Category: Cici Liu

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“The Machine Stops” – Bonnie Chan

Its only been three days since I’ve arrived in Shanghai, but the use of QR codes and technology show a shocking similarity to the society described by Forester.  The experiences of the physical world through physical sensations will soon be nuances and disregarded elements of physical reality. The idea that text messages and phone calls now become mediums that strengthen the relationships between individuals rather than the physical experiences and memories that are made together. Our society has reached a point where pixels have replaced the presence of an individual and the basic societal norms pre-technology is now dismissed. The physical five senses that is the basis of memories and experiences is no longer needed. The imperfections of the world are no longer enjoyed. Instead, individuals prefer the beauty of a man made reality that will yield to any preferences they have. Curiosity and creativity that had fueled our society to progress at the fast pace it had will soon be diminished by the technology that is so readily available to us.

Our need to share perspectives and ideas will then become nonexistent as the Internet becomes a place where all information can be found. Information and arguments that are now given are often simply other’s thoughts taken from the Internet. Our own contributions to different perspectives are no longer made, as different physical experiences don’t create distinct individual memories that fuel each person’s unique opinions. The machine that has been a submissive aid will soon become the very thing individuals yield and accommodate for. We often forget that the basis of the universe and physical reality is comprised of the physical things that we disregard. Soon, our digital society will make us forget to take a look at the very things that had made the development of technology possible. A society that had been a hodgepodge of cultures and perspectives will soon transform into a monotonous society governed by machines. Would we still remember what it was like before technology if machines were to stop now..? Would our society come to a halt as we readjust ourselves and return to the roots of our world? Perhaps that is what we need in order to create a powerful collaboration between technology and physical reality in order to gain the most benefits from both sides of the spectrum. 

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Week 1 : The Machine Stops (E.M Foster) – Abdullah Zameek

“The Machine Stops” by E.M Foster narrates a tale of a dystopian future where the will of all of mankind is ruled and determined  by an ominous, technological entity that simply goes by the name “The Machine”. As reported by the narrator, the responsibilities of parents are completed at birth,their children are split from them, and they are brought up elsewhere, perhaps in another corner of the world. In this world, every human being lives in their own self-contained bubble where they are provided with their daily essentials. Therefore, there is no need or wish or incentive for humans to interact with each other, and such “social interactions” are thought to be unnecessary.
The attitude of (most) people towards “The Machine” could be thought of to be almost that of religious reverence. This was clearly seen in
the scene where people on the air-ship chanted praises of “How we have advanced, thanks to the Machine!”

The dependence on “The Machine” has resulted in two noticeable changes in humanity – people seem to have lost the will to “live” and explore
the Earth which has resulted in them not knowing basic facts about our planet. For instance, when the air-ship was flying over snow, the
protagonist of the story engages in the following dialogue, “And that white stuff in the cracks? — what is it? “I have forgotten its name.”
Moreover, people do not question the decisions of “The Machine”. Instead, people go along with whatever judgement that it passes. And, any
sort of deviation from this judgement is considered treason and could be punished with “Homelessness”.  The fundamental tenets of what constitutes a society seem to have completely crumbled, resulting in self-sustained, disconnected units. Thus, there seems to be no sense of human connection or unified spirit in this world, which means that this world is inhabited by humans, but ones who lack part of their “humanity”.

The social norms and standards are the ones dictated by “The Machine”, and to go against them means to challenge the very foundations of present society. The role of Kuno in this story is that of the social anomaly – the one who dared to question the status quo. In doing so, he displeased his mother, but at the same time, he seemed to have sparked the tiniest of interest in her since she kept pressing Kuno to continue with his story whenever he stopped.  In the end, the current social structure is brought down, and the era of “The Machine” comes to an end, but so does Kuno’s life. 

The story is a great analogy to the current relationship between people and technology, in particular, the dependencies and addictions that people have on their devices. It is not uncommon to see children, some as young as the age of three or so, operating “smart devices” and ultimately becoming addicted to them. The current generation could be described as one of “technological zombies”- people being completely dependent on technology for daily activities.  For example, in the city of Shanghai, several mobile applications provide essential daily services that are becoming increasingly mainstream. Whether it is ordering food, groceries or a taxi, or even paying your bills, all of it can be done from a single smartphone. But, what would happen if the few companies providing these services cease to exist? What would its impact be on society then? It must be understood that men, and his machines are both not infallible. In fact, since man is inherently flawed, so will be his creations. As Kuno put it, “Men made it, do not forget that. Great men, but men. The
Machine is much, but it is not everything.” 

However, the most frightening factor is that of privacy. In the story, Kuno refuses to tell his story to his mother saying that he would not talk to her unless she comes to him in person. This may have been because he did not want “The Machine” to eavesdrop in on their conversation which would have led to immediate, catastrophic results for Kuno. Now, consider the case with current technologies, especially social media channels and messaging applications. We share very personal and intimate details of our lives on these platforms, but we have no guarantee that it is only shared to our intended parties. In the case of Foster’s world, the Machine is the omniscient being that governs everything, so in our world, who exactly is playing the role of God? 
This is a question that is becoming more prevalent in the current context, an age where information is everything and people’s lives are becoming increasingly digitized.

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Week 1: Response to “The Machine Stops” By E.M. Forster – YaChi Chang

After reading The Machine Stops, the first thought that popped up in my mind was that E.M. Forster is such a great fortune teller, for everything he imagined back a century ago corresponds with what is happening currently. The Machine represents the prevailing internet in modern days. Generally, it seems that the whole story was written in an ironic tone. People bank too much on the Machine that they cannot feed themselves without all these buttons and mechanisms. At the very beginning of the story, Vashti was sitting in her armchair, with a great bunch of buttons around her. With a press, she could get everything she wanted, just as what we do today with our smartphones and the Internet.

Throughout the story, one scene that hits my nerve the most is when Vashti was talking with her son through the plate. Kuno, her son said, “I want to see you not through the machine.” This scene reminds me of those chatting application nowadays. With the help of internet, we can see whoever we want through videochat. Then we forget the true essence of getting along with other individuals face to face-emotion, which can hardly be felt through the screen. The internet, or the Machine, is indeed convenient. The only thing that matters in current society is that we use this tool “humanly”. Just as mentioned in the text, “man is the measure”. We should feel this world by ourselves, with the help of the Internet, rather than feel this world through it.

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Week 1: Response to “E.M. Forster” – Hanna Rinderknecht-Mahaffy

While first starting E.M Forster’s “The Machine Stops,” I found the narrative somewhat strange. The more I read however, the more fascinating the premise of the story became. In Forster’s imaginary world, civilization does not resemble humanity as we know it today. Instead, all in the world is all alike and is totally run and controlled by the Machine. Instead of human contact, emotion, and connection, the people of this world are entirely focused on ideas as the main point in life. The machine seems to take away all elements of humanity that we know today and leads people to worship the machine, treating The Book like a bible of sorts. Any deviation from the Machine’s goals was punished by “Homelessness,” which was banishment to the surface, where people couldn’t survive. This attitude is shown in the mother’s reaction to her son’s admission of his self-exploration to the surface. “There was not room for such a person in the world. And with her pity disgust mingled. She was ashamed at having borne such a son, she who had always been so respectable and so full of ideas. Was he really the little boy to whom
she had taught the use of his stops and buttons, and to whom she had given his first lessons in the Book? The very hair that disfigured his lip showed that he was reverting to some savage type. On atavism the Machine can have no mercy.” This quote clearly shows how society values unquestionable loyalty to the Machine, and how any exemplification of human uniqueness is in conflict with that loyalty. This attitude toward her son struck me in that she does not seem to care at all for her son on a personal, familial level, instead she can only feel proud of him when he is participating in the system of the Machine. 

In Section 3, “The Homeless”, there are two developments in the Machine. “The second great development was the re-establishment of religion.” In this section, the author describes how the Machine has now actually become a religion, further solidifying the control the Machine has on all the people in the world. Lecturers of the world discuss how the Machine is omnipotent, implying the God-like nature of the system, and the utter lack of control people have over their own lives and basic needs. I found this concept to be very ironic, as the Machine seemed to have been originally created to be useful for humans and was not indented to control them. In our real world today of increasing reliance on advancing technology, this narrative seems to be a cautionary tale that while technology can be put to good use by humans, there may be a point where it is taken too far and gets beyond our control, permanently altering who we are as a civilization. This story is, of course, and extreme hyperbole of such a scenario, however when I consider how much we, and our daily habits, have changed over the last fifty years due to technology, such a concept does not seem so far stretched. 

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Week 1: “The Machine Stops” reflective response – Adam Chou

Unabashedly, I must compare this piece to the same points repeated in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Although taken from a view of ‘successful technology’ the aphorisms of inhuman qualities within society are borrowed heavily in this piece. However the piece, by showcasing such dystopic aspects, helps to distinguish the unequivocal struggle of man versus machine. Due to the nature of progress, and its heavy reliance on processing and machinery, it is hard to embrace what had once been us. To clarify this point, humans have forgot what we once were. This is mainly due to the fact that technology has separated a sense of space between what we are now, and who we were before.

Ironically, we see this analogy presented in the opposite manner. The present day, which is generally considered young and hip, is portrayed in the perspective of the elder mother. Whereas the son is given the more adventurous role of describing his journey to the outside. The fear of the piece, I suppose, is that people have lost sense of their natural selves. This is comparable to Frankenstein and his monster – his ‘daemon” – to which he is haunted by for the entirety of the novel. That which was once considered normal – the animal that was man – is now frowned upon. And yet it is something that we use as a baseline to experience that which we no longer can. I think of this in the manner in which the son plays the role of mediator to the mother. In some sense, the story that is told to the mom can be categorized as entertainment. We can find similar aspects to this as the  comes into personal lives. As the voice of reason seeks to persuade us of the safety of conformity, our own intuition begs us to be curious of our past. Such is the relationship, in my eyes, of the relationship of Vashti and her son Kuno.

I will comment, however, that the bias shown of the machine turning on mankind is one that seems to be a bit pessimistic. We have no idea if this accurately represents future conditions, although they are terrifying to picture. But I suppose it is easier to do the latter than the former.