The Machine Stops- By E.M. Forster

In class, we viewed the movie adaptation of "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster. This movie was an extremely interesting piece devoted to technology.

Although the movie was central to the development of technology, I definitely saw a central theme based on technologically enhanced communication; particularly the telephone. After watching this movie, I could not believe that it was written in 1909. It just seemed like a 2009 movie that was re-formatted to black and white with the effects of an older camera. As Vishta and Kuno communicated through the mirrors,which seemed to be the new technologically enhanced telephone, it reminded me of the semantic web. The idea that the semantic web design will allow for the web to "understand" and satisfy the requests of people and machines to use the web content was directly portrayed in the Machine Stops. An example of this can be seen as Kuno asks the machine to send him oxygen masks and the machine is able to respond to his request.

At the end of The Machine Stops, Vishta (who is a lover of technology and a lover of the machines) claims that "fear is out of date" when Kuno tries to tell her that he has something frightening to tell her. Such a metaphor designed by E.M Forster is intriguing because I really get a strong understanding of how humanity might turn out if we continue to depend on technology. Because we are so dependent on technology, there is a chance that some of us may actually embody Vishta's habbits and begin to serve the machine, and follow a "machine bible." One of the more scarier scenes in The Machine Stops was presented when Vishta claims she is sick and calls, or shall I say "requests" a doctor, and this machine doctor drops down ready to operate on her.....I mean REALLY??.....That is extremely disturbing!

Another interesting concept presented in The Machine Stops was Vishta's repetitive comments and excuses of not wanting to visit earth because it will not give her "ideas" and that the machines give her "ideas." What Vishta fails to realize though is that these ideas are secondary ideas, and that the ideas the machine gives her are not her own ideas, however she behaves as if they are. This is a clear representation of today's society because as we surf the web we gather information, and embody it and embrace it as if it were our own, but many of us fail to realize that the ideas obtained are not our own ideas....they are someone elses!

In my opinion, I do depend on technology. For example, because I don't have a printer, when I have finished my assignment I will 1) e-mail a document attachment to my york e-mail account 2) e-mail a document attachment to my hotmail account 3) post it in the body of both e-mails 4) save it on a USB and 5) bring my laptop incase none of 1-4 work. So in a sense, I do depend on technology, however I am always prepared with a backup plan, inevitably not letting technology control me, and not controlling technology, but as a user, using technology as a cognitive tool. Although I don't depend on technology, I do love it. I own a blackberry and it is definitely a way I keep in touch with my friends through e-mail, sms, blakcberry messenger, facebook on my phone, msn messenger on my phone, and I can even browse the web. Sometimes I misplace it and I suddenly get that "disconnected" feeling....do you know what I mean? It's kind of like...your world has come to an end (LOL). However, I did go a long while without having internet...almost 4 months, and when I got it back, things were the same old...but I think that is only because I had my blackberry as a backup plan, so I was up to date. However, returning to The Machine Stops, according to Kuno....the machine DOES stop. So, what would happen if I didn't have my internet on my laptop, and also lost my blackberry.....then what??????????? ....It's a scary thought indeed. HOWEVER, being a slave to technology is even scarier........

signed,

g.i.a.c.w.