays from American theatre, Softly, and Consider the Nearness (1973) by Rosalyn Drexler and Dead Man’s Cell Phone (2007) by Sarah Ruhl, give the portrayal of the undeniable presence of technology in people’s lives, yet it is accompanied by loneliness, social alienation and isolation, non-communication, loss of trust and disruption of privacy. Through these plays, the essential presence of technology in human life will be revealed, and the question of how and where humans may position themselves within the framework of their relationship to technology will be critically examined.
Keywords
Technology unintended consequences social alienation and isolation disruption of privacy Softly and Consider the Nearness Dead Man’s Cell Phone.
References
- Baudrillard, J. (1983). Simulations, New York: Semiotext(e).
- -(2015). From hyperreality to disappearance: uncollected interviews, (Eds: R. G. Smith and D. B. Clarke), UK: Edinburgh University Press Ltd.
- - (2007). The consumer society: myths and structures, (2nd. edition) (Ed: Mike Featherstone). Sage Publications, London.
- Castells, M. (2010). The rise of the network society. Germany: Wiley.
- “Dead Man’s Cell Phone Study Guide”, (2023 October 5-15). Playhouse Theatre. Retrieved April 22, 2024.https://www.atthemac.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Dead-Mans-Cell-Phone-Study-Guide.pdf
- Depperschmidt, T. O. (1994). Unintended consequences and perverse effects in forensic economic award calculations”, Journal of Legal Economics: American Academy of Economic and Financial Expert, V4i2, 65-72.
- Drexler, R, (1998). Softly, and consider the nearness, USA: Sun&Mon Press.
- Dumm, T. (2008). Loneliness as a way of life. United Kingdom: Harvard University Press.
- Ellul, J. (1964). The technological society. New York: Knopf.
- Giddens, A. (1987). Social theory and modern sociology. UK: Stanford University Press.
- Giddens, A. (1990). The consequences of modernity. UK: Stanford University Press.
- Güzel, M. (2015). “Gerçeklik ilkesinin yitimi: Baudrillard’in simülasyon teorisinin temel kavramları”, Felsefe ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 19, 65-84.
- Isherwood, C. (2008 March 5). “A nagging call to tidy up an unfinished life”. The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2023. www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/theater/reviews/ 05cell.html.
- Kral, I. (2014). “Shifting perceptions, shifting identities: communication technologies and the altered social, cultural and linguistic ecology in a remote indigenous context”. Aust J Anthropol, 25, 171-189.
- Lavey, M. (2023 December 3). “Letter from the artistic director on dead man’s cell phone, Steppenwolf. https://www.steppenwolf.org/articles/letter-from-the-artistic-director-on-dead-mans-cell-phone/
- Marcuse, H. (2012). One-dimensional man: studies in the ideology of advanced industrial society. Boston: Beacon.
- McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: the extensions of man. Austria: McGraw-Hill.
- Merton, R. K. (1936 Dec). “The unanticipated consequences of purposive social action”, American Sociological Review, V1n6, 894-904.
- Merton, R. K. (1996). On social structure and science. (ed: Piotr Sztompka, Robert K. Merton) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Postman, N. (1993). Technopoly: the surrender of culture to technology. New York: Vintage Books
- Recuber, T. (2023). The Digital Departed: How We Face Death, Commemorate Life, and Chase Virtual Immortality. USA: NYU Press.
- Ruhl, S. (2008). Dead man’s cell phone, New York: Theatre Communications Group. State theatre Company, (2023). Retrieved March 5, 2024. https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/shows/stateside-dead-phone/
- Tolstoy, L. (1904), What is art?, (Intro. by Aylmer Maude)New York: Funk&Wagnalls Company.
- Weber, M. (2013). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism, (Ed. Stephen Kalberg), Routledge.
- Zwart, F. d. (12 April 2015). “Unintended but not unanticipated consequences”, Springer, 44, 283-297.
