Just because there are fantastical elements to these stories doesn't mean their themes can't be poignant examinations of where the real world is headed. We're

Just because there are fantastical elements to these stories doesn't mean their themes can't be poignant examinations of where the real world is headed. We're not in a giant simulation, but technology is causing people to lose contact with reality, and our lives increasingly become about keeping a giant "machine" running. We may not have a SkyNet in charge of our nuclear missiles, but should we not be concerned about AI making life-and-death decisions in war?