First of all, I thought it was amazing that E.M. Forster wrote this in 1909. Within the first few pages of
The Machine Stops, I think understood the purpose of assigning this reading for class. The short story is about striking a balance between technology and our normal, human lives. It’s about using technology to enhance our lives, not dictate it. And I think it’s something we should always remember whether it’s designing a prototype for Physical Computing, or building a new toy for a gang of eight-year-olds. Sometimes we get so dependent on technology that we lose sight of our roots. I think this is easy to do, because of all the momentum and hype that often surrounds new technology; everyone always wants the coolest, newest gadgets! Eventually the momentum gains more speed and we forget who we were pre-technology. For example, Kuno, the son of the main character, Vashti, wants to see stars again, and Vashti cannot even fathom this because she is so wrapped up in her role as a technological slave.
As I read
The Machine Stops, I was constantly reminded of one of my favorite Pixar movies, Wall-E. Wall-E is set one hundred years in the future, in an era where Earth is uninhabitable because it is so polluted that nothing can thrive. Instead, they must live on a spaceship which orbits the planet. Like Kuno, the Captain also longs to be back on Earth. Everything is run by machines, even Auto, the autopilot, and as a result, people are disconnected from real-life interactions. They live in pods, and instead of walking, they float from place to place in said pods. If they happen to fall off, a robot will arrive at their side shortly to lend a hand. They drink, instead of chew, their food, which is delivered and made by robots.
In Wall-E, the fall of Auto, paralleled the fall of the Machine. When Kuno and his mother Vashti kissed at the end, it was such a huge turning point in the story. Much like the scene in Wall-E when the Captain walks for the very first time. My friends and I laughed at this– it seemed so silly, I could never imagine being so huge that I cannot walk. Even the simplest actions, such as walking or kissing or any sort of touch, we take for granted.
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