High-Tech Fishing Heresy 

This satirical cartoon called “High-Tech Fishing Heresy” was created by Jack Davis sometime in the later 20th century, using pen, ink, and watercolor. Davis's work is characterized by an exuberant, exaggerated style that blends realism with caricature, a technique particularly evident in the intricate details of this illustration. Look closely, and you'll notice the overwhelming amount of technology grafted onto the boat, the figure is consumed by a techno-fetishism and a quest for efficiency. The humor of the image comes from the contrast between the ostensible goal of relaxation and the overwhelming complexity of the means employed to achieve it. It’s a play on our obsession with tools and technology, where we see the absurdity of over-engineering a simple pastime. The fishing boat is packed with instruments, so much so that the labor of leisure outweighs the benefits. Ultimately, Davis’s “High-Tech Fishing Heresy” invites us to reflect on the nature of progress, the value of simplicity, and the unintended consequences of our relentless pursuit of efficiency. It questions whether we have lost something essential in our embrace of technology.