Blog Assignment #1 - My Topic of Choice

The Machine Stops
Imagine the world 100 years from now. What do you think life will be like? Would you believe me if I told you a man born almost 100 years before you could have a better idea of the future? It sounds absurd, but you haven't met E. M. Forster. Forster wrote a short fictional account in 1909 entitled "The Machine Stops." (click here for a link) In his story he addresses his view of the future through a relationship between a mother and her son. Here are a my thoughts:
I couldn't help thinking of the phrase "history repeats itself." The whole time my mind was fixated on creating links between the story's events and true historical accounts. This was not only with specific events but with general emotions and relative beliefs as well. While Vashti (the mother) seemed very cold she still couldn't completely shake the natural love she had for her son. While mankind itself was given everything it needed, rumors of waring against and punishing those who are deviant still existed. And above all, while fictionally today's religions did not exist, humans still couldn't shake the worship of a higher power. I sense that Forster recognized a unique key in life. While eras may seem so distinct, there have always existed basic truths that are in essence...plainly put...the truth. Kuno (the son) believed in freedom. It drove him near death, but he was persistent in what he felt was meaningful. That being said, the "truths" in life may not all be good. The machine itself concealed its errors until it was too late. The machine was deceitful and imperfect. My point is, though, that "learning from history" is not just deciding NOT to bomb a country or to start a war, but to actually look at history as a whole and draw deeper ideas and truths from it.