Art in Automation

Our world has become an amazing modernistic world of automation. Have you ever noticed how many things have become automated? I was amazed the other day when I was at McDonalds and watched as the girl at the window got drinks from a machine that automatically dropped the correct sized cup, filled it and put the lid on for her to hand out with an order -- blew my mind.

I know that automation was began as a blessing to mankind, especially in factories -- but I think the most well known was when the car was invented with the Model T. Automation was what made it an affordable car.

Now, most things that are automated are not what I'd class as beauty. Good grief, most of it is covered in grease, noisy, and not something I understand. On the other hand, I was fortunate to work in the cannery in Ogden last week. If you've ever worked at a church cannery, you know the experience. Everyone is a volunteer, everyone has a position at the line, and hundreds of cans pass in front of you. It's amazing. What's even more amazing, is how clean it is. I mean, everything is shiny and bright and I watched the metal cans come flying down the twisting chute with awe. What amazing minds came up with this stuff!

The kind of automation that really amazes me, is something that is totally useless. Have you ever been the Clark Planetarium? There's an exhibit there called Newton's Dream, and it's pretty cool. I wonder what Newton would have thought about it. I think it's amazing, and it promotes the idea I wanted to present for the blog -- Automation can be art. I'm sure the original inventors of automation saw it only as a way to make thing faster and more efficiently, but when it's put together as these things are, it's art.

There is also another site that discusses the different aspects of it.

What I like, is that it's not only fascinating to watch, but it's musical. There are several spots where the balls hit levers that hit pieces of wood, or hollow pipes that make sounds like a wind chime! It's totally engrossing, and when we were there, that's where we could always find the children. The display is two stories tall, and there are different spots top and bottom for kids to move the balls and start the thing rolling.

That's what I call automation! I guess part of what amazes me, is the brain power that thought up these different things. Newton's Dream alone is amazing, but even when thinking of the cannery and the different belts that ran along a line and how smoothly the whole thing runs. It takes engineering and invention. It takes inspiration and desire. It's a gift.

Just another amazing part of our lives. Check it out sometime and see if it doesn't astound you.

And, it's that time of year again! When the EFY CD comes out with all the great songs for our youth. I've never been to one of these conferences, but I discovered the music two years ago, and have made it a priority in our music listening. I think I know all the songs on the two CD's we have by heart. What's really cool, is that the LDSneighborhood will be selling this years copy on August 16th. Be sure to look for it -- I'm way excited it has Ryan Shuppe And the Rubber Band!!

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