HUMA 1905 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Eurocentrism, Utopia
29 Dec 2017
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Reading discussed in lecture: the machine stops by e. m. forster (1909) The machine stops is a story about a dystopian society. Everything functions excellently because of the machine that people have built to provide all the basic needs for survival and comfort. However, since humanity is completely reliant on the machine, the whole system falls apart when the machine malfunctions. The story is a variation on the frankenstein syndrome instead of the overused trope of machines rebelling against us, we are undone because our machines serve us too well. One of the functions of technology is to make our lives easier. Forster"s point seems to be that we should not confuse making life easier with making it better. A life that"s easier isn"t necessarily a life that"s better . This story also works as a cautionary tale about relying too much on machines.
