The Machine Stops
August 21, 2026 —
Andrew Fowlie
Read The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster. I hadn't previously associated him with science fiction, so it was a surprise that he wrote this book. However, the book focusses on human connections and alienation and thus perhaps isn't dissimilar thematically from his other works. The book imagines a future where we live our lives through machines, including communication and experiences. I found the Machine's preference for $n$-th hand information intriguing: first-hand and second-hand sources were considered partisan and unreliable. The society thus prefers depersonalised, smooth, generic lectures and historical accounts. Any of this sound familiar?