The Machine Stops
by E. M. Forster · first published 1909
56% recommend44% neutral1% critical
Why HN recommends it
Short 1909 sci-fi story that foresees video calls, instant messaging and internet-style isolation, then shows a dystopian collapse. Suits anyone thinking about technology dependence, alienation and deference to machines.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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I loved @ajus's comment about Stansislaw Lem's ebook prediction in 1961[1]. Another favorite is E.M. Forster's prediction of video calling and more in 1909 with The Machine Stops[2]. "But it was fully fifteen seconds before the round plate that she held in her hands began to glow. A faint blue light shot across it, darkening to purple, and presently she could see the image of…
on “Ask HN: Favorite technology predictions in science fiction?” ↗Not to take anything away from John Brunner's 1975 classic, but EM Forster's The Machine Stops[1][2] was even more prescient. Written in 1909, it predicted (in very rough, general form) something like the Internet, Internet addiction, video chat rooms, and virtual reality. He also wrote another…
on “The Shockwave Rider: A sci-fi classic, whose future we live in (2018)” ↗I read the original "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster way back in 1909, a few weeks back, following a link from this very website. It's worth a read! http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html EDIT: Looks like that link is…
on “The Machine Stops” ↗…whom the name E.M.Forster does not ring a bell, he's more well known for "A Room with a View" and "A Passage to India".[1] He also wrote another short story which I consider to be even better than The Machine Stops. It's called The Other Side of the Hedge[2], and while it's not as prescient it's one of my favorite short stories and I would highly recommend it to everyone. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._M._Forster…
on “The Machine Stops (1909) [pdf]” ↗"Show me one novel that predicted something like Fox and Friends, or The View. You can’t do it." The Machine Stops, by E.M. Forster. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36289890
on “Science Fiction’s Wonderful Mistakes” ↗Ever read "The Machine Stops" by EM Forster? Over 100 years old, and it's got Facebook style interactions!
on “Harrison Bergeron (1961)” ↗Not to take anything away from Lem, who is one of my favorite science fiction writers and who I absolutely adore, but I was much more impressed by E M Forster's predictions in The Machine Stops[1][2] Writing in 1909, Forster predicted many things we take for granted today -- the internet, internet addiction and withdrawal, chat rooms, video conferencing, online learning, widespread international…
on “Things Stanislaw Lem Predicted” ↗This, and "The Machine Stops" by E M Forster (http://www.plexus.org/forster/index.html) are my two favorite science fiction shorts. Both very relevant, and slightly humorous where we surpassed the technology in the stories. A computer…
on “"The Feeling Of Power" by Isaac Asimov” ↗Another relevant one is E.M. Forster's "The Machine Stops": http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html
on “The lost world of physicality” ↗Reminds me of "The Machine Stops" by EM Forster, where "experts" are those that write about what other "experts" write about. Among other similarities, the short story is remarkably prescient for being written in 1909 http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html
on “The end of social” ↗This is one of the greatest and most influential short stories ever. I remember in college we had long debates about how the machine is the equivalent of what Facebook would be if "the machine stops" (i.e. social networking suddenly shuts down). Here are a couple worthwhile things to note about this: - E.M. Forster wrote this in 1909, before there were even televisions. He essentially predicted…
on “The Machine Stops (1909)” ↗THE MACHINE STOPS by E.M. Forster (1909) http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html
on “Arthur C. Clarke Predicts the Internet and PC (1974)” ↗"The rise of communications as a means of linking people together was completely missed" Not by everyone. Take a look at "The Machine Stops" by E.M.Forster (of "A Room with a View" and "A Passage to India" fame).[1][2] In 1909 he predicted something like the internet, chatrooms, internet addiction, and various other things that have since…
on “Asking the wrong questions” ↗I must mention my favourite sci-fi short story, "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster[0]. It is from 1909 and is chillingly prescient. Essentially, a machine provides all necessities of life in a persons' pod, so they need never leave. People spend their time making essentially…
on “Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book” ↗"The Machine Stops" by E M Forster is a pretty remarkable science fiction story from around the same time period that the article begins, when people were worrying about over mechanization. http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html
on “Who pushes the button?” ↗