“The Machine Stops” by E.M. Forester tells of a dystopian future where every human lives in isolation from one another, each living in their own box, separated from the rest of society. As a result, communication becomes much less real and becomes more of a hassle than the pleasure it previously was. The people, as a result, begin to worship the Machine as a god to them, even though it was humans who created the Machine in the first place. It is also important to note that even though humans created the Machine, the Machine rules supreme over the people and can even banish humans from their rooms onto the uninhabitable face of the earth. While this is an exaggeration which presumably takes place many, many years in the future, it mimics some of the trends that we can see in today’s society.
Nowadays, I do not go anywhere without my phone. I need my phone to look at memes, I need my phone to listen to music, I need my phone to check my homework, I need my phone to make phone calls. I say I NEED my phone, but deep down I know that that’s not true. There was once a time in my life, a simpler time, when I didn’t have a phone and the world kept turning. However, as society progresses along with technology, having the latest technology as to not be obsolete is becoming a must. People nowadays have created an environment that is impossible to function without subscribing to modern technology, and that’s our fault. As beneficial as the modern cell phone is, it can very easily be argued that there are an equal amount of disadvantages. For example, just like in “The Machine Stops,” I would say that with the advent of the internet and instantaneous communication the quality of communication has fallen drastically. Far too often I find myself sending messages with absolutely no purpose or just scrolling through a mundane Instagram feed full of boring pictures and sub-par memes. However, I do not see this trend slowing down one bit. Phones are becoming more and more powerful with every update, every new release, each one another nail in the coffin of true human interaction. Is there a point where eventually we are all living in a reality not unlike that of “The Machine Stops?” Will we all spend all day hooked up to VR headsets communicating with one another through a stream of silly emojis? That still remains to be seen, but if I were to make a prediction, based on my opinion of humans and the way the world is going — I would say yes, and that’s a very scary thing.