The Machine Stops

by E.M. Forster

The clumsy system of public gatherings had been long since abandoned; neither Vashti nor her audience stirred from their rooms. Seated in her armchair she spoke, while they in their armchairs heard her, fairly well, and saw her, fairly well.

The Machine proceeds - but not to our goal.

“Beware of first- hand ideas!”

Let your ideas be second-hand, and if possible tenth-hand, for then they will be far removed from that disturbing element - direct observation.

“there will come a generation that had got beyond facts, beyond impressions, a generation absolutely colourless, a generation seraphically free From taint of personality,

But Humanity, in its desire for comfort, had over-reached itself. It had exploited the riches of nature too far. Quietly and complacently, it was sinking into decadence,

“The Machine stops.”