Tiyatroda Teknoloji ve İnsan İlişkisinin Tezahürü: ‘İstenmeyen/Beklenmeyen Sonuçlar’ Bağlamında Oyunların Eleştirel Bir Analizi
Abstract
İnsan yaşamının başlangıcındaki ilkel aletlerden günümüzün en gelişmiş teknolojik aygıtlarına değin her zaman hayatın içerisinde var olan teknoloji günümüzün modern dünyasında da yaşamın merkezinde kendine yer bulmuştur. Teknoloji unsurları endüstriden iletişime, sağlıktan eğitime, iş alanlarındaki teknolojilerden eğlenceye kadar birçok alanda insanlara kolaylık sağlayarak insan yaşamında daha geniş bir yere sahip olmuştur. Birçok teknoloji ürününün zamandan ve emekten tasarruf sağlayarak insan yaşamlarına büyük katkı sağladığı gerçeği insanların teknoloji kullanımında ortaya çıkabilecek ‘beklenmeyen/istenmeyen sonuçlar’ı da beraberinde getirir. Amerikan sosyolog Robert K. Merton bu ifadeyi davranışların, kararların ya da düzenlemelerin beklenmedik sonuçlarını tanımlamak için kullanır. Modern dönemdeki gelişmeler ve ilerlemeler ile teknoloji insan yaşamının vazgeçilmez bir parçası ve temel gerekliliği haline gelmiş, bununla beraber teknolojik aygıtların kullanımına bağlı olarak insanlar için olumlu etkilerinin yanında istenmeyen ya da öngörülemeyen fiziksel, psikolojik ya da sosyal problemler ortaya çıkmıştır. İnsanların hayatlarında teknolojiyi yanlış konumlandırmaları, teknolojiye aşırı bağlılık ya da teknolojinin olması gereken amaçlar doğrultusunda kullanılmaması nedeniyle ortaya çıkabilecek ‘beklenmeyen/istenmeyen sonuçlar’ bu çalışmada kurgusal karakterlerin hayatlarına bir bakış sunarak ortaya konulacaktır. Amerikan tiyatrosundan seçilmiş Rosalyn Drexler’ın Softly, and Consider the Nearness (1973) ve Sarah Ruhl’un Dead Man’s Cell Phone (2007) oyunları teknolojinin insan yaşamındaki inkâr edilemez varlığının bir tasvirini sunar; fakat buna yalnızlık, sosyal yabancılaşma ve tecrit, iletişimsizlik, güven kaybı ve mahremiyetin yıkımı ile eşlik eder. Oyunlar aracılığıyla insan yaşamında teknolojinin zorunlu/gerekli varlığı ortaya konacak ve teknoloji ile ilişkisinde insanın kendisini nasıl ve nerede konumlandıracağı eleştirel olarak incelenecektir.
Keywords
Teknoloji ‘beklenmeyen/istenmeyen sonuçlar’ sosyal yabancılaşma ve tecrit mahremiyetin yıkımı Softly and Consider the Nearness Dead Man’s Cell Phone
References
- Baudrillard, J. (1983). Simulations, New York: Semiotext(e).
- -(2015). From hyperreality to disappearance: uncollected interviews, (Eds: R. G. Smith and D. B. Clarke), UK: Edinburgh University Press Ltd.
- - (2007). The consumer society: myths and structures, (2nd. edition) (Ed: Mike Featherstone). Sage Publications, London.
- Castells, M. (2010). The rise of the network society. Germany: Wiley.
- “Dead Man’s Cell Phone Study Guide”, (2023 October 5-15). Playhouse Theatre. Retrieved April 22, 2024.https://www.atthemac.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Dead-Mans-Cell-Phone-Study-Guide.pdf
- Depperschmidt, T. O. (1994). Unintended consequences and perverse effects in forensic economic award calculations”, Journal of Legal Economics: American Academy of Economic and Financial Expert, V4i2, 65-72.
- Drexler, R, (1998). Softly, and consider the nearness, USA: Sun&Mon Press.
- Dumm, T. (2008). Loneliness as a way of life. United Kingdom: Harvard University Press.
- Ellul, J. (1964). The technological society. New York: Knopf.
- Giddens, A. (1987). Social theory and modern sociology. UK: Stanford University Press.
- Giddens, A. (1990). The consequences of modernity. UK: Stanford University Press.
- Güzel, M. (2015). “Gerçeklik ilkesinin yitimi: Baudrillard’in simülasyon teorisinin temel kavramları”, Felsefe ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 19, 65-84.
- Isherwood, C. (2008 March 5). “A nagging call to tidy up an unfinished life”. The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2023. www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/theater/reviews/ 05cell.html.
- Kral, I. (2014). “Shifting perceptions, shifting identities: communication technologies and the altered social, cultural and linguistic ecology in a remote indigenous context”. Aust J Anthropol, 25, 171-189.
- Lavey, M. (2023 December 3). “Letter from the artistic director on dead man’s cell phone, Steppenwolf. https://www.steppenwolf.org/articles/letter-from-the-artistic-director-on-dead-mans-cell-phone/
- Marcuse, H. (2012). One-dimensional man: studies in the ideology of advanced industrial society. Boston: Beacon.
- McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: the extensions of man. Austria: McGraw-Hill.
- Merton, R. K. (1936 Dec). “The unanticipated consequences of purposive social action”, American Sociological Review, V1n6, 894-904.
- Merton, R. K. (1996). On social structure and science. (ed: Piotr Sztompka, Robert K. Merton) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Postman, N. (1993). Technopoly: the surrender of culture to technology. New York: Vintage Books
- Recuber, T. (2023). The Digital Departed: How We Face Death, Commemorate Life, and Chase Virtual Immortality. USA: NYU Press.
- Ruhl, S. (2008). Dead man’s cell phone, New York: Theatre Communications Group. State theatre Company, (2023). Retrieved March 5, 2024. https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/shows/stateside-dead-phone/
- Tolstoy, L. (1904), What is art?, (Intro. by Aylmer Maude)New York: Funk&Wagnalls Company.
- Weber, M. (2013). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism, (Ed. Stephen Kalberg), Routledge.
- Zwart, F. d. (12 April 2015). “Unintended but not unanticipated consequences”, Springer, 44, 283-297.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture |
| Journal Section | Western Languages and Literatures |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | June 30, 2025 |
| Submission Date | January 14, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | April 7, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Issue: 63 |
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