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This is such a worthwhile read. Insane, considering that the first computer was decades away from being invented, and the personal computer was half a century a

This is such a worthwhile read. Insane, considering that the first computer was decades away from being invented, and the personal computer was half a century away. Here is the full text: http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html It's not too long--I'd recommend reading it entirely. EDIT: For anyone looking for more dystopian socio-tech stories I'd also recommend "'Repent Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" and pretty much all the episodes of Black Mirror. http://compositionawebb.pbworks.com/f/%5C%27Repent,+Harlequin!%5C%27+Said+the+Ticktockman+by+Harlan+Ellison.pdf http://compositionawebb.pbworks.com/f/%5C%27Repent,+Harlequi... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror_%28TV_series%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror_%28TV_series%29

ghaff 11y ago
I've been enjoying Black Mirror but pretty much everything I've seen so far is sufficiently dark and dystopian that I really need to be in the right mood to watch an episode.
- riffraff 11y ago
  Black Mirror is outstanding, but all episodes I've seen have been so _intense_ that it takes a while for me to shake off the feelings of unease.
  - kendallpark 11y ago
    It takes time to develop a taste for the dystopian short story. I imagine the way I feel about dystopian shorts is akin to how trained palettes appreciate a complex wine. I read through Animal Farm in seventh grade and it was the first time I experienced the feeling of having read an excellent book that was simultaneously emotionally disturbing. It was confusing, though I knew that my distress was the author's intent. I spent the following summer reading novels like 1984 and Fahrenheit 459. Dystopian sci-fi quickly became my favorite genre. The short story form also creates unease, as the form is known for it's lack of resolution (or happy endings). They typically cut off right after the climax without any resolving action. I didn't really GET this about short stories until college. Now it's my favorite form of writing. Combine the dystopian fiction and the short story form (as in Black Mirror), and it's a pretty potent punch in the gut.
kolinko 11y ago
The movie "In time" from 2011 was inspired by the ticktockman btw.
ableal 11y ago
> more dystopian socio-tech stories Jack Williamson's 1947 With Folded Hands, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_Folded_Hands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_Folded_Hands (I trot this one out semi-regularly, it deserves more recognition than it currently has.)

ghaff 11y ago

I've been enjoying Black Mirror but pretty much everything I've seen so far is sufficiently dark and dystopian that I really need to be in the right mood to watch an episode.

riffraff 11y ago
Black Mirror is outstanding, but all episodes I've seen have been so _intense_ that it takes a while for me to shake off the feelings of unease.
- kendallpark 11y ago
  It takes time to develop a taste for the dystopian short story. I imagine the way I feel about dystopian shorts is akin to how trained palettes appreciate a complex wine. I read through Animal Farm in seventh grade and it was the first time I experienced the feeling of having read an excellent book that was simultaneously emotionally disturbing. It was confusing, though I knew that my distress was the author's intent. I spent the following summer reading novels like 1984 and Fahrenheit 459. Dystopian sci-fi quickly became my favorite genre. The short story form also creates unease, as the form is known for it's lack of resolution (or happy endings). They typically cut off right after the climax without any resolving action. I didn't really GET this about short stories until college. Now it's my favorite form of writing. Combine the dystopian fiction and the short story form (as in Black Mirror), and it's a pretty potent punch in the gut.

kolinko 11y ago

The movie "In time" from 2011 was inspired by the ticktockman btw.

ableal 11y ago

> more dystopian socio-tech stories Jack Williamson's 1947 With Folded Hands, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_Folded_Hands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_Folded_Hands (I trot this one out semi-regularly, it deserves more recognition than it currently has.)