Assignment for Thursday...

Now that all of you are finished rioting in the South Side (or whatever), here's the assignment for this week:

Option #1) Using at least one passage from "The Principles of Scientific Management" in detail, offer a detailed discussion of the role of scientific management in your own life. You should be precise and careful in your understanding of what "scientific management" is, though - make use of what Taylor actually says, and not simply of vague impressions.

Option #2) "Life in the Iron Mills" offers what we might call a dystopian understanding of technological change -- life threatens to become a nightmare for most people. "The Principles of Scientific Management," on the other hand, despite its businesslike manner, shows considerable dedication to a utopian understanding of technological change. Using at least one brief passage from each text as well as your own experience, present an argument about which way of viewing technological change you think is more accurate.