MACHINES: over-reliance and loss of emotion

Click here: http://brighton.ncsa.uiuc.edu/prajlich/forster.html

The above link brings us to a story titled “The Machine Stops” which was written by E.M. Forster in 1909 exploring attitudes towards science and technology. It was written as a reaction to the optimism of the early 20^th century about technology and shows man’s over-reliance on technology and his inability to live without it. The story claims that man has forgotten that it is indeed himself who created technology which resulted in the loss of direct experience and human connection, or the threat of virtual communities.

The story shows man’s dependency on technology. It deals with themes like meditated experience and the loss the direct experience, which degrades human communication. It shows that there will be a fear of direct experience with nature, with people as part of nature which ultimately will lead to dehumanisation, estrangement and alienation of oneself. The desire of comfort will be man’s ultimate doomsday.

The advance in technology results in globalisation of the whole world. The modern world today is full of machines and gadgets to help people live their lives in a more convenient and comfortable manner. With globalisation and the high level of technology, a person can become over-reliant on a machine, which in turn, will make the world a place void of natural human emotion and connection. For example, the telephone has enabled people to communicate with one another anywhere in the world. Now, there is the invention of the cell phone, which has the function of SMS. Between sending a text message and a phone call, people would choose the text message. This shows that with the advance of technology, more and more people will lose their human side and direct experience because of fear. Virtual communities will thrive because it supports non-direct experience, and the hiding of human emotion or identity. Thus, although globalisation and technology may have its advantages of convenience, it also has its downsides of turning the world into a machine.