The Machine Stops

My favorite presentation from this year's SxSW was Jaron Lanier speaking about his new book "You are not a gadget". The speech was impressive, an hour full of detail and not a single miss "popping the stack" of conversation. I'd say it was even better than the book.

He played the Khene to start, and then said something like-- First of all, if you haven't read "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster, go and do that right now, because that's basically my point-- It's hard for me to believe that a book from 1909 could somehow be so relevant to the present time. But I finally bought a copy and read it myself and.... Wow!

So, may I suggest that you stop what you're doing right now or before you go to bed, and read the 35 pages of this story. Let me know what you think. Hooray for the public domain.