Sunday, May 10, 2020
Enclosing is a recent idea
While gathering pics and patents for my next Patient Machines project, this suddenly struck me.
Enclosing stuff is a remarkably recent idea, starting around 1935.
Seems absurd when expressed in simple terms, but it's a pretty good generalization.
I discussed this before but didn't notice the completeness and sharpness of the change.
Before 1930, office machines and radios and automobiles had their moving parts exposed. After 'streamlining' became fashionable, all of those devices had containers.
Before 1930, enclosures were added only when they were strictly needed for function.
A house encloses its furniture and occupants because otherwise it's not a house at all. But: Before 1940 houses had far more external parts. Porches, outhouses, sheds, detached garages, clotheslines. After WW2 all of those functions were brought inside the envelope.
For thousands of years our devices were failing to copy Nature. All animals are strictly enclosed within skin or cell walls. Our mechanisms were more like plants, with detachable flowers and fruits and leaves.
Labels: Grand Blueprint
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