After reading and analyzing E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops”, I came to the conclusion that the short story was about the danger of knowledge and technology, as well as the importance of humanity in an advancing civilization. However, more importantly, I believe The Machine spoken about in the story has an uncanny yet strong relation to the modern internet. The way The Machine takes in ideas from people and spreads those ideas through a filter is very similar to how the modern internet operates today. Us humans, through code and websites, can upload ideas into the internet, and other humans can access those ideas. In theory, this amalgamation of information should be a positive for the ever advancing human race, but like with The Machine, there are hidden issues. Humanities increased dependence on the internet has begun to mirror the dependence that humans in “The Machine Stops” has on The Machine. Smart Homes like the Google Assistant and Siri are virtual AI that can turn on the lights in our house or start the microwave or even welcome you home. Those functions are eerily similar to how in “The Machine Stops”, The Machine generates beds and food. In addition, humans now are sometimes more interested to talking to a screen than talking in person, similar to how in short story, Vashti can’t see a reason why speaking through the machine is any different that speaking in person. All these reasons I previously mentioned are only a few of the many comparisons that can be made between the internet and The Machine. Through my analysis, I believe E.M Forster’s “The Machine Stops” is a realistic yet pessimistic view of how the internet could eventually take over our lives.
Week 1: Response to “The Machine Stops” – Jikai Zheng
“The Machine Stops,” the dystopic, futuristic story by E. M. Foster wrangles my mind into a knot. On one hand, this fictional piece has many unrealistic qualities, such as human’s incapability to live on the surface of earth. However, in contrast, the underlying concept of a machine that occupies human worship is far too real. The machine, to some extent, resembles our humanity’s addiction to technology. Indeed, the two main characters of this story, Vashti and her son, Kuno, have differing opinions on the necessity, power, and appliance of the machine. While Vashti views the machine as a flawless piece of man’s invention, Kuno is more suspicious of its facilities, stating, “its hum penetrates our blood, and may even guide our thoughts” (13).
I was reminded of the climatic statement, “The Machine stops” (same as the title) in section 3. In the denouement of this story, I begin to realize that Foster may have intended readers to leave with the same sense of suspicion to technology as Kuno had, or at least a measured amount of caution towards channels of communication that diminish the human experience.
The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster- Evan Xie
After thoroughly reading “The Machine Stops” by E.M. Forster, I immediately thought of a recurring topic that the short story directly related to Communication Lab: the existence of technology overpowering the existence of humans. Kuno struggled to maintain a human relationship with his mother Vashti simply as a result of the Machine becoming something that people rely on in all aspects of their lives. I felt that the way the author described the relationship between Kuno and Vashti was incredibly mindful as they used realistic human scenarios connecting to the dangers of technology. While I originally thought that the Machine sounded like an incredible benefit to humans, I quickly realized the author’s intention to show the Machine as a God-like figure that had replaced true human ways of life. By choosing to capitalize “Machine,” I personally viewed the Machine itself as more of a religious or sacred object rather than an actual Machine. Despite the purpose of the Machine to make human functions such as communication easier, when reading through the story, I feel that Vashti and Kuno relied on the Machine too heavily. As a result, I saw this as a similar situation to modern day technology as both Vashti and Kuno forget how to act as humans due to their reliance on the Machine. Similarly to humans in today’s society, we often immediately jump to our phones, computers, or whatever electronic devices we have in hopes of making our day to day communication easier. However, like Kuno and Vashti, too often do we wait until it is too late before realizing the dangers of technology as well as the benefits. Once the Machine is finally destroyed, Kuno and Vashti are freed from its imprisonment. However, their inability to separate true human interaction from technological interaction made me think of everything we as humans are doing today. While advanced programs and devices help us in amazing ways, I feel that it is quite easy to fall into a black hole like Kuno and Vashti’s society. I feel that the story demonstrates issues that may be presented as fictional, but in reality, relate to humans and technology today more than ever. Most of all, I viewed the story as both a message and a lesson. We cannot and should not abuse the privileges of rapidly improving technology. While it makes communicating easier, I feel that it is important to be aware of situations like Kuno and Vashti’s. Therefore, I view technology as beneficial to create works of art and aid basic functions, but also feel that we should not rely on it in replacing our actions as human beings.