The Machine Stops [Classic Tales Edition]

The earth's surface is no longer habitable. All humanity is sequestered beneath the ground, couched in isolation and contentment. The Machine provides the needs of humanity. Mankind becomes subservient drones to the life-supporting Machine. But what happens when the Machine stops?

Public Domain (P)2018 B.J. Harrison

Written in 1910 but so eerily relevant

Unique take on a cautionary tale about technology and the role of technology in our comfort as a species. What happens when we as a human race decide to create a machine to "take care of" every need, every desire, every whim...? What happens when humanity decides to let their great machine take care of everything? What happens when we as a species forgets what it's like to live as a human being, upon the Earth, as a part of the natural world? What happens when we're so far removed from our place in creation that the technology we've created for our comfort becomes our own downfall?

This should be required reading for every one.

Short, engaging, not too dated in terms of language compared to other literature that I've read from the same era.

Classic

Definitely an underrated/under-appreciated classic.

As it was written a looong time ago, it does take a bit of transfer to apply it to today’s situation - if you wanted to, you could take that as an excuse to discount the message. But astonishingly, it’s not too far from today, and goes further, just a few steps, from where the films Surrogates and maybe in clownish way, Ready Player One, took us.

The reading is very subdued, which I began to appreciated more and more, as I realized it suited the story best.

A timeless work of art

This was just stunning. The reading was perfect, full of emotion. Everyone on earth should hear this story. It is heartbreaking. As the truth often can be. Can’t believe this was written in 1910