The Machine Stops_, written by English author EM Forster in 1909, is not only revered as a short story on its own merits, but increasingly relevant given current concerns about the effect of technology on employment and interpersonal relationships today. To understand Forster's perspective, it is helpful to understand the social climate in which he lived. By 1909, the Edwardian era marked by a luxurious life of leisure and prosperity had given way to a more liberal change led by the Labor Party. The social, economic and political reforms demanded by a working-class generation that wanted independence were taking hold. Technological advances in England were shared with America, where the Industrial Revolution and progressivism were transforming society at an extraordinary pace. Social policy and industry were focused on issues associated with exponential growth and access to travel and exploration made possible by technological advances. Women's suffrage, workers' rights, and limits on the reach of big business created a dynamic social environment. Forster was in the midst of this extraordinary period of change, and his inspiration for Machine Stops is easy to understand. He could imagine a time when technology would take over if the trajectory of progress he lived in continued, and given the unprecedented pace of change and unanticipated impact on society, his dark history likely reflected his true fears. Although he presents a pessimistic view of overreliance on technology, Forrester would ultimately agree that there is an important place for its advancements in a society that craves novelty, exploration, and efficiency; the caveat is that humans cannot survive in a world of technology or human connection alone, work or play, but, like most things, requires an appropriate balance of both. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Work, by its nature, is intended as a means to an end; advance society economically and support a balanced life for workers that is fulfilling, happy and healthy. Socially, we are in a constant state of evolution, fueled by curiosity, invention and need: technological advances make these changes possible and rapid. The key to a successful life and a prosperous society is to achieve balance over time. Technology is often the bridge to progress, and people keep up with these changes by adapting their skills and developing new jobs that didn't exist before. Historically, we have many examples of adaptations made by workers to compensate for changes in the workplace: the cotton gin, the sewing machine, tractors, and railways are all ancient examples. Ozimek emphasizes that when human labor is replaced by machines, we focus on “the ability to learn and choose careers that take into account the new technological landscape…learning how to better integrate machines.” (Ozimek, 2018, p. 1) Explain that our technology trains us to learn new skills, which in turn helps us to continue inventing what we need for a better life: this is clearest in the field of medicine where we are now capable of detecting and treating disease in a way that could not have been predicted. He also nods to the pace and ingenuity of the industrial revolution, “…artificial intelligence will train humans much better than they are today. Today's classroom is, if not always, very often, very similar to that of 100 years ago.13)./