The Machine Stops

“I dislike seeing the horrible brown earth, and the sea, and the stars when it is dark.” (2)

Something happened to the earth which caused humans live and sustain themselves a contraption called "The Machine."

“Vashti watched his face in the blue plate.

“But I can see you!” she exclaimed.

“What more do you want?” “I want to see you not through the Machine,” said Kuno. “I want to speak to you not through the wearisome Machine.” (2)

This is a dilemma where the humans in the machine cant visit each other and have no need to. They don't raise there kids and creates a strong lack of intimacy between humans. They are raised to believe that the Machine is all they will need to know.

“You talk as if a god had made the Machine,” cried the other.

“I believe that you pray to it when you are unhappy. Men made it, do not forget that. Great men, but men. The Machine is much, but it is not everything. I see something like you in this plate, but I do not see you. I hear something like you through this telephone, but I do not hear you. That is why I want you to come. Pay me a visit, so that we can meet face to face, and talk about the hopes that are in my mind.” (2)

This perfectly embodies man vs machine and how despite man building and creating a new habitat for survival it hiders them. It prevents them from generic human interaction. It brings me to ask a question. What if the purpose of the machine wasn't to protect humanity but to prevent humanity from retaking the planet? Almost as if to say that the machine is the perfect human prison.

“In the air-ship—–” He broke off, and she fancied that he looked sad. She could not be sure, for the Machine did not transmit nuances of expression. It only gave a general idea of people – an idea that was good enough for all practical purposes, Vashti thought. The imponderable bloom, declared by a discredited philosophy to be the actual essence of intercourse, was rightly ignored by the Machine, just as the imponderable bloom of the grape was ignored by the manufacturers of artificial fruit. Something “good enough” had long since been accepted by our race. (3)

Because of the apocalyptic event from thousands of years the humans have not grown, raised

or hunted animals. So Vashti has been very dissatisfied with The machine only ever giving good enough and is tired of humans accepting good enough.