Saturday, 12 May 2018

Will Robots Walk the Streets?

While breakawaying Ive just read Richard  Matheson's short story Brother of the Machine.

Its an excellent portrait of a rogue malfunctioning robot stumbling through a human town.

I really enjoyed it. I've always been fascinated by humans meeting different 'species' such as dinosaurs, other hominids and especially robots.

I'm also reading HG Wells' The Time  Machine, a much longer story and one which is well known now. His story of a man alone in a future society of Eloi and Morlocks has echoes of Matheson's robot tale written much later.

Both deal with the plight of an individual at odds with the world around them and a sense of not fitting in. This is something that many people can relate to as we all struggle with the same puzzle of existence.

Many early sci-fi writers were able to predict future technologies and  the associated trouble with almost uncanny clarity.

I wonder if my Grandson or his children will ever see a rogue robot shambling through the streets as its programming falters?

With Siri and Alexa already talking to today's children, will robots walk with tomorrow's?

What do you think readers?

2 comments:

  1. I have a suspicion that HG Wells's story which has a technologically dominant but flawed/evil race dominating a more altruistic one, influenced others, including Frank Hampson's first Dan Dare story with the Mekon and Treens and the original Dr Who and the Daleks story.

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    1. It is an impressive story Andy. It must have influenced others. I wouldnt be surprised if HGWells wasnt influenced by Shakespeare in the way The Tempest influenced Forbidden Planet.

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