(Photo Credit: Randy Montoya) Photo not really related other than it is a big awesome machine designed to experiment with nuclear fusion (apparently successfully too) but it is kind of how I imagine the "nerve centre" for the machine in the following story.
In 1909 E.M. Forster wrote his magnum opus, "The Machine Stops". In his futuristic world people no longer have the need to interact personally yet they have thousands of virtual acquaintances similar to online social networking (remember when this was written and be amazed). People live underground in a global man-made life-support system thingy for the human race. Humans have become so advanced so as they no longer need their physical bodies for survival because the machine provides everything. Instead of work, people come up with ideas! Humans no longer have need for contact because of a "speaking apparatus" (like skype!). Thus, they have forgotten the intricacies of the machine since it needs no human intervention. The real story is about Kuno, who has human desire. He wants to go outside again and do physical work. Kuno wants to rid himself of the machine. I won't go into everything because you should read it for yourself, but it is (to simplify horribly) about man's reliance on technology and the pitfalls of not knowing how to do things "the old-fashioned way".
Please read this story. I have no intention of babying you on this one. This is the best value for your time you will find when it comes to reading. Unless you are currently delivering a baby (bystanders don't count) the chances are that you can spare half an hour to absorb some culture.
You don't have to buy it or anything and I'm sure you'll be astonished at the foresight of E.M. Forster. Remember, this was written in 1909 before computers, television etc. If you are worth a grain of salt let alone your weight in it, you will read this story and you will thank me for it!
The Machine Stops (text)
If you have the gnat-like attention-span of a spoiled 14-year old cell-phone wielding girl like I do occasionally, here, for your aural pleasure is the audio-book version.
The Machine Stops (audio)
No comments:
Post a Comment