Future Readings Paper

            “The Machine Stops” is definitely an oddly timeless piece, given that it was written over a hundred years ago and yet the themes it presents have been popular for the past few decades. The idea of a sort of dystopian world, both as far as the planet goes and how people interact with each other is definitely a common subject nowadays. Of course, the people in this story, for the most part (Kuno is really the exception we see) would not likely think that their isolated worlds as such were not an ideal place or way to live. And as the story goes on, when we learn that seeing or interacting with people face to face is almost disgusting to most, I cannot help but think it is one of the most unrealistic parts of the piece. Humans are social creatures, and even introverts like to spend some time with other people, and it does not seem all that realistic that we could become so comfortable without seeing others on a regular basis, not to mention how touch-starved I think many would be. Still, the idea of a sort of all powerful machine that controls everything in life, to the point that it becomes worshipped as a godlike entity, does not seem all that far-fetched. I will not deny that I like the idea of smart homes and such but I would definitely be a bit concerned if we had to rely on one piece of technology for absolutely everything. By the end of the story, it is clear that doing so is a huge mistake, since when it stops working, no one knows what to do and it is pretty clear that no one knows how to handle the situation, thus leading to the deaths of pretty much everyone.

            As for “This Changes Everything”, it is definitely a more modern piece, meant specifically for those of us living now. Climate change is an issue that you would really hope by now would not be disputed as perhaps the largest crisis facing the world. And yet, as Klein points out again and again, people do such an easy job of ignoring it as such. Many of the wealthy that benefit from activities that worsen climate change have no desire to do anything about it, perfectly content to watch the world burn if it means more money in their pockets. But even the everyday person, the everyday consumer, finds it easy to make choices that harm the environment more than help it. It does not help, naturally, that these choices tend to be cheaper or at least for the most part more convenient and thus more likely to be chosen. And yet, if we all chose to treat it like the real crisis it is, as Klein argues we should, there would be no more failed summits, no broken promises. People would hold each other and governments and even corporations responsible. And it would do so much good, for all the reasons that Klein describes, from jobs to economies to democracy and more. Climate change is clearly a crisis and one that needs to be addressed more seriously.

            Chip Ward’s letter set fifty years in the future imagines the grim reality that awaits should we continue to do nothing impactful about climate change. From the insane amount of oil used in such a short period of time to the terrible effects using it and other fossil fuels caused. It tells a story of selfishness, of greed, of not looking towards the future but only to right now, only what would benefit us in the short term, never caring about the long term effects. It echoes, especially the parts about using technology and chemicals and even nuclear weapons, that old adage never stopping to think, just because we can does not mean we should. The terrible things being done the environment, from water to extinction and everything else, are made clear in Ward’s apologies. And while it is generally a more depressing writing, it ends with a call to action, a bit of hope, that we can change, that we can do better. And I do believe we can, if we only find ways to really start caring. After all, this is the only Earth we have. It would be awfully hard to live without it